Features

• stability
• many features
• scalability
• good price

Why is Linux so important? Because today it is becoming irreplaceable for many tasks we need to accomplish when getting access to database resources, providing internet, e-mail solutions, web hosting etc. There are some successful efforts to make Linux a good desktop alternative, however, at the moment it is not what makes Linux so good. Practically speaking, whenever a small or medium-sized company needs to run their firewall, e-mail server, web-server, operate a reliable database or create some special rules for their network usage it is Linux that is chosen most often. The main reason for this is the stability. Linux, if properly configured, can run for years without any reboot. It does not require reboot even when you change the system configuration (with the exception of kernel upgrade), install new programs, or experimental program crashes. It is very difficult to crash or break Linux even when users do stupid things.

The second reason is the many features. Linux configuration generally is more difficult than other systems, like Windows NT or Windows 2000. If you are not afraid to learn, you will discover a great deal of possibilities the simple Linux machine can give to you. For example, the Cisco routers which are the best hardware for internet routing. For the fraction of price you can have the same capabilities by installing the latest Linux distributive. You will have all the tools to do bandwidth regulation, source routing, NAT, firewall etc. The possibilities are endless. Speaking about the price Linux is cheap. Linux is actually cheaper than any other server OS of the same caliber. One may put an argument that Linux administrators are more expensive in the long term but the experience shows that properly configured Linux boxes require much less maintenance and thus it is actually quite cheaper. I have personally set many Linux servers for different companies and during last year I have gotten only a few calls for solving problems and all those I managed to fix by giving instructions on phone. From the other side, there have been many cases when I could not resolve even simple problem with Windows 2000 servers and I had to drive to the physical location to fix it. Taking into account that my experience with Windows NT is 3 years more than with Linux.

Linux is also very scalable. It supports multiprocessor motherboards, 4 GB RAM, disk partitions up to 2 TB, USB and many other hardware. For this reason Linux is also good for starting businesses with little initial capital. Especially because you don't have to pay big money for software licenses.

What can be quite confusing for newcomer is the many different Linux distributions. One could ask, which one is the best and right for me? Let's clarify that these all distributions are the same Linux OS. The central or the most important part of Linux suite is the so-called kernel or the system program which does everything and controls the hardware. Kernel has a number, the higher one the most recent and probably better. Currently, kernel 2.4.10 is considered used in the latest distributions but for the practical purposes 2.2 series kernels are still widely used as very effective and stable. Bear in mind that even numbered kernels are stable releases, odd numbered are experimental ones and not recommended to use in business environment. There is no need to upgrade the kernel if the old one does the work but you may need to upgrade it if you lack some new feature. The kernel can be freely customized and upgraded.

Kernel has no way to interact with a user, so many userspace programs are needed. The way which programs are used, how they are packaged, installed and configured, depends on distributive. Different distributions are for different tastes. Some like to do things in one way, but other prefer it differently. All the distributions are practically the same in essence. For beginners Mandrake would be good choice, but between serious administrators RedHat are often used.

We have offered on this website several distributives practically at no cost. Some of them are very interesting like Peanut Linux. However, we are not official distributors of Linux because their is no one. There are big companies who specializes in giving support to one or another Linux distribution package. Therefore their prices are quite higher. We, however, provide you with the same Linux installations practically for the cost of blank CDs and shipment. You don't pay for support which most often you will not need at all. Thus you can try several Linux distributions before you assess your real needs and requirements. We provide you with choice but not only by buying cheap. We can additionally provide the support for you as well.