Hitting the Computer 'Off' Button

[Skeetersaurus]

Uggh, been putting off that 'free' Windows 10 upgrade, guess I better get to it.  

Iris, I feel for you. If you are the 'experimental' type, you might want to try Ubuntu. It's a LARGE download (about 1-Gb), but once you download it and burn it to a DVD-R, you can just 'take it for a test drive' without changing your computer any. It's also free, and comes with a full office suite.

Just offering, because my heart goes out to anyone who is 'over a chopping block' for the MS licensing costs (or the spyware built in).

Just reading the Linux mantra makes you feel good inside:
* They believe that software should be open-source and if installed personally, free
* It is actually supported
* It is the same software that Apple software is based on (both are based on UNIX, and both older Apple iOS's and Linux look and behave very much alike - except for the money-thing)
* Once you install it, you OWN it (run it forever, if you want - it 'never goes out-of-date')
* Every 2-years, a new LTS (Long Term Support) version is released with full support for 5-years (they just came out with Ubuntu 16.04LTS Desktop)
* It only occupies about 1/2 the space as Windows
* It is naturally 'virus-resistant' to the point of nearly being virus-proof (because of how it works)
* You should never need to defragment the harddrive again
* It works blindingly fast on an SSD drive (solid state drive)
* Average learning curve: 30 days for an average user, 7-days for a power user (to be as good at it, as you are your current OS)

And tons more...(and no, I don't 'work' for them...no one really 'works' for them, it is all done via philanthropic people and groups giving time and resources as a global community project). I offer my input on some system functions to a 'user blog board' on occassion, though...

Think of it as 'free, communal software' that as the company tag line says, 'It Just Works'  ;-)

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By the way, for any 'preppers, survivalists or others' who feel that we could lose our Internet, Power Distribution Grid, or other infrastructure, keep in mind one thing that makes Linux the ONLY OS you should ever consider:

It doesn't use 'keys' to install it - basically, once you download it, you own it. Install 1,000 copies, it's still free. NO KEYS. This means you could dig a computer out of a post-apocalyptic scrap heap, take an Ubuntu 14.04 LTS 'LiveCD' (the install disk), and in 2-hours, have a 'like-new' fully operational PC back up and running again - and never have to worry about hitting some '30-day' period where it stops working because you didn't register the software!

That alone, is peace of mind (I think I have about every variant of Linux in it's distribution form, stored on my server, for the past 5-years). If the world ends, and I'm still here, I'm the old guy selling Linux installation disks on the border! ;-) (you can sell pre-formatted disks you burn for others, but under the GPL license you're only supposed to charge for your materials and labor - and going rate is around $9 a copy...but hey, you own the disk after you get one (if you don't have a burner in your Computer).

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P.P.S.: That wasn't a 'Linux Commercial'...I currently don't sell disks...I don't have a retail license. That was a 'if the world ends' offer, only. :-D