My last post was less than two weeks ago. At that time I was seriously questioning any benefit I would receive from running Linux. At that time I wiped Linux off my machine and went fully back to Windows 8. This was easy due to having good backups.
But about one day later I wrote up a document of pros and cons to running Linux. I like doing that when I’m making a decision. I debate with myself in the form of a document. It helps me come to a decision and solidify my logic.
Well, in doing this with my decision whether or not to run Linux… I was sort of surprised. I was able to find solutions to each and every drawback to running Linux except one. Quicken.
Ok, not totally surprised. That’s been a recurring theme. As a matter of fact, that’s why I got rid of my Macs and went with Windows computers back in 2008 or so. I was tired of dual-booting or running Windows in a VM just so I could run Quicken.
However, I’ve mentioned before on this blog that I’ve been tinkering with the mother of all budget spreadsheets on Google Docs. I keep honing it and making it better. And that, like Linux, is also a lot of fun. And it can totally replace Quicken in my life if I choose to do that.
So as much as I’d really rather that my choice to run Linux was not a philosophical one, it very well may be. The desire to run Linux, just for the fun of it, prods me into ridding myself of the shackles of proprietary software. It has definitely moved me in the direction of things that are “operating system independent” like Google Docs, non-DRM media files, and web-based applications in general.
The nice thing about this… if I decided to move to a Chromebook for example… no problem. I’ve been moving that direction for years. Just give me a good browser with a few essential plugins and I’m good to go.
So it is philosophical. And there is a definite benefit.
But about one day later I wrote up a document of pros and cons to running Linux. I like doing that when I’m making a decision. I debate with myself in the form of a document. It helps me come to a decision and solidify my logic.
Well, in doing this with my decision whether or not to run Linux… I was sort of surprised. I was able to find solutions to each and every drawback to running Linux except one. Quicken.
Ok, not totally surprised. That’s been a recurring theme. As a matter of fact, that’s why I got rid of my Macs and went with Windows computers back in 2008 or so. I was tired of dual-booting or running Windows in a VM just so I could run Quicken.
However, I’ve mentioned before on this blog that I’ve been tinkering with the mother of all budget spreadsheets on Google Docs. I keep honing it and making it better. And that, like Linux, is also a lot of fun. And it can totally replace Quicken in my life if I choose to do that.
So as much as I’d really rather that my choice to run Linux was not a philosophical one, it very well may be. The desire to run Linux, just for the fun of it, prods me into ridding myself of the shackles of proprietary software. It has definitely moved me in the direction of things that are “operating system independent” like Google Docs, non-DRM media files, and web-based applications in general.
The nice thing about this… if I decided to move to a Chromebook for example… no problem. I’ve been moving that direction for years. Just give me a good browser with a few essential plugins and I’m good to go.
So it is philosophical. And there is a definite benefit.