Wrexham Linux User Group

Business

Why on earth would you want to use Linux for your business or commercial PC's ?

Here are just a few very good reasons.

Cost

You may be using a version of the Windows operating system. Microsoft have a habit of "improving" their products on a regular basis. This means that older products become obsolete, and support for these systems are then discontinued. Many businesses are still using XP, which Microsoft will stop supporting during 2009.

Replacing an entire operating system with a newer (costly) alternative puts a major financial burden on small businesses.

For example, Vista Business retails at around £100. Add to this something like Office Professional 2007 at £300, and it all starts to add up.

How many PC's do you have in your business? Multiply that figure by £400, and you'll get an approximate cost for upgrading your operating system and Office application to the latest version. Then - you'll probably need more memory and  a larger hard drive, as Vista is a very hungry operating system, demanding a lot of resources and storage space.

Compare this to Linux - which is totally free. You can load up Open Office for nothing whilst you're at it. Linux is a very efficient operating system, and does not require massive amounts of memory to run.

 

Security

Viruses and spyware (malware) are a very real pain. Keeping your PC's clean and free from such nasties is a full time job. If you're vigilant, and your staff are well versed on PC security in general, then maybe you'll be ok. However, it only takes one inadvertent click on a website, or an infected e-mail, to compromise your computer. Many viruses spread across networks, seeking out their next victim. In a matter of minutes, your entire computer system can become infected.

You'll be pleased to know that Linux operating systems are very immune to viruses. They are inherently safe and secure by default.

 

Stability

If you're a user of other operating systems, there is a very good chance you've lost some work, or suffered a major system crash when you least expected it. In Windows terms, this has been known as "BSOD" - or blue screen of death !

Linux runs applications and processes in a different way. If something stops functioning, it's possible to stop that particular process, without jeopardising the other parts of the system that are still running normally.

Maybe one of your staff decides to become an "expert", and starts fiddling with things they really shouldn't. If you were using Linux, you could assign permissions and rights to each user, preventing them from installing programs that you don't want them to use, or causing havoc in the deeper workings of the operating system.

In a worst case scenario, if the user totally screws up their profile, you can delete it and create a new one. No need to re-install the entire operating system !

 

We have several members who can offer sound advice regarding the deployment of Linux as an operating system in a business or commercial environment. Just come along to one of our meetings and see what's on offer.

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