"Open Source means a lot, it gives you the liberty to edit anything as you want. Of course, for users that only want to double-click to install and use the programs as they are delivered it won't make a big difference.The Linux OS, in any flavors, isn't much different from Windows if you only use it to navigate on Internet, read e-mail, type a text, edit images, play videos and print things.
I'm not saying here that Windows is bad, I'm only saying that Linux is really great and available for free with nearly daily updates.
Take a look (from Amazon.com):
For Windows:
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2: $279.99
- Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003: $407.99
- Adobe Photoshop CS2: $579.99
- Norton Internet Security 2006: $59.99
- Nero 7 Ultra Edition: $69.99
---------------
- Total: $1397,95
For Linux:
- Linux (almost any flavors): free
- OpenOffice: free
- Gimp: free
- ClamAv, Avast!, AVG
- K3B: free
--------
- Total: 0
Of course, OpenOffice and Gimp and ClamAv and Avast! and AVG are also available for free on Windows, but again (except for Avast! and AVG) you are using Open Source programs."
[ by Trek1701, posted as a comment to Will Linux rule the world? ]
