Operating systems, a religous experience?

Opinions are funny things. They are usually strongly held beliefs, a matter of principle a point to defend when confronted with the objections and ridicule of the masses. And so it is with the almost religious fervour that accompanies Operating System discipleship.

There are the Microsoft Windowites, a huge dynasty subdivided into many sects. The '95, '98 and Millennium castes seem to have dispersed. There are reports that small pockets of this once proud following do exist, largely in the dusty halls of local authorities and government agencies. Then there are the XPites, the Vista clan and now the emergence of the number 7. Seven is considered a lucky number in many cultures and so it seems Microsoft are hoping it can bring unanimity to their disparate following, a single clarion call that all can align behind. Can they shake off the ills that plague all long standing and dominant civilisations greed, decadence and, in the case of their platform, obesity? This is unlikely but time will tell.

But wait, what of the forbidden fruit, what of the Apple? A young vibrant brand of religion this, all bright, happy and shiny. Full of big smiles, warm handshakes and cool haircuts; gone are the dowdy formal uniforms of the Windowites, you can wear your jeans around your knees, tattoo your nose and still wear the badge of the blessed fruit. Membership comes at a price. It's no easy task worshiping the Apple, the tools of the trade are highly prized and cost the Earth. You'll need a lot more than plain old gold, frankincense and Myrrh, many pieces of silver must be offered. Strangely the basis for this most modern of followings, it's foundation, it's very core, hidden by high fashion and makeup is a relic from the past, behold the Unix operating system.

Back in our history, long before the first newborn gurgle of the PC, there was Unix. Long beards, comfortable footwear and real ale defined this most ancient of followings. Yet at its heart, at the centre of its belief was the kernel. The kernel was all powerful, all knowing yet simple and forgiving. It brought order to chaos, offered forgiveness to errant applications and it just kept running. Nothing could bring the kernel down, no external force or internal conspiracy, it was omnipotent. The rise of the Windowites threatened to eliminate Unix but its core strengths and virtues, reborn under the Apple and Linux moniker, have survived. Linux, unlike Apple, promises to establish, once again, A single community, a home for everyone, free to join, and available to all. Unfortunately Linux is fragmented into many different groups. All however share a common belief, a point of connection, the Kernel binds them together.

I'm a linux believer as you may have guessed. In subsequent posts I'll try and explain why. I'll attempt to outline why the time is right to consider linux, Ubuntu in particular, as the natural choice for our desktop operating systems.