The Linux users group (LUG) of Bellevue, Washington, recently published an article titled “25 Reasons to Convert to Linux” on the group’s Web site. The comprehensive list discusses the well-known reasons why “Businesses, educational institutions, governmental agencies and other organizations around the world are converting their computer operating systems from Microsoft Windows to Linux at an increasing pace”–cost, licensing issues, support from the community and security.
Other reasons on the list for switching center around ideas of openness, in terms of the source code and file formats, and the benefits that openness offers users. By the end of the list, which also notes that Linux is an ethical and law-abiding computing option (unlike others).
Though the rate of acceptance of linux is increasing, I wonder how much it has penetrated the Indian market. Even in my college, there are systems with Red Hat Linux(old version), it coexists along with Microsoft Windows. And to my knowledge, they are used only by the final year students who do their projects. But, one real good thing is that we are accustomed to Mac OS and we have 70% of systems as iMac and EMac.
What steps can we take to improve the penetration on GNU/Linux in Colleges and Schools?