Linux & Linehaul

At first glance, there doesn’t seem much of a choice if you’re looking at computer operating systems. If 90% of the world’s personal computers run Microsoft Windows, why shouldn’t you do the same? After all, compatibility is important when you’re sharing files with customers, partners, and suppliers.

But after being peppered with promotions surrounding the recent release of Microsoft’s latest OS, Windows XP, it’s important to remember that you do have an alternative. It’s an operating system called Linux, and it’s more stable than Windows, easier for you to configure, and far, far cheaper than the Microsoft OS. Better still, a Canadian company called BearOps has taken the lead in offering a version of Linux that’s tailor-made for Windows users who want to get their feet wet in the new operating system.

To understand the appeal and worthiness of Linux, you should know a little bit of its history, which is a delightful mix of computing chutzpah, cyberspace co-operation, and functional muscle. Linux was written in 1991 by a Finnish graduate student named Linus Torvalds. He distributed his software via the Internet, making the kernel (the essential part of the OS, responsible for resource allocation, low-level hardware interfaces, security, etc.) and source code (the programmer’s version of the OS) available for free.

The decision Torvalds made gave rise to a sort of phenomenon called “open source” software. Unlike Windows, Linux is free to be further developed by anyone, and now, a decade after its introduction, there is a worldwide community (estimated at some 10 million people) using Linux to operate desktop workstations, program in languages like Perl and C++, and run robust and stable networks. In fact, a glance behind the scenes at many ISPs (Internet Service Providers) in Canada and elsewhere will reveal Linux hard at work.

Linux is finding its place among developers of trucking and distribution software and handheld hardware like bar code scanners. Companies like Cyclone Commerce, Seeburger, and Encomium make Linux-ported EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) systems. Red Hat, a major developer of Linux software, recently released an e-commerce suite with all the tools necessary for smaller companies to quickly and easily conduct transactions over the Internet.

Up and Running

As Linux was developed, it became accepted as a business-use (rather than hacker/hobbyist) OS. You can still download the program for free, but now there are a number of commercially available distributions from developers like Slackware, Red Hat, SuSe, and Caldera, all of which collect kernel, source code, desktop interfaces, applications, and bundle them with software that makes installation easier. These versions aren’t free anymore, but they’re cheap-about $60 for a shrink-wrapped copy.

Installing and configuring Linux can still be a challenge for the typical Windows user, who probably doesn’t want to give up Windows just yet, either.

Enter an Edmonton-based Linux developer called BearOps (www.maxos.com). BearOps calls its version of Linux “the Linux operating system for everyday use,” and designed it to help Windows users make an easy transition. BearOps includes the latest Linux kernel; a graphical user interface, similar to the Windows or Mac desktop; a disk partitioning solution (so you can divide your hard drive into Windows and Linux partitions); and compatibility with Red Hat, Debian, and
Slackware applications.

It also comes prepackaged with the Star Office application suite, Netscape, Real Player, Acrobat Reader, Macromedia Flash, and a collection of games, multimedia applications, and utilities. BearOps is available in a “handheld” package (so you can connect your Palm-compatible device to your Linux system), a “server” package (a transparent and user-friendly product for system administrators), and a “firewall” package (to ensure the kind of security levels required for business-focused systems).

To install and run BearOps Linux, you’ll need a Pentium III processor running at 133Mhz or better, 32MB RAM (though 64MB is recommended), a CD-ROM drive, and 2 GB free hard disk space. The price? A reasonable $29.95 US (plus $9.95 shipping and handling).

There’s a lot of good news here. First, you can safely and comfortably have BearOps Linux and Microsoft Windows coexisting on the same computer. This way you can explore the new OS without abandoning what’s familiar. Second, BearOps’ Linux is probably the easiest install of any OS you’ll come across: it’s literally a three mouse-click process for most users. (Three mouse clicks to install and configure an entire operating system!) Third, the result gives you all the robustness Linux is famous for, plus a sensible bundle of office-oriented applications (with the capacity for saving files in MS-compatible formats).

The developer is a Canadian company, with strong customer support, and the price is excellent for a fully developed, shrink-wrapped product.

If you’re still not convinced that Linux has staying power, consider this: last month, IBM decided to give away some of its closely guarded software programming tools to developers so they can create new applications for e-businesses and web-related services. And nearly a year ago, IBM said it would pump $1 billion US into the development of Linux for use across all its product lines: PCs, portables, servers, and mainframes.

It’s yet another boost for the open-source movement, and a real challenge to Microsoft and its Windows operating system, which can cost businesses thousands of dollars a month to license. While Linux may still be a running a fraction of the networks, desktops, and handhelds out there, that piece of the pie is only going to get bigger. Be ready.