It??™s hard to imagine how any major Linux distribution could survive without assistance
from the upstream projects that feed it. So, being set adrift from the open source community
is surely not something Novell wants to have happen.
28
Linux First Steps Part I
So, the bottom line about whether or not Microsoft will crush Linux is that a fight is brewing, but
the jury is still out. It seems, however, that the free and open source community is ready to protect
its rights and values.
Are You on Your Own If You Use Linux?
If you are new to Linux and are concerned about support, several companies are offering wellsupported
versions of Linux, such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux (from Red Hat, Inc.) and Ubuntu
Linux (from Canonical Global Support Services), as well as a number of other smaller players. In
the corporate arena, add IBM to that list.
As noted earlier, there are also many community sites on the Internet that offer forums, mailing
lists, and other venues for getting help if you get stuck.
Is Linux Only for Geeks?
It doesn??™t hurt to be a geek if you want to fully explore all the potential of your Linux system.
However, with a good desktop Linux distribution, tremendous improvements over the past few
years relating to ease-of-use and features have made it possible to do most things you would do
on any Macintosh or Windows system without being a Linux expert.
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