Using the Linux operating system full-time: Tips and experiences from a subject liaison librarian | 2021 | Vincent F. Scalfani | College & Research Libraries News

"...Why even use Linux? Several previous reports have provided an overview of Linux and argued for its use by librarians, libraries, and academics more generally. Some of the reasons reported for using Linux are that it is available at no cost, can be customized, runs well on older hardware, and offers an opportunity to support free and open-source communities, which may be more in-line with personal or institutional motivations and philosophies. My own reasons for switching to Linux were: I wanted to support, promote, and contribute to more open-source projects. If I wanted to promote open source, open science, and open scholarship to the campus community, I felt that a move to the Linux environment may help my efforts. I wanted to learn something new, in particular, how to use the command line for system management and data analysis. I had recently started using the Python programming language and exploring new open source software libraries. During some testing, I found that I preferred to install, manage, and use these software tools in a Linux environment...."