  hide cookie message 80,259 News Articles  The ultimate Linux
starter kit for small business  Linux machines can save your
business cold, hard cash. Here's how to pick the best OS and
apps for yourself, your workers and your IT pros.  Microsoft did
its best to usher in a new era od desktop computing with the
launch of Windows 8, but many businesses and individuals are
opting out. Linux-based operating systems, meanwhile, present a
more and more compelling alternative. Benefits include tougher
security and superior customization--not to mention that Linux
is usually free.   How to choose Linux for your desktop  There
are numerous flavors or "distributions" of Linux, each offering
a distinct experience for a particular taste or purpose. All are
based on the Linux kernel, which is its core OS code. On top of
that, distributions may add different desktop environments,
applications, and features.  Ubuntu and Linux Mint are two of
the more popular contenders. But a quick glance at
DistroWatch, which keeps tabs on