Kaizen is a Japanese word that means “continuous improvement”. In the West it is often used in relation to business improvement, but in Japan, kaizen can be related to any improvement, whether work-related or not. If a student studies hard and improves her test scores, or a housewife improves the family’s finances by buying more cautiously, they have practiced and benefited from kaizen. This article will show you how you, too, can benefit from applying kaizen to your computing needs.
what is linux
I’m sure most of you reading this will be using Windows or Mac OSX computers. These are the two main operating systems used by the average home computer user. However, they come at a price. You may not meet this goal when you buy a new computer, included in the price is the cost of the operating system like Windows XP or Vista, or one of the OSX varieties. Unfortunately, buying the computer does not mean stopping buying software. Every few years, another “improved” version is released along with a not-so-pleasant price tag. Shortly after, a second edition is released with “security fixes” at additional cost to the user.
Linux is different. Linux is a completely free operating system that users can simply download from the Internet, burn to CD, and reboot to install. It’s as simple as that and since it comes complete with everything the average user needs, an office suite, digital camera software, internet applications, etc., you don’t need to pay for any add-ons.
Unfortunately, Linux is generally considered a “geek” operating system, which means that unless you have a Ph.D. in computer science, you simply can’t get it to work. However, recent releases have changed all that and now Linux is just as easy to use as its two main rivals in the desktop wars. One distribution of this free operating system has received much praise and recommendation recently: Ubuntu.
Ubuntu – Linux for Windows users
Ubuntu, like other Linux systems, is completely free to download, install, and use. It does not ask for any personal information or require a product registration. Simply download and go.
Unlike Windows or OSX, which, to coin a manufacturing phrase, bundle and queue their enhancements and ship them in bulk every few years, Ubuntu releases regular enhancements as they happen that you can download via a notification in the system tray. It’s more in line with the way Toyota builds cars. The Kaizen Way.
Because Ubuntu is generally maintained and improved by willing volunteers, it is constantly being refined and improved. A little tweak here, a little tweak there, and the benefits will be available when they’re ready and when the user requests them, instead of the user waiting and then being delivered via a new version. In manufacturing, this process is called pull, as the user (or customer) pulls the improvements to him, when he needs them and in the quantities he wants. Ubuntu releases new versions every six months, but if you stay up-to-date with improvements, you don’t need to download or reinstall.
Ubuntu Linux is an easy to install and maintain operating system for the masses and a great alternative for those who are fed up with constantly having to pay for their computing needs. It’s also great for businesses, as there’s no annual license fee to use the operating system or its software applications. It’s also resistant to virus and spyware attacks, so your privacy is maintained and secured (although it does come with a very secure firewall just in case).
Ubuntu comes complete with everything you need, including a full office suite courtesy of Open-Office, the free Microsoft Office replacement, all your Internet applications: Firefox browser, an Outlook-like email client called Evolution, and even a Photoshop-style image manipulation program. called Gimp. In fact, there are literally thousands of professional standard free applications waiting to be used and if you need any specialized software that is not installed by default, such as accounting software, the main menu has an add/remove list that allows you to search and install it with just a couple of clicks, for free.
In fact, Ubuntu has become so popular that the French government recently (03/2007) began discussing the possibility of ditching their Microsoft system in favor of Ubuntu and free software and began the change in June 2007 (source: zdnet. fr “Linux: Ubuntu is installed on parliamentarians’ PCs”).
So why not add a bit of kaizen, the art of continuous improvement, to your computing needs and give Ubuntu a try?
