Escape from Windows

It’s that perennial question: how do you get your friends, family and companies to switch from Windows to Linux? The best way is usually to wait for Microsoft to launch a new improved edition of its operating system – like Windows 10 – that causes so much disruption and issues that people are dying to escape Windows.

It seems that a mix of security, privacy and forced updates are ticking many people off. This makes it the perfect time to slip an LXFDVD into an unsuspecting Windows user’s drive and serendipitously it turns out that we have the ideal distro for Windows escapees to flee to in the form of Mint 17.3.

Combining the cover disc and main feature this issue we’ve got the ideal starter pack for both people fresh to Linux and to Linux experts alike. Get started on page 30 with our ten-page guide to installing the latest Linux Mint and getting up and running from a Windows user’s point of view. You don’t even need to install, just boot and run the disc to enjoy.

But as important as the underlying OS, it’s what you can run on top that will attract new users to Linux. If there was any doubt that open source software can compete with the proprietary world take a look at our feature on page 44 that shows how open source is being used in the commercial design and creative art worlds – it’s quite the eye opener.

If nothing else the range of tutorials and features in this issue should be tempting enough to any lover of technology. Running a Linux distro puts so much technology at your disposal, it feels like an Aladdin’s cave. From hard-core security tools like Kali to easy to use HD encoding tools like Handbrake, through to coding with WebGL and MongoDB or creating interesting projects with the Raspberry Pi. Linux with FLOSS is an empowering and freeing combination that all computer users should get to enjoy.