The Linux Extremist

For a Linux / BSD devotee like myself, visiting Distrowatch is like being the proverbial kid in a candy store. There are so many variants of Linux to discover and each has its own particular emphasis and individual strengths. One of the more unusual ones I’ve seen is the “Christian” edition of Ubuntu, the latest version of which was released on September 4.

My curiosity got the better of me and I took a look; I had no idea what could make an operating system particularly “Christian”. I found out that it has a top notch Bible study program called “GnomeSword”, a daily Bible verse feature, and extensive parental controls for web content. If I had a child, I would definitely want to install this on their PC; in so far as an operating system can promote good, wholesome family values, or at least drive one’s offspring crazy by limiting their access to Pamela Anderson pictures and thus heartily amusing the parent who installed it, this does it, and apparently does it well.

This is yet another development which indicates the flexibility of Linux; not only can it be adapted for a variety of devices, including mobile phones and games machines, it also can be tailored to suit a variety of interests and causes. Other distributions like Geexbox appeal to those who want to have full multimedia compatibility. Some distributions focus on compatibility with different languages; the Japanese distributions like Vine and Berry Linux are evidence of this. Linux is evolving outward, becoming ever more personalised, and greater choice is becoming increasingly available. Its flexibility is allowing it to be an operating system that is simultaneously for everyone and for a niche.

Strangely, this is something that Linux has in common with the British aerospace industry, circa 1940. There were many wonderful aircraft houses like Supermarine, de Havilland, Hawkers, with so many interesting and specialised designs, like the Spitfire, the Mosquito and the Hurricane, and yet many of these airplanes were powered by Rolls Royce Merlin engines. One “engine” (”kernel” if you will) was adapted to various roles and it worked surprisingly well.

In contrast, Microsoft is rather like Ford Motor Cars circa 1920. They would say of the Model T car, their first big hit, “You can have it any colour you like, so long as it’s black”; this worked fine up until General Motors offered customers a variety of colours. Microsoft has problems with diversity: Vista appears to come in flavours ranging from vanilla to vanilla. Their “distributions” would never have anything as exotic as, for example, a Christian edition. Rather, the basis of choice seems to how much one is lulled by marketing: if you’re skeptical, you can pay $199 for Vista Home Basic, or if you buy the sales message completely, you can pay $399 for the Ultimate edition. Truly, Vista’s six editions seem paltry compared to variety afforded by Distrowatch’s top 100 distributions of Linux and BSD.

Microsoft has only reinforced this “confined” impression with minor, silly mistakes. One of the more ridiculous items making its way around the web recently states that one cannot alter the Vista opening theme music; it can neither be changed nor muted. The explanation for this, according to Microsoft’s Steve Ball, is that this one opening theme is “a short, brief, positive confirmation that your machine is now concious and ready to react.”

Somehow I think even inexperienced users don’t need an audio cue to know that their computer is conscious. Here’s a hint for those who dont: if you can’t do anything, it’s not. If the screen is black, press the Power button. If you are unable absorb these instructions, don’t bother to use a computer in the first place.

I digress. It is clear that the lack of choice on Vista sound and the development of Christian Ubuntu show the two ways in which the future of computing could evolve; one emphasises being confined within the straightjacket of a particular proprietor, the other emphasises the glory of choice. Yes, choice can be confusing, even maddening; however, at least it allows one to march to the beat of their own drummer, or indeed, dance to their own tune.

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