Welcome to Linux

For the second time this year, and for the

fifth since 1996, PC Quest brings you a Linux CD. Our March 1999 edition was

successful beyond our wildest dreams, and we know that this one will better even that

effort.

Some people have asked us–"Why

does PC Quest throw its considerable weight behind Linux?"

The answer isn’t an easy one, but

we’ll try and explain.

Since the early 1980s, when the IBM PC and

the Apple Macintosh redefined computing as we knew it, computer users have changed

considerably–both in numbers and in profile. Today’s computer users no longer

see the PC as something magical or mystical, they see it as a necessary part of their

lives, both professionally and personally. The PC provides them an easier way to work, as

well as to relax and have fun.

But here in India, computing isn’t

always fun. Many a time, it’s sheer agony. The cost of computing in India is

tremendous–starting with the cost of the PC itself, which can be many times a

person’s monthly salary, to the cost of using it, which is nowadays primarily defined

by the cost of accessing the



Internet. Add to that the tremendous cost of software, and just staying abreast with the
latest in hardware and software–all these cost more in India than anywhere else in

the world. PC Quest can’t reduce these costs for you, apart from advising you

on your purchases and providing you information that’ll enable you to take a

well-guided decision.

However, through Linux, PC Quest has

been able to do something for its readers that goes way beyond the above. A PC running

Linux can actually remain useful for a much longer period of time than dictated by chip

and OS manufacturers, whose revenues depend on users constantly upgrading. By providing

Linux to its thousands of readers, PC Quest gives them a chance to prolong the life

of their PCs. And in a country like India, that means a lot.

India is a country with tremendous

computing potential–the world has recognized that. But this potential will be

realized only when more and more people gain access to computing resources. Given the cost

of computers, and the cost of development and networking software, it’s unlikely that

the American way of computing will work in India, not when the cost of a compiler is many

times the cost of the PC itself!

Linux is complete–it comes with just

about everything that you need to get going–whether it’s developing software,

networking, Web-surfing, word-processing, working on spreadsheets or presentations, or

just plain having fun playing games. And it runs on hardware that was termed obsolete

years ago–the kind of hardware that’s so common in India.

So why does PC Quest throw its

weight behind Linux? The answer is simple–because it’s good for our country.

Enjoy our latest Linux offering that

you’ll find on the accompanying CD. Feel free to experiment with it, and convince

yourself. And even if you aren’t convinced by its power, stability, speed and

security, there’s always the fact that your favorite computing publication is 100

percent behind Linux.

And always will be.