A Dismal State of Affairs⌗

The indifference that people show towards technology has always surprised me. By indifference, I do not mean a general lack of interest. It is quite evident that people like to use the latest technology if they ever have the means to and do prefer to invest a lot of time before purchasing any electronic product. However this interest is almost never sustained when it pertains to how technology itself operates. To an end user the only thing that matters if they purchase a smartphone or a laptop is its purpose. If it lets you click a good picture or browse the internet with reasonable efficiency what more is there to know?

The underlying workings of a machine are obviously irrelevant to anyone who intends to simply use them as a means to an end. After all none of us wish to learn the principles of thermodynamics just so that we can drive a car. I think this kind of functional attitude towards technology is prevalent and arises naturally as a response to the increasing complexity of the world. In light of the colossal advancements we have made in the last few decades on several fronts, there is a pressing need to simplify the fruits of human progress. Technology’s continued march towards the mastery of our environment is quite useless if it isn’t accessible. And what makes it accessible is commonly known as “software”

In the broadest terms, software represents an attempt to simplify and use the inherent complexity of machines, specifically computers. Any complex machine in order to be used requires a good interface. A link that establishes a connection between the way you want to use it and all the possible ways it can be used. Similar to how a car requires a steering wheel and brakes to be maneuvered properly, computers also require software to utilize its computational power. But unlike cars whose use is limited to transporting a person from one place to another, computers aren’t necessarily confined to solving mathematical problems. It could potentially solve any problem given that the problem itself can be translated mathematically and this is precisely what good software intends to do.

Although most of us are aware of software or more commonly called “applications” for our day to day use, I think the most essential of all, the beating heart of computers so to speak remains outside common knowledge. And this piece of software is the “operating system”. The most popular operating system of all, one that everyone uses regularly, has been Windows. Although operating systems as a concept itself isn’t that popular, Windows happens to be a part of the vernacular and is associated with the graphical interface you see when you open any newly purchased laptop or computer.

For a non technical user, this is where his knowledge ends. He is dimly aware of an entity called Windows that is responsible for producing an overlay he sees every time he opens his personal computer. He goes about his routine perhaps using only a fraction of the functionalities his computer has to offer until he runs into problems. A cryptic error message that usually goes like “Something went wrong” will often leave him wondering what he did. He might then consider purchasing a new product or seeking the help of a technician whilst revelling in his ignorance of what goes underneath the machine that he uses almost everyday.

Is the ignorance tenable?⌗

As I had already suggested, it is quite implausible for all of us to know the nitty gritty details of the machines we use. Therefore a certain amount of ignorance is inevitable and perhaps even necessary. However I think computers in the last decade have grown to occupy a unique position in human life that makes the reasons for such ignorance a little more questionable. It is quite evident that computers play a far more integral role in sustaining societal infrastructure than most of our daily appliances. But more importantly, there’s no other human invention that has had such a decisive impact in the course of individual life than computers. We have become so reliant on them that our lives are almost intertwined with each other. So it seems to me that any indifference towards their inner workings also amounts to being oblivious to a significant part of our own lives.

This might seem like a really long digression from the subject of our discussion. Nonetheless, I think it is indispensable to consider the socio cultural context within which we live in order to have an informed opinion of any aspect of technology. I think it is a grave error to assume that our choice of using a specific application or software does not have deeper cultural implications and this is true specifically for our operating system of choice.

In the current landscape there are two major choices for operating systems. Windows is one of them and currently dominates the personal desktop market. Most laptops or computers that you might buy is likely to have Windows pre-installed. Windows currently holds a monopoly in personal computing partly due to historical reasons but mostly because of its intuitive GUI. Learning to use it requires no formal pre-requisite as it attempts to mimic our visual experience of reality, deceptively hiding the inner workings of what is being used.

Another operating system of stranger origins also presents an equally intriguing choice. Instead of attempting to hide the inner operations of computers, it strives to make it transparent. So transparent that one has unmitigated access to all of the essential files that comprises the core functionalities of the system. The complexity is essentially laid bare in all its glory for the users to behold, leaving the choice of either being daunted or fascinated at the sight of the beating heart to the users themselves.

This operating system is prevalently known as “Linux” or to put it more properly “GNU/Linux”. The history of the Linux operating system and how it came about is quite elaborate and constitutes a significant part of the history of personal computing. I think an average user would find most of it irrelevant and rightly so since it has no immediate bearing to the continued functioning of the devices he uses. A question he would find more pertinent is “What exactly does Linux has to offer that Windows cannot?”

Why Linux?⌗

At the very outset, Linux might seem superior to Windows due to its architectural differences and undoubtedly this might be its biggest advantage. Given its modular approach towards computing, Linux is far more efficient in the way it functions compared to Windows which is monolithic by design. In addition to this, Linux also affords extreme customization and flexibility to users, a variety of GUI interfaces and the freedom to modify and distribute its code which makes Linux free and open source. Due to the technical reasons mentioned and many more, Linux dominates almost every operating system market with the exception of personal computers. But it is also true that most of these advantages, although significant enough for someone to consider switching to Linux, still might not entirely be relevant to a user who simply wants to expedite his work. So notwithstanding these technicalities, what more is there?

In my opinion, the most rewarding part of using Linux is not related to its technical superiority. All of the aforementioned advantages that Linux offers clearly improves user experience in substantial ways but the actual benefits of using it lies in its approach and philosophy towards computing. I had mentioned that how indifferent people were towards technology always surprised me because it essentially amounted to being indifferent to a significant part of one’s own life.

The philosophy of Linux views this indifference as detrimental and perhaps even down right decadent because it divorces the user from a machine he increasingly relies on for his daily functioning. This does not mean that Linux comes with an inscrutable interface that you will have to spend years learning in order to use it properly. Many Linux distributions come with a GUI that is quite intuitive but it still affords the possibility of dwelling deeper into the system. Linux at its very heart is a kind of system that engenders exploration and curiosity about itself and this difference is what sets it miles apart from Windows. Such an attitude and respect it holds for its users also partly eliminates the possibility of capitalizing on the ignorance towards a particular system. Users can either rest content with what they are presented by the interface or dive deeper, trying to understand how all of the intricate components come together as one seamless visual experience he beholds everyday. I think Linux makes evident the kind of sheer wizardry that is involved in making computers work and transforms any menial task you might do on a regular basis as an adventure of its own.

So for both technical and non technical users alike, Linux seems like an extremely intriguing choice for the reasons considered. Given the fact that a user overcomes his reluctance to entirely switch to a different operating system on the whim that the grass might be greener on the other side, I believe he would be rarely disappointed because it is.