I admit.

I’m young, but I’ve been around desktop computers since their inception, almost 20 years ago.

Unlike the generation after me, I witnessed the development of many technologies that they take for granted. It’s not that they don’t care, but ignorance is bliss, as they say.

I remember when the 486 Hz processor was the thing, and your family must have money to blow if your home had a computer - let alone one with 50 megabytes of hard disk space. When Intel released the Pentium line of processors, the world marveled.

While a lot of big computer advances were rocking the visible market, Microsoft was coding Windows 95.

But when it came out, it changed the face of PC computing forever.

Even the newest release of Microsoft’s popular Windows operating system, Vista, still has a lot of the same design ideas from the 95 release.

Amazing, isn’t it?

Over the years that I’ve worked in the IT industry, I’ve had to face the facts: Microsoft owns so much of the PC computing industry that it’s hard to use anything else but their ill-fated systems, right?

Wrong. If you dig deeper, it seems that the true geeks have their own culture.

One that’s totally separate from the Microsoft cult that seems to have a hold on our world. There is an alternative!

Hello, I’m a user of Linux, the unshakable operating system. We utilize stable UNIX code, the same thing that’s powering some of the most popular servers in the world, but bring it to your desktop.

Our mascot? Tux.

Our motto? Make an easy to use, distributable copy of a stable operating system, that at the same time has a pretty GUI.

My recent move to Linux has been a relatively easy one.

I went from a regular copy of Windows XP with service pack 2 installed, to my latest 2007 distro of PCLinuxOS.

Let me tell you, the difference is like night and day.

Let’s begin by discussing the GUI - While Windows has a pretty interface, it’s nothing compared to linux.

As a friend once put it, “the philosophy of linux has always been that not only the big kids should have the cool toys.“

For example, I can run multiple desktops in PCLinuxOS.

In Windows, I have one.

While Vista has that capability, how much do you think that it would cost me to upgrade from XP, when the top of the line distribution of Vista is almost $300?

Add to the argument that Linux is free, and includes lots of cool features like transparency (which is Vista’s main draw), you come out with lots of toys and a really sweet pricetag.

Secondly, let’s address stability.

Linux is straight up UNIX, and you can deny it all you want, but behind even the most pretty Windows GUI, you’re running DOS code. DOS has bugs. Enough said.

If you don’t believe that, a lot of Windows-based apps are driven by VBScript. How often do you browse to a webpage, only to see a VBScript error?

Lastly - Ease of install.

If my memory is accurate, the last time I reinstalled Windows, I had to get all of my sound drivers, video drivers, and motherboard drivers installed again to make things run smoothly.

No, I’m not using some odd, homebrew machine. I’m using a run-of-the-mill HP desktop - a 3 GhZ processor at it’s core, and 512 MB of RAM.

Yeah, Windows should run on it without much configuration. Right.

Installing PCLinuxOS was so easy when you compare it to the hassle I went through when I reinstalled my Windows last.

I put the disk in, and clicked the button to install. It was that easy. I haven’t even addressed the network security, which is a major problem in today’s world.

With multiple strains of a virus running rampant on the internet, with my Windows box, I’m open, unless I update my virus protection software daily.

With linux, I’m not concerned.

I connect to the ‘net anytime, anywhere.

Security problems don’t scare me. I have none.

All in all, Linux is the best choice for your desktop. I hope that I have been able to enlighten you on some of the alternatives to the Microsoft Cult.

Now, if you’ve ever wanted to join the revolution, the time is now.

It’s easy, and it’s within your reach. Just pop over to PCLinuxOS.com. The time is now.