During any conversation pertaining to computers, you will inevitably be asked a question to the effect of “Are you a Windows user or a Mac user?”

Both operating systems have inherent benefits and drawbacks, elements which have been discussed and debated since the dawn of the personal computer market.

With all of this being said, you may be wondering which operating system I use, Windows or Apple?

I use neither; I am an Ubuntu Linux user.

According to information from the official Linux (pronounced “lih-nucks”) Web site, Linux.org, Linux was originally created in 1991 by a Finnish college student named Linus Torvald.

The software debuted in 1994 with the arrival of the first Linux Kernel, which forms the basis of how everything works within this or any other operating system. Since this new operating system was released under the GNU (pronounced “new”) General Public License, every aspect of the programming content could be altered and acquired by anyone, anywhere, free of charge. This ability to freely edit and distribute content is referred to as “open-source,” with a popular example of an open-source program being Mozilla Firefox.

Based upon the original Linux kernel is the Ubuntu (pronounced as “Oo-bun-too”) operating system, which also is free and open-source. The phrase “Ubuntu” is roughly translated as “humanity toward others” from the Bantu languages of southern Africa. The word choice creates an apt description for software made for global communities. As stated on the Ubuntu Linux Web site, (ubuntu.com), the operating system will always be freely available for use on any type of computer. Furthermore, you can even try out a fully-functional copy of Ubuntu on a “Live” disc prior to installation.

You may be asking yourself, “Open-source sounds great, but what about content?”

You can use Mozilla Firefox Web browser, VLC multimedia player (similar to Windows Media Player) and the OpenOffice.org productivity suite (think Microsoft Office). These are just three examples of free open-source programs found in Ubuntu. If you are interested in using these programs, they are found throughout CMU’s campus on Mac and Windows computers. Need an iTunes alternative for managing your music collection? I use Mozilla Songbird. Love 3D modeling and animation? Try Blender. Are you a gamer? I highly recommend Nexuiz.

The next time you see me on campus with my laptop, I’d be more than happy to show you the eye-catching Desktop Cube I use to navigate my four separate desktops. My computer, like other Linux machines, does not crash nor does it suffer from malware such as trojans, viruses or worms due to how the kernel handles security. This is exactly the reason why most servers which power the Internet use Linux instead of Windows and, to a lesser extent, Mac.

Imagination, freedom and community; welcome to the world of Ubuntu Linux.

E-mail the author: Tim Patishnock