you’re able to pick out something other thanMacOSorWindows 10when it comes to an operate system for your computer . If you ’re prepared to be a niggling more adventurous , Linux has plenty of great features that will save you fourth dimension and make working a little less obtuse . The ripe part is that Live Installations countenance you to try on out the software system before you wipe your entire hard drive .

Linux comes in various sapidity cry distros ( distributions ) and it ’s up to you to determine which one you opt for . Ubuntuis by far the most pop desktop distro and is a good position to start for beginners , so we ’ve focused on that one here , but once you ’ve grasped the BASIC feel free to explore the professional and confidence trick of some others out there .

1) You don’t have to ditch Windows (or OS X)

Of naturally the benefit of using a USB drive or videodisc is that your exist atomic number 8 remains unaffected . On the other script , execution and responsiveness wo n’t be quite as safe , and you ’re limited in footing of some organization operation ( to set up apps and save files permanently , you ask to create a USB stick with the persistence alternative enable ) .

2) It’s simple to set up

In the past tense , installing software and popular codecs on Linux was a pain for the less tech - savvy , but that ’s no longer the font . Ubuntu , for instance , prompts you to download codecs for commonly used audio and video formats with a single bank check boxful , and on most modern systems can instantly discover available wifi web and link up up to them .

While it ’s true that seasoned Windows and Mac OS X users may witness themselves once in a while perplexed by how to do something , that ’s to be expect when shift between OS of any flavor , and there ’s always plenty of support uncommitted on the web . Most users are going to be up and running and happily enjoying Linux in a few minutes .

3) Everything you need is included

Ubuntu comes complete with Firefox for your web browsing , Thunderbird for your emailing , andLibreOfficefor making documents , spreadsheet , and presentation . Other free and capable root applications like GIMP ( range redaction ) , Evolution ( the Linux version of Outlook ) , and Kodi ( home theater and sensitive management ) are only a few clink out .

Other well - make love apps with Linux reading admit Google Chrome , Plex , VLC Player , Slack , Dropbox , Skype , and Spotify . And do n’t blank out all those programs that run in a web web browser now , from the on-line versions of Microsoft Office to Google Play Music . If there ’s a Windows program you really require to fetch along with you , thengive Wine a try .

4) It’s very secure

There ’s a relatively small bit of people using Linux as a screen background bone , which mean a comparatively small telephone number of hackers looking to exploit it , but besides the raw issue , Linux is an incredibly safe atomic number 76 to run . It ’s designed from the solid ground up to be inviolable , from the default option privileges grant to drug user to the path that Linux code is develop and maintain .

Linux can crash and be uncover like any other operating system out there , but the fact that few piece of music of malware will track down on the platform and any harm they do will be more limited signify it ’s a solid alternative for the security measure - conscious . It ’s also less probable to be matter down by bloat and crawl organisation sluggishness than its more well - known rivals .

5) You’re supporting open source and free software

Linux is more than an operating system , it ’s a philosophy . Not only is the package free ( like Google Chrome , for deterrent example ) but the author computer code is open and destitute ( unlike Google Chrome , for example ) . You use the atomic number 8 and the bundled software totally free of explosive charge , but also consider the computer code and make change to it , should you be so inclined .

When you use Linux you ’re substantiate a orbicular community of millions committed to making software detached to install and expend . That philosophy has helped drive innovation on the entanglement and in Windows and OS X , as well as Linux itself , and if you want to plunk further into software development , Linux is a great place to get started .

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Argentina’s President Javier Milei (left) and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., holding a chainsaw in a photo posted to Kennedy’s X account on May 27. 2025.

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