FOSS applications for Windows don't seem to get the same respect and support that their Linux counterparts do, even when they are genuine 100% GPL or BSD or whatever a person's favorite license is. Some say they are good introductions to FOSS; some think they're tainted and nasty and prop up the evil monopolist.

Am I asking for too much here to want an equally easy install experience on Linux for FOSS software as I enjoy on Windows? If Linux is ever to gain any sort of real market share in the desktop market I feel this is some thing that must happen. But maybe I am wrong.

It's unfortunate, but an operating system's reputation can, and usually does, have as much effect on its success as its technical merits. For example, this video shows a number of people praising KDE 4, because they think that it is the next version of Windows. Or think about the difference in perception between Windows Vista and Windows 7 versus the real differences.

The guide aims first-time users and average Linux users and its goal is to make you learn your way around when using the Linux command-line interface (or CLI for short). It also encourages some habits which I believe that, although hard to learn at first, will make you more productive later on.

Last week I touched on some Microsoft backflipping over Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) when it comes to Linux. It had been claimed that although Linux was a free operating system, Windows had a lower overall cost with all factors considered due to its greater ease of administration.

What an odd thing it is to find so many people still questioning the merits of moving to a Linux Desktop. It’s almost as though those of us who have been extensively using Windows for years now have some sort of problematic memory issue.

A lot of people tend to shy away at the mention of even the word Linux, myself included. Being raised on a Windows machine, and pampered by an easy visual interface, I was nervous about trying out something that used so much of the command line. I like clicking, scrolling, and buttons that flash. Using a command line made me nervous.

There are several ways you can learn how to use the Linux command line. The way I took was the traditional one. I read the, ahem, fine manual, RTFM as we like to say, and I used the 'man' command a lot. That was well back before O'Reilly started publishing its great Unix and Linux technology books.

Although a command line isn't a necessity anymore in modern desktop Linux distributions, there are many situations where it's still the most efficient way to perform and automate tasks. One good solution is an alternative terminal application for GNOME called Terminator.