Linux Introduction

TASK: Learn about Linux. Linux is the operating system that now runs most of the internet. It also provides a brilliant alternative to using Microsoft or Apple. Linux comes in all sorts or flavours or 'distributions' as they are known. PopOS is a good one to start you off as it will seem very similar to MacOS. It is a privacy focused operating system and has great default settings that respect your data.

WHY: Linux distributions are mostly free and open source. This means anyone can use them. Best of all you do not need an account to download new software or do anything in fact. With Apple and Microsoft everything is linked to your user account, which is generally linked to your real name. These companies will make every effort to find out what apps you are using and for how long, where you are in the world, your habits and plenty of other information. With Linux this all goes away, no account needed, therefore no tracking tied to you. Way more healthy and you get all that out of the box. It is not a panacea and has its own shortcomings. It will take a little bit of time to get used to. Another great reason to use Linux is that it can breath new life into old hardware. So if you laptop or desktop is getting old, like 5 years or more, you can easily run most Linux distributions. With Apple and Microsoft they tend not to support older machines and windows in particular runs slower and slower over time.