Simply, Linux is an operating system. If you don't know what an operating system is, if you use a computer, you're already using one! Other operating systems include Windows (XP, Vista, 98, NT, etc), Mac (OS X, etc), FreeBSD, BeOS, and many others. As such, Linux is often viewed as an alternative to Windows, or Mac OS X. Like Windows, Linux is available in many versions and flavors, called "distributions," although there are many many more distributions of Linux than there are versions of Windows.

The most popular question, asked by personal computer users, business managers, computer experts, and others, is why should one use Linux (instead of Windows or Mac).

• Most are free (as in, at no cost).
• Most of the operating system (the kernel and user software) is free to be changed and distributed (free as in liberty).
• Linux is based on a much more secure foundation, unlike Windows, therefore making viruses and other malware more difficult or at least less effective.
• Can run better on older or more obscure hardware. Linux runs on everything from PCs to Apples to Tivos to airplane entertainment centers to network routers (and so on).
• There are many many things you can do on Linux that can't be done on Windows (or would require paying for specialized software).
• Linux is made by the people for the people (not by any single company); free from monopoly.

Distributions are different packagings of Linux and software for Linux, either to appeal to different types of users, or to aesthetically look a certain way, or to be run on certain hardware.

Some of the most popular distributions are:

• Fedora
• Ubuntu
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Debian
• SuSe
• Gentoo
• Knoppix
• Slackware

Most distributions, especially most of those listed above, provide "package managers." Instead of having to go to Best Buy or the technology center at the GT BN and buy a retail box for Office or Photoshop or whatever, and bring it home, load it into your CDROM, and install it, in Linux you can search among thousands of software packages, check which ones you want, then click Install. The package manager will take care of downloading and installing the software for you -- less hassle! And it's all free!

Just a few of the software packages available:

• Open Office: feature-rich productivity suite (alternative to Microsoft Office).
• GIMP: advanced image manipulation and drawing program, like Photoshop.
• Firefox: needs no introduction!
• Evolution & Thunderbird: advanced email readers, like Outlook.
• Pidgin: an IM client that can connect to most popular networks (AOL, MSN, Yahoo, Jabber, IRC, ICQ, etc) -- at the same time!
• Skype: the official client for the popular VOIP service.
• Banshee: a music player and organizer, much like iTunes. Can even interact with your iPod or similar device.
• Eclipse: a full IDE for software development.
• GnuCash: accounting/bookkeeping.
• K3B: cd and dvd burning app, like Nero.

This is the show-and-tell part of the presentation, where we will demo the above distributions, software, and other cool things!