Not just those big-time developers and coders. Linux needs users like you. I considered this awhile ago on the tail-end of a discussion I had with a so-called developer. His belief was that Linux was just too complicated for the ordinary user and thus only us “power geeks” could make use of the advanced features and functions in this non-legacy operating system. Others should just move on back to XP or 2000 because there is no way in H*** that they will ever learn.
To me, that is just a pile of bullshit. People have experimented with Linux since its beginnings. I started using it way back in the SuSE 5.x days and I enjoyed it, felt challenged with it, got frustrated more than a few times. Then I found Debian. More challenge, happiness, and a bit of frustration and angst.
But the truth is we need more people to just use it. There are distributions like Ubuntu which will make it easier and you can use and harness the power of debian but use familiar and well-done tools to update, add, etc. The main message is find one and use it. You’ll get lazy. No more spyware, no more virii. I watch office colleagues that use XP struggle through their days with outlook this and virus that. Spyware and infestations of little register eating critters. Break away and find something that works for you. If in the end, your work and tools are only found in Windows so be it. Way back when I found a cheap second computer and played with Linux on it. It became a central server for the house and its always done mail, web, nfs, backups. Linux just does it all and the tools be free.
If you use Windows and you have to for a tool user reason, get some free tools that will make it easier for you to work on Linux systems like Cygwin.
