Ubuntu Tips n Tricks

Friday, September 18, 2009

Posted: 18 Sep 2009 02:33 AM PDT

It's no secret that those of us who have learned to appreciate Linux and in effect all things that are related to FOSS have gained some wisdom that can be applied to our daily lives. I'm not an inspirational writer but I would like to share to non-believers some of the wonderful life lessons that I've discovered from using Linux.

The best things in life are free

To be happy, there's no need for you to spend your money every time. And not all expensive things are better than those that are cheap. Before, I thought that the only way to get high-quality software is to spend more. But since I discovered Linux, and then Firefox, OpenOffice, Apache, and so on and so forth... I realized that I was wrong.

The joy of sharing

There's this saying that I like: "Wisdom alone is true ambition's aim, wisdom is the source of virtue and of fame; obtained with labor, for mankind employed, and then, when most you share it, best enjoyed." With selfless dedication, Linux and the entire FOSS community have given so much for the advancement of technology. Like, thousands of FOSS developers from around the world share their knowledge not because their main priority is to earn millions or even billions of dollars, but because they want to create something that can be useful to others without expecting something in return. Indeed there's a joy in sharing.

Persistence is the key to success

Perhaps most of us know that perseverance is one of the keys to achieving a successful life. I remembered all the hassles and pains when installing and using Linux several years ago. But I managed to endure all the headaches and never gave up. Now that Linux is getting better or has improved a lot, I'm glad and proud that I'm still using it all these years because I've been more productive than ever.

Conquer you fears

To increase self-confidence and to live life to the fullest, you have to learn to overcome your fears. People (particularly Windows users) tend to be scared of Linux because they believe all the fallacies and lies that are being told about it. Just like riding an airplane, Linux may seem scary at first, but the truth is it's more reliable, faster, safer and more secure than Windows.

Be passionate

If you want your dreams to come true, be passionate. I'm not surprised that there are plenty of Linux enthusiasts who are very passionate and are willing to evangelize other people to use Linux and other free and open source software. This is because FOSS is born out of passion, and that passion is passed on from its developers to its users.

How about you? How has Linux affected your life?