Linux's window

After a few weeks in the company of Linux, I'm convinced thatMicrosoft Corp. CEO Bill Gates deserves his billions.

You remember Linux. It's the free operating system softwaredeveloped in part by the Free Software Foundation in Cambridge.Linux has between 5 million and 7 million users worldwide, and it'sbeginning to offer a head-on challenge to Microsoft's Windowsoperating systems.

A few weeks back I vowed to try running Linux on my home machine,instead of Windows 95. I'm no Microsoft-basher; I'm just sick of thecompany's arrogance and eager for a high-quality alternative.

Since then I've received dozens of e-mails from around the world.A few suggested I skip Linux and switch to an Apple Macintosh. Butthese were far outnumbered by messages from faithful Linux users, andfence-sitters wondering whether they should take the plunge.

I'm not surprised by the response. Even most faithful Mac usersknow that their computer has reached a commercial dead end. Buttoday's Mac is a technology dead end as well -- along withMicrosoft's DOS and Windows 95, and even the shiny new Windows 98.None of these operating systems is designed to take full advantage oftoday's hot processor chips.

Microsoft is well aware of this. All of its future releases forhome and business will be built around the more sophisticated WindowsNT. This software is Microsoft's effort to emulate the sophisticatedUnix operating system that runs most of the computers on theInternet. Meanwhile, Apple's next generation operating system, MacOS X, is set to roll out next year. OS X will be based upon a Unixwork-alike called Mach.

Notice a trend here? The Unix way of doing things holds a lot ofappeal, because Unix and its various clones like Linux tend to bemore crash-resistant, even when you're running several programs atonce. That's because Linux will assign each program its own chunkof memory to play in, with other programs ordered to keep out.Windows 95 tries to do the same, but it frequently fails, leading tothose amusing "general protection fault" crashes. Windows NT goes along way toward fixing this problem, for as much as $800 a pop. ButLinux is free.

So why go with Windows? Well, maybe you'd like to get some workdone.

I get paid to fiddle with computers, and so I had a ball writingscript files and sending desperate e-mails to Linux gurus. Linuxharkens back to the Heroic Age of computing, when you actually had toknow something about your machine.

Any of you weenies can insert a floppy disk on a PC or Mac. WithLinux, I have to shove in the disk, and then type the magicalincantation mount -t ext2 /dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy. You PC and Mac usersdon't have to understand what's really happening when you're swappingdisks or installing a new piece of software. You point, you click,you get busy.

And that's what 95 percent of all computer users want to do. MyLinux adventure has heightened my respect for the hardworking codersat Apple and, yes, even Microsoft. Gates has earned his money bygiving us colorful, convenient software that shields us from thebrute realities of computing. Until Linux also gets a simple andattractive user interface like Windows NT, it'll only be popular withtightwads and arrested-development types like me. In addition, Linuxneeds high-quality software from reputable companies if it's to catchon.

Fortunately, there's movement on both fronts. NetscapeCommunications Corp. has a solid version of its Web browser runningon Linux, and Corel Computer Corp. also offers its excellentWordPerfect program. Indeed, Corel says they're bringing out anentire office suite for Linux -- word processor, spreadsheet, theworks. Meanwhile, a band of German software designers have createdKDE, a user interface that comes mighty close to civilizing Linux.While it still needs a lot of work, my KDE-Linux setup qualifies forthe junior varsity in the ease-of-use league.

And Microsoft just announced that the next version of Windows NTwill be delayed again. It probably won't see daylight till nextyear. I'd call that a window of opportunity for Linux. Sendelectronic mail to Hiawatha Bray at bray(AT SIGN SYMBOL)globe.com