Welcome to Just Ask Matt! Today, Tim writes:

Matt, I am really confused about something. You talk a lot about how great Linux is, but it seems like most people have a really tough time getting their hardware to work right. Why is this?

Well Tim, there a lot of reasons for this. Software politics aside, it basically comes down to hardware manufacturers deciding not to either release enough information to the Open Source community in order to create a driver for the device or taking the bull by the horns and creating a driver for Linux themselves.

Now you might be asking yourself why any one company would want to limit itself to one operating system like that? Well, my friend, welcome to one of the old-time questions that we have all been struggling with over the years. I like to believe that each company has its own reason. For some it is just a matter of not wanting to focus on anything other than Windows. For others, it might be that they have a strong opposition to the Linux movement or something else that is motivated by something unseen to by the public. It really just depends.

The best way to have a pleasant Linux experience is to either purchase a Linux certified PC or simply verify that you have the supported hardware to make a go of it. Thankfully, the hardware gap is quickly closing and it continues to show progress. While I have no desire to see one OS overtake the other, I’d like to see more balance and choice than what we have right now. Hope this helps!

Do you have an IT-related question? Perhaps you are just burnt out on writing on the walls with crayons? Whatever the
comments may be, drop me a line, and you too can “Just Ask Matt!”