Choice is one of the best parts of the desktop Linux world, where there's a distribution to suit virtually every taste and purpose.

The Google Drive launch has been one of the big announcements of the week, but it was a fairly unequivocal disappointment for one vocal category of users: Linux users are justifiably miffed that the new cloud storage service doesn't support the free and open source operating system.

Google's Linux-based Chrome OS may have started out as a pared-down operating system focused heavily on the browser, but a new interface that debuted on Monday is starting to feel a lot more traditional.

As a fan of Ubuntu in particular and Linux in general, I'm always interested when new devices come out with my favorite operating system already installed.

With just a few weeks remaining before the final release of Ubuntu Linux 12.04 "Precise Pangolin," Canonical has released the second and final beta version of the free and open source operating system.

With all the many compelling reasons for a company to switch to Linux on the desktop, it's no wonder that businesses large and small are increasingly relying on the free and open source operating system.

There are many ways that vendors of proprietary products try to scare business customers away from open source software, and one of the more commonly heard examples involves vague fears about compliance with open source licenses. There's nothing like the specter of a good lawsuit to scare a company back into a paid vendor's welcoming arms.

With all the many reasons to use Linux today -- particularly in a business setting --it's often a relatively easy decision to give Windows the boot. What can be more difficult, however, is deciding which of the hundreds of Linux distributions out there is best for you and your business.

Chances are good that if someone walked into your office right now and peeked over your shoulder, they would see a Windows operating system on your computer. But, did you know that you have a choice of something other than Windows for that computer on your desk, and that you have the same choice for the servers in your data center

As Ubuntu Linux continues to grow in popularity, most discussions of it tend to focus on the basics of the operating system itself, including especially details about its desktop environment and user interface.

There's no doubt Canonical's popular Ubuntu Linux distribution gets the majority of attention in the Linux world these days, but there are myriad others equally worthy of consideration.

Were it not for Windows' long-standing installed base and overwhelming market dominance, it seems unlikely that anyone would argue seriously for the merit of the operating system, plagued as it is by high prices, security problems and vendor lock-in.

Google's patching of vulnerabilities in its open source Chrome Web browser last week wasn't so much notable in itself; Microsoft, to be sure, is forever issuing patches for the many bugs that afflict its products.

Despite the wealth of free applications out there, many small business owners continue to spend an inordinate amount of their all-too-scarce resources on software.