Linux: Behind the Scenes

We've talked a lot about Linux's uses, controversies, and operation. But we haven't talked a lot about how Linux is making a practical difference. Most software is used on two operating systems: Mac and Windows. But how is Linux making a difference even though it's vastly overshadowed?

A company called Fon has been using Linux and open source to its advantage. Fon is a wireless Internet provider that promotes WiFi everywhere. This means that a user can set up a router and allow anyone with an Internet connection to be a Fon Spot. Anyone can access the router free of charge, no questions asked--a sort of "pay it forward" connection. (There is a charge, of course, for the routers.) The technology Fon incorporates was written in Linux, and its services are the same as the open source community--available to anyone who can access it.²

Linux has been prized for running applications quickly. One of those applications is Blender³, a powerful 3D graphics and animation program. Blender can run on Linux, Windows, or Mac, but what makes it especially noteworthy is that it falls under the GPL,⁴ meaning that graphic artists can run a 3D studio at their fingertips without paying a cent. (Compare this to Autodesk Maya, the industry standard, which runs up a tab of $3,500!⁵)

If you're serious about mid-level video editing, and if you want to do it in Linux, you're in luck. KINO is a non-linear DV video editor⁶; in other words, if you're working with tape-based video and are getting started in serious video editing, KINO's a cost-free way to learn. It contains a great deal of audio and video capabilities that make this a serious (and free) contender against Final Cut Express.

Impressed? Me, too. But, as you can see here, what you've just read is the tip of the iceberg. There's far more to the Linux world than meets the eye. It's making a difference. It's not as overshadowed as it seems; it's simply working behind the scenes. Thanks to the success of obscure programs like KINO and big applications like Google and Blender, it's doing a fine job indeed.

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Works Cited

1. Fon - WiFi Everywhere.
2. Foneros Unite.
3. blender.org - Linux.
4. blender.org - General.
5. Autodesk Maya - How to Buy.
6. Linux Digital Video - Features.
7. 100 of the Best (Useful) OpenSource Applications.