My OS Agnostic Life

Don't misread the headline. I'm not writing about religion here, just the fact that I've come to use a bunch of different operating systems. I know that I have addressed aspects of this topic before, but here it is again, from what I hope is a slightly different angle.

I have owned personal computers for well over 30 years, and have been using them for almost 40. The first computer I bought was a Mac Classic in 1991. The next year, I encountered Windows at a job where I was working, and have been using both ever since, usually Windows at work and a Mac at home. If you asked me, I'd tell you I was a Mac person, forced to use a PC at work. To date, I have only had one job where I was allowed the option of working on a Mac instead of a Windows PC. I've also owned two Windows PC's in my time, both were eventually re-imaged to run Linux.

Speaking of Linux, that's when things began to change for me, about 15 years ago. I've casually experimented with various Linux distros over the years, including OpenSUSE, Ubuntu, Xubuntu (Ubuntu running the xfce desktop), Fedora, and Linux Mint, but eventually decided they weren't really ready for prime time--until about six months ago, when I acquired a late model laptop with Linux Mint, and fell in love with Linux all over again. 

So,these days I have a bit of a 'crazy quilt' of operating systems that I use on a regular basis, but they somehow all fit together into a unique matrix, where I am able to get things done, but seldom think about which operating system I am using at a given time. To understand how this works, let's look at each operating system I use an how it fits into the whole:

Mac OS--I have to start here, because I've been using it the longest. Traditionally, I've said my preference for Macintosh computers came down to an intuitive interface, coupled with solid dependability and hardware longevity. My present MacBook Pro, is 14 years old, and still fully functional, although it is no longer receiving software updates. I was using it on a daily basis, up until last October, when I got my present Linux laptop. That said, there are still a few tasks for which it is better suited than Linux, and thus I keep it in the active category. I may eventually get another Mac to replace it, but it's an expensive proposition, and even a second-hand one, nearing the end of its useful lifespan, is an expensive proposition. For now, I'm getting along okay without that expense.

Windows--I have been using Windows computers for almost as long as I have been using Macs, but they have, for the most part, belonged to others, either employers, friends, or family members. I used to say that I felt like I had a choice between fixing things on a Windows PC or getting things done on a Mac, and for the most part, that still holds true for me. I still use Windows daily at work--my employer drinks deeply of the Windows Kool-Aid--and even though I bring my work laptop home with me most nights, since commute between two campuses, I never work on it at home, even for work-related tasks. Admittedly, Windows has gotten more stable over the years, but my affinity for it has not grown. As I have already stated, I have owned two Windows laptops, both of which today run Linux Mint. I guess I'm just not really Windows compatible. 

Linux Mint--This is where things changed for me. After five or six years of casually dabbling with Linux, I had drifted away from it, until I semi-impulsively bought a Linux laptop last fall to replace a Chromebook, with which I was growing increasingly frustrated. Having a relatively high-spec computer running the latest Linux Mint, has been a revelation, and surprisingly, that machine has become my daily driver. The Linux experience can vary greatly, depending on which distro you're using, but I find Linux Mint to meet my needs nicely. The system is rock-solid stable, and in many ways, it is as intuitive as Mac OS, and in some ways, even more so; for instance, I didn't even have to configure my two networked printers. The computer detected and configured them automatically. Previously, I had felt like Linux wasn't ready for prime time, but I'm now realizing a big part of the issue may well have been the quality of the hardware on which I was running it. My Linux laptop is now firmly in the daily driver seat, and I'm loving it.

ChromeOS--Life's journeys often include some dead ends, and ChromeOS for me is definitely one of them. I bought a Chromebook about three years ago, when the MacBook Pro I was using, died. I needed something quick and cheap to keep me productive until I found what I really wanted. Shortly after receiving it, I discovered it was possible to install and run Debian Linux applications on it under the Linux Developer Environment, also known as Crostini. While I was indeed able to the LibreOffice productivity suite, Firefox Web browser and Thunderbird email client on my Chromebook, they took an inordinate amount of the machine's resources and slowed it to a crawl. The problem is that Chromebooks have very minimal hardware specifications, because they don't need much to run the Chrome Web browser, and maybe a couple of Android apps. I was trying to force the machine to be something it wasn't, and I finally had to admit it was never going to be what I wanted it to be. When I acquired the aforementioned Linux laptop, it was the proverbial breath of fresh air. This is what I was what I was wanting from my Chromebook all along, but was never going to get. Letting go of that disappointment was surprisingly easy. Today, the Chromebook is relegated to use at hybrid Zoom and in-person meetings, where I've volunteered to serve as the Zoom host. 

Other devices--When it comes to my phone and tablet I'm equally as eclectic. My iPhone is the one place where I am firmly, solidly, and stubbornly in the Apple camp. Before I got my first iPhone, I had three Android phones, none of which were particularly satisfactory. Once I got my hands on my first iPhone, I realized what I was missing and somewhat regretted not getting one sooner. I am now on my second iPhone, which will likely need replacing within the next year, and there is no question that a third iPhone is in my not-too-distant future. 

Given my affinity for iPhones, one would think I would be equally as enthusiastic for iPads. While I've had a couple second-hand units and enjoyed them, they're too expensive for how I use a tablet--reading e-books, checking email, and surfing the occasional Web site. For me a Kindle Fire tablet is a more than acceptable alternative. The Android-based interface is not the best, but it does what I need, and unlike a Chromebook, it's a no-frills alternative that actually works for my needs. The biggest issue I've had with a Fire tablet is limited storage capacity, which is easily remedied with the addition of a micro SD card. It's not the greatest tablet ever, but for well under $100 on sale, it was a good value, and worth the tradeoffs. I've just never really needed much from a tablet.

While there's no single solution that's right for everyone, I've found there's no single solution--or digital ecosystem--that fits all my needs. , but what I've patched together seems to work for me.

How are Your Tires?

 I have an old convertible that I drive mainly in mild, sunny weather. While those days can occur at almost any time of the year around here, there are still times when the car sits idle for weeks, or even months, at at time. Recently, when I hadn't driven it in a little while, I went to take it out for a little exercise and found the front tires were in visibly in need of air. When I re-inflated them, I found an even bigger problem—they were badly dry-rotted. The tread was great, but the sidewalls had significant cracks, where the rubber had dried out necessitating an unexpected expense to replace them.

With this incident in mind, and seeing plenty of cars out there rolling on seriously scary looking tires, I humbly offer the following guide to assessing the condition of your tires, centering on three basic factors: inflation, tread wear, and dry rot, in the hope that your road miles may be safer.

Inflation--The basic question here is whether you have enough air in your tires. Too little air and your tread will wear out prematurely and deliver poor fuel economy. Too much air, and you will have a harsh ride, poor handling, and risk a blowout. So, that begs the question of where the proverbial 'Goldilocks zone' is. Generally speaking, it's around 30-32 psi. You can verify that on a sticker inside the driver's door, on most vehicles, but also check the sidewalls of your tires to see what the maximum inflation is. Usually, it's around 35 psi. If your car does not have a built-in tire pressure monitoring (TPM) system, you need to invest in a good quality pressure gauge (don't worry, they're not expensive) and check your tires at least a couple of times a month. If you find yourself frequently putting air in your tires, you may want to get them checked for road hazards (nails, screws, etc.), damaged or defective valve stems, or rusted rims.

Tread Wear--Too little tread can result in  too little traction, which is very dangerous, especially on wet pavement. To determine proper tread depth, you can do one of two things—check the wear bars or measure with a penny. Every tire has wear bars in the grooves. They run perpendicular to the tread grooves, and the tread should be higher than the wear bar. If it isn't, then it's time to start shopping for tires. An alternative method of measuring is to stick a penny in the tread groove, so that Abe Lincoln's head appears to be going in head first. You don't want to see the top of Abe's head. If you do, your tread is too thin. Be aware that you can't necessarily notice uneven tire wear if you are standing next to your vehicle. To check the front tires, you will need to turn the steering wheel so that the entire tread is facing out of the fender well. Turn it all the way to the left, check it, and then turn it all the way to the right to check the passenger side. You will probably need to get down on the ground behind the car to check wear on the rear tires. 

Another thing you need to observe about tread wear is whether it is wearing evenly across the face of the tire. You can check it visually, but you can also use the penny method, described above. If, say, the outer tread is more heavily worn than the inner tread, or vice versa, this is a good indicator that your alignment is off. Do not put off getting your alignment adjusted. Left unaddressed, your tires will wear out very quickly. 

Dry Rot--Addressed in the introduction, dry rot is a silent killer of tires, especially on cars that aren't driven much. The tread may look great, and even pass a state safety inspection, but the rubber itself will dry out over the course of several years, and cracks will begin to show. If you begin noticing these cracks, keep a close eye on your tires, as they will probably need replacing sooner, rather than later. An increase in the size and number of the cracks, especially if they run the entire circumference of the sidewall, as happened with the tires on my convertible, it's time to replace them, regardless of tread depth. 

The hardening of the rubber also causes tires to lose traction, especially on wet pavement. This can happen before you see significant cracks in the sidewalls. For this reason, you should be aware of the age of your tires. All modern tires, manufactured since the year 2000, have a date code stamped on the sidewall. Look for the letters DOT (Department of Transportation), followed by a string of numbers. The last four numerals indicate the date of manufacture; for instance, a date code of 3317 would indicate the tire was manufactured the thirty-third week of 2017. If your tires are more than say, seven years old, keep a close eye on them for indications of dry rot, as it can set in and spread quickly on older tires. 

A note on tire sealants. Many newer cars come from the factory with an air compressor and a built-in bottle of tire sealant, instead of a spare tire and a jack. My daily driver was one of these, and I immediately bought a spare and a jack, which I, thankfully, have never had to use. Whether you have a compressor with a tire sealant bottle, or you carry an aerosol can of sealant in your trunk, be aware that the compound, while great for an immediate repair, can soften the rubber of your tire, thus shortening its life. I have had more than one mechanic tell me not to use the stuff, and my personal experience bears this out. Also, my car's owner's manual stresses that it is, at best, a temporary solution, and suggests replacing the affected tire at the earliest opportunity.

If you follow the tips above, you will be safer on the road, while likely prolonging the life of your tires, which will save you money in the long run. That's a win all the way around.

Be safe out there!

'One' is the loveliest pronoun

It's no secret that from the women's lib movement of the 1970s to today's age of gender fluidity, personal pronouns have taken a beating. The problem is our language doesn't include a good gender inclusive singular personal pronoun. I distinctly remember being told by my eighth grade English teacher that the masculine (he, him, his) should be used when gender is not being specified. This didn't sit well with me in the late '70s, and it still doesn't.

When I was in graduate school in the early '90s, I noticed a bit of a backlash against the generic masculine, in which many scholarly authors had taken to using the feminine generically instead of the masculine. While that pointed out the problem, it didn't really offer a viable solution, and since then has faded from use.

My solution for many years was to use both the masculine and feminine together (him or her, his or hers, he or she), and while this could be viable in many situations, it could be awkward as well, especially when the pronouns need to be repeated in the same sentence. 

Interestingly, we have solved this problem in conversational language by using plural pronouns (they, them, their) in the singular, and it is gaining acceptance in written language as well. Most scholars and language experts still maintain that parallel construction should be maintained whenever possible (e.g., Children should do their homework before watching television, instead of A child should do their homework before watching television). In other words, when you use plural pronouns, it is still better to make the entire sentence plural; however, that view has become noticeably relaxed in recent years as our society attempts to accommodate gender fluidity, especially as people who consider themselves to be gender nonbinary embrace plural pronouns as an alternative to their gender-tagged counterparts.

But there is another alternative that, in my opinion, is too often overlooked. The use of 'one' as a singular, gender inclusive pronoun may sound a little formal and old fashioned to those who aren't accustomed to hearing or reading it, but it also conveys a certain simple elegance, as in 'Whether one chooses the steak or the lobster, the meal will be delicious'. 

The simplicity and inherent inclusiveness of 'one' make it an excellent tool for making written language both correct and comprehensible at a time when so much else, linguistically speaking, remains in flux.

To be sure, it can lend itself to awkwardness, especially with overuse or repetition in a sentence, but it's a good substitute for some of the even more awkward and convoluted constructions. but used judiciously, it can add variety and a more comfortable flow to our syntax. In short 'one' is ripe for a comeback. 

Setting Computers Free

Lately, I have been very focused on free and open source software, but the obsession is not new. It goes back almost to the beginning of my use of computers. Long before I even had a dial-up modem for my Mac Classic, I was enjoying freeware and shareware. The idea that someone would create a piece of software, and then distribute it for free, or maybe ask for a few dollars to unlock additional features, was fairly interesting. Yes, a lot of that software was garbage, but every now and then, a title would come my way that had a fair amount of polish and usability. 

By the late '90s, I was reading more and more about desktop Linux operating systems, and had begun experimenting with free and open source (FOSS) titles on Mac and Windows computers. The first open source title I installed with Mozilla Communicator, an open source version of Netscape Communicator, and forerunner of the Firefox Web browser and Thunderbird email client. I felt absolutely devious installing this software on my work computer, and actually questioned whether I was doing something wrong. 

Soon enough, I was branching out and trying more FOSS titles, most notably OpenOffice. The idea that a complete office suite, rivaling MS Office, which at the time cost hundreds of dollars, would be distributed for free was simply mind blowing. Granted, OpenOffice back then was not exactly ready for prime time, but it has matured over the years, to the point that its de facto successor, LibreOffice, is a worthy competitor in that market segment. 

It would not be until early 2009 when I encountered desktop Linux for the first time. I was immediately impressed that an entire operating system could be had for free, and that it came bundled with just about all the free software one might need for most day-to-day computing tasks. Even better, it was less hungry for system resources, and thus ran better and faster than the commercial operating system it was replacing, especially on older hardware. I quickly resolved to find a cheap, used laptop and begin some extended experimentation with Linux. 

I made that laptop pay for itself with interest by using it to write several articles on the Linux experience for the now-defunct PC Solutions magazine. All in all, it was a fun way to score a laptop.

Over the years, my understanding of the concept of 'free' has changed. I initially thought of it as software I didn't have to shell out cash for, which is admittedly appealing, but also misses the larger point. 'Free' in this case is more about freedom—the freedom to configure and modify software as one chooses. I'm still an end user with no real programming skills, but it's nice to know that if I had the technical skills, I would have license to truly make the software my own. It's also freedom, as in freedom from constant surveillance and data collection by Big Tech. Yeah, it's hard to get away from it entirely, but my data is much less commoditized in the Linux world.

While I have never completely divorced myself from the world of commercial software and operating systems, I am increasingly finding that I can largely do without them. 

Case in point. A couple of months ago, I bought a Dell Latitude 7490 laptop, loaded with the latest Linux Mint, mainly as an excuse to dip my toes back into the Linux world after a few years away, where I had strayed to a Chromebook as a secondary computer. After trying in vain for two years to make that browser-in-a-box computer work like a regular PC, I discovered in coming home to Linux that, not surprisingly, it was easier to make a Linux computer behave like a Linux computer than it was to make a Chromebook do that. 

I have really come to enjoy the Linux experience on this relatively high-spec business laptop, and I find that it can cover my daily computing needs the way I want them covered, to the point that I seldom feel the need to go back to my aged MacBook pro, and I've all but completely abandoned Windows. 

There's just something about going non-commercial for my computing needs that strongly appeals to me in a very satisfying way. The bottom line is desktop Linux has really grown up in the past decade, to where it is as robust, user friendly and generally useful as any commercial operating system. I count myself as a Linux user in a way that I never have before.

Tuned In on Linux

When I was using Linux regularly a few years ago, I found a nice little Internet radio app called Radio Tray. As the name suggests, it sat on the system tray at the bottom of the screen and allowed one to tune in Internet feeds from broadcast radio stations worldwide, as well as Internet only stations. Earlier today, I went in search of Radio Tray to install it on my recently-acquired Linux laptop, and to my dismay, I found it was no more, at least as far as Linux Mint is concerned. Undeterred, I decided to see what equivalents were available. 

After downloading and trying several apps, I found and settled upon one called Tuner, which offers many of the same features that I had enjoyed in Radio Tray. It includes a collection of genres, such as rock, jazz, folk, and classical, and gives users the ability to 'star' favorite stations for quick access.

One genre missing from the list is 'Talk', which in Radio Tray included several sub-categories, including old time radio, which is what I used it for most, to listen to shows from radio's golden age. At first, I was a bit disappointed at this glaring omission, until I began playing with the Search function and found I could create my own collection of stations, even if the software did not allow me to create and populate my own genres.

Upon entering the phrase "old time", I was presented about a dozen stations that offer this type of programming. I was able to save the ones I liked in my library by starring them. I was also able to go off-list and add a few stations that I wanted, and that Tuner was able to find. 

While it is not a perfect substitute for Radio Tray, it will get the job done and make my computing time a little more tuneful.

Tom Swift Invents the Twentieth Century

I have been an avid reader my whole life, and I attribute that in part to the Hardy Boys and Tom Swift books I read when I was growing up, from about age six or seven until about 12 or 13. Often, my grandmother and I would read them together, trading off chapters. I am very thankful for the love of books and reading she helped instill in me.

As with many things in life, I eventually outgrew those juvenile series books; in fact, I remember a major turning point at the age of twelve, when I discovered Ian Fleming's James Bond novels. Meanwhile, the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries enjoyed a resurgence in popularity on television during my early teenage years, and some of my peers began reading the books at a later age than I had. My mom began loaning my copies out during this time, and I didn't always get them back. 

While I never completely forgot about the Hardy Boys and Tom Swift, they became less and less important to me and I completely lost track of my copies, until a few years ago when my dad handed me a box of my old Hardy Boys books, with one Tom Swift title among them, and tried to explain to me what they were, even though I knew them well. It is interesting to me that as a child, I found the Hardy Boys more approachable, but as an adult, I'm more interested in Tom Swift, especially the original titles, published beginning in 1910.

Tom Swift was one among several juvenile fiction series created by the Stratemeyer Syndicate and published by Grosset and Dunlap. The books were written by contract writers from outlines supplied by the syndicate. This was a novel (pardon the pun), and somewhat controversial business model for the time, as children's books intended solely for entertainment were largely unheard of. Up until this time, most children's books were intended to be instructional in nature, for the purpose of instilling proper values in the children who read them. Many adults at the time decried books published by the Stratemeyer Syndicate and other similar organizations as potentially undermining the moral fiber of young people, much the way rock-n-roll music would be condemned a few decades later, ironically by generations who had grown up reading Tom Swift, The Hardy Boys, and Nancy Drew.

Unlike the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, which seem to exist in a chronological continuum where time progresses but the characters don't age, instead remaining perpetually in their late teens, Tom Swift has actually gone through several generations:

The first series of books, published between 1910 and roughly 1940, are now retroactively referred to as "Tom Swift, Sr." In this iteration, Tom was an 18-year-old self-taught inventor, who lived with his widowed father, Barton Swift,an inventor in his own right. Modeled on the likes of Thomas Edison, Tom, along with his best friend, Ned Newton and his sweetheart, Mary Nestor, are often challenged to create new inventions to meet technological challenges, or assist the U.S. government. Tom, for instance, is granted a draft deferment in World War I, or the European War, as it is referred to in the books, to enable him to continue developing military technologies for the U.S. and its allies.

 Other characters in the series include an eccentric neighbor named Wakefield Damon, who accompanies Tom and Ned on many of their adventures, an aged African American handyman, named Eradicate "Rad" Sampson, and an Amazonian giant named Koku. These three are a source of comic relief, often seen as decidedly un-PC to modern sensibilities. While some would see that as grounds for these books to be banned, burned, and buried for all eternity, I believe a modern reader must look upon them as historical artifacts of their time, not so much to excuse the attitudes expressed in them, but to learn from them.

As the first Tom Swift series was drawing to a close, the Stratemeyer Syndicate granted a reprint license to Whitman, a publishing company best known for its Big Little Books series of picture books. Although Whitman held a license for the entire series, they reprinted only the final ten titles, under the Whitman imprint, and then added two of their own under their heavily illustrated Better Little Books line. Printed on cheap paper and without illustrations, these copies are less desirable to collectors today, but have allowed many to complete their collections affordably by upending the common phenomenon by which the last titles of a series are exceedingly rare and priced accordingly.

The Tom Swift franchise lay fallow for more than a decade, with no new titles emerging until the mid-1950s, when the Stratemeyer Syndicate determined the series was ripe for a reboot, perhaps in response to another series, Rick Brant, that was published by Grosset & Dunlap, independently of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, and drew heavily on the premise of the earlier Tom Swift books.

At the same time the syndicate was revising (some would argue dumbing down) the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books, shortening them from 25 chapters to 20, and toning down things like violence and racial stereotypes, and in some cases doing complete rewrites, it took a different approach with Tom Swift, by releasing a new series, with direct chronological continuity from the earlier series. Centering on the exploits of Tom Swift, Jr., son of Tom Swift, Sr. and Mary Nestor, Tom's friend Bud Barclay, and Charles "Chow" Winkler, a former chuck wagon cook and comic relief character that draws a bit of inspiration from earlier characters like Damon Wakefield and Eradicate Sampson.

Published between 1954 and 1971, the Tom Swift Jr. stories are more firmly in the realm of science fiction than its parent series, drawing on the Atomic age for inspiration, with many stories set in outer space and in other ways far beyond the realm of contemporary technology. 

The franchise again lay fallow during 1970s and early '80s, during which a handful of Tom Swift, Jr. titles were re-published in paperback editions, but no new titles would emerge until the mid '80s, when a new series, Tom Swift III was released. Also during this period came a parting of ways between the Stratemeyer Syndicate and Grosset & Dunlap, as the two organizations were acquired by rival companies. The Stratemeyer Syndicate went to Simon and Schuster, while Grosset & Dunlap became part of Random House. 

In the process, Grosset & Dunlap sued Stratemeyer, claiming ownership of the book series it had published under contract. The courts ultimately made a ruling worthy of King Solomon, stating that the syndicate, and thus Simon & Schuster, owned the intellectual property of the various series, including Tom Swift, which gave them the right to produce new titles in the series, while Grosset & Dunlap owned the publishing rights to the back catalog titles it had previously published under contract. Under those terms, Simon & Schuster has continued, under its various imprints, to bring out additional Tom Swift adventures for successive generations.

Today, the earliest Tom Swift titles have fallen into the public domain. Most titles of the original book series, along with a couple of Tom Swift, Jr. titles that fell into public domain due to clerical errors, are readily available online as ebooks and audiobooks, transcribed by volunteers and offered via Websites like the Guthenberg Project. Enterprising entrepreneurs are even offering print-on-demand paperback copies and omnibus collections, as well as digital text and audio editions on CD-ROM. 

Over the years, Tom Swift has inspired a number of authors and inventors, including science fiction authors Isaac Asimov and Robert A. Heinlein, Gone with the Wind author Margaret Mitchell, inventor, author and futurist Ray Kurzweil, and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. 

The TASER, used by law enforcement as a non-lethal means of subduing suspects, even takes its name from the title of a Tom Swift book. TASER is an acronym for "Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle", drawn directly from the title "Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle". Interestingly, Tom Swift is never given a middle name or initial in the books. It was added by the TASER's inventor to avoid calling it the "Teaser".

Without a doubt, Tom Swift had a significant impact on the twentieth century, and that for a fictional character, that is his greatest legacy.

Nine Linux Myths Busted

If you've read any of my recent posts, you will have noticed a little bit of a trend. I'm once again excited about Linux, after recently acquiring a refurbished laptop with Linux Mint loaded onto it in place of Windows, and subsequently setting up my old Windows laptop as a dual-boot system with Linux Mint alongside Windows. It's quite a surreal experience, though, to be met with blank looks when I try to share my newfound enthusiasm with others. If I'm lucky, I get a question or statement expressing reluctance to consider the subject. In the process, I've found myself attempting to bust certain myths about Linux in an attempt to assuage some of people's fears and misconceptions. Below are nine of those myths (in no particular order) and my, hopefully helpful responses:

Myth #1: I'll have to learn how to use my computer all over again. Not necessarily. Several Linux distributions have interfaces that look very similar to Windows. The best way to begin is to do things in Linux the same way you would in Windows or Mac OS. Chances are that will work.

Myth #2: You have to be a programmer to use Linux. While it is true that many Linux users are programmers, it is not exclusively for programmers. Most popular Linux distributions use a graphical interface by default and user's can point and click, just like in other popular operating systems.

Myth #3: I can't use Linux because I don't know how to use the Terminal. While it can be useful to know a few basic Terminal commands, it definitely isn't a make-or-break proposition. Windows and Mac OS also have command line terminals, into which you can type commands instead of pointing and clicking, and it is equally possible to get a long day-to-day without using them.

Myth #4: If I put Linux on my computer, I'll lose all of my data. This depends on how you install Linux. While installing Linux in place of Windows will erase all existing data, you can easily create a dual-boot system, installing Linux alongside Windows, and leaving 100 percent of what's already on your computer intact. 

Myth #5: I might get the 'wrong' Linux. Linux does come in a wide variety of distributions, or distros, with features to appeal to different users' needs. That said, most distros allow one to boot the operating system from a CD or USB drive and effectively take it for a 'test drive' before installing it. Bearing in mind that things will run slower this way, you can still get a good feel for whether you'll like it before you install it. Once you find the one you want, you can install it in place of, or alongside, your existing operating system and enjoy it running to its full potential.

Myth #6: It's too hard to get everything working on Linux. This may well have been the case years ago, when Linux was in its relative infancy and many things like print and WiFi drivers had to be configured manually through the terminal. Today, setup is much more automated and transparent to the end user.

Myth #7: I can't run my favorite apps in Linux. While it may well be true that you can't run the desktop Windows version of your favorite app, there are often viable substitutes and workarounds available; for instance, LibreOffice largely duplicates the functions of Microsoft Office, and GIMP is a useful replacement for Photoshop. Some applications, such as Firefox, Thunderbird, and Zoom, do have Linux versions. Many Windows applications can be run via an emulator called WINE, and Web versions of popular apps abound. The bottom line is, where there's a will, there's likely a way. 

Myth #8: I've never used Linux before: Actually, chances are you have. Linux is everywhere, but largely behind the scenes. Most major Websites run on Linux servers, and devices we use every day run on Linux, whether we realize it or not. Two major examples are the Android operating system for smart phones and tablets, and Chrome OS, on which Chromebooks run. Both of these are built on versions of Linux.

Myth #9: Linux is unstable, and therefore dangerous to use. Actually, nothing could be further from the truth. A variant of Unix, Linux is very stable, more stable, in fact, than Windows. Users also tend to find Linux runs faster and more efficiently on their computers than the Windows OS that came on them.