Some people reading this might have never heard of Linux, or you might be using it right now. In this blog I'm going to cover what Linux is, and how it compares to the Windows operating system.

What is Linux?
Linux is a kernel. Put simply, it's the center of the operating system on your computer. When you save a file, open a picture or play a game, it's the kernel that lets you do it.

How do I use it?
You'll need a distribution in order to use Linux. A distribution is like Windows: it provides a way of accessing the kernel. Linux has tens of distributions to choose from, the most popular being "Ubuntu".

You install the distribution in the same was you would set up any other computer from scratch, just insert the disk and off you go!

So what's the difference?
If you have a look at Ubuntu screenshots after reading this, the first thing you'll notice is that it looks completely different from Windows. That's because Ubuntu manages the desktop in a completely different way. Personally, I prefer Ubuntu's style and there are about 10 themes to choose from.

As well as the look, Linux distributions are much faster than Windows. My computer will start up in about 30 seconds and shut down in half of that, which is way faster than Windows.

Finally, Linux is "Open Source", which makes it free. However you want to call it: $0, £0 or €0 you can install and use it at no cost what so ever. And not to mention Ubuntu's catalog of over 30,000 free software titles.

Is anything bad about it then?
The main problem with Linux is the compatibility. Your printer or games that work on Windows might not work on Linux because the designers don't like releasing Open Source code, because it means rivals can look at it and steal it. There are ways around this though, as you can get emulators for games, allowing them to run on Linux.

It all sounds good to me! What do I need to try it out?
First, you'll have to get a CD to install the distribution. If, like me, you choose Ubuntu (http://ubuntu.com/). You can download the files off the website and create the CD at home. Ubuntu has the appealing feature of trying out the system off the CD before you install it, so you can check if it works on your computer.

In the installation, you can choose if you want to 'dual-boot' with Windows. This lets you switch between systems at startup so you can have the best of both worlds

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So if you want to give something else a try, then give Linux a go!

Thanks for reading all this!

-turtle153