Linux represents a revolution, and an independence of sorts against proprietary operating systems. The underlying idea that has gone into the creation of Linux is absolutely contrary to the motives of corporations like Microsoft and Apple. Linux is all about creating an open, transparent system, where users and programmers collaborate to create the products (that is, the software) they need all by themselves. The varied distributions of Linux have all been made to cater to their own niches, and all of them share their source code with their consumers. Thus, while a proprietary operating system is made with the basic idea of monopolizing its code and extracting the maximum possible profit from it, Linux is meant to unite people, and facilitate their ability to choose what they want in their own operating system.

Various sites offer Linux operating system downloads for an end user. The very first issue a user needs to focus on and decide is to evaluate the kind of user he/she is, and his/her exact needs and expectations from the Linux environment. Proceeding on a Linux operating system download is only advisable after that. A general user can try Ubuntu, as it offers an opportunity for Windows and Mac users to make a seamless transition to the world of Linux. It offers a lot of preloaded options for a casual user in terms of music, entertainment, graphics editing, office apps, games, embedded instant messaging and email apps and the support for plenty of device drivers right out of the box. Moreover, in most distributions of the Linux operating system, downloading apps is a rather convenient process due to the native integration with the respective software centers. Ubuntu has a particularly diverse range of apps to choose from, making it possible for anyone, from a serious business user, to a teenage music enthusiast to use it. There are alternatives to Ubuntu as well, which, while not quite as ubiquitous in the Linux user base, have their own sets of advantages. OpenSUSE offers superior graphical effects to Ubuntu, which can make any user drawn to the sheer aesthetics of a graphical user interface fall in love with it in a matter of time. Fedora has frequent updates to bring in new features, probably faster than any other Linux distribution.

An ideal situation after the Linux operating system download would be to use the operating system on a Live CD, where you get to run the entire Linux operating system download directly from the disk, on your computer’s RAM. There are no permanent changes made, even if anything goes wrong at the first stage. Beyond that, it is a matter of time, habit and practice, before an absolute beginner to the Linux OS can feel accustomed to the workings of the system.

If someone is looking for a complete catalog of the various distributions of Linux, the best destination is to use DistroWatch. This is a website that offers news on upcoming Linux operating system downloads – with Linux distro related news updates, changelogs, a constantly updated releases section, and a ranking system that sorts out the levels of popularity for Linux operating system downloads at a particular stretch of time. The most integral part of the Distrowatch website has to be its comprehensive documentation and literature on each Linux operating system download. It can go a long way in introducing a user unfamiliar with a particular distribution to know more about it, and its changelog. There are also multiple sources provided to download distros from, making this site a one stop shop of sorts.

One can also simply go to the website of the company that makes a particular Linux distribution. Most distribution companies offer their products for free download on their websites. All you need to do is to download the ISO, either directly or in the Bit Torrent format, burn it on a disk, mount it in a drive, and start off the installation process. An obvious example would be the Canonical website itself.

All in all, Linux OS downloads are certainly made more approachable and convenient in terms of being available widely across the internet. The general lack of purchase costs (and other similar expenses) involved is reason enough to believe that Linux should be an option for most users.