Langa Letter: Linux Has Bugs: Get Over ItLanga Letter: Linux Has Bugs: Get Over It

Put Down Those Flamethrowers
Don't get me wrong: I think the open source movement is a good thing, and I like Linux--it's running right now on two of my office PCs. And none of the above excuses or lessens the seriousness of Windows' own problems with bugs and security issues.

But, as much as the partisans wish it were so, open sourcing isn't a magic solution to the problems of bugs and security issues. As Linux and other open-source software grow in popularity and extend into a fragmented, uncontrolled mass marketplace, they will inevitably have their own full share of bugs and security problems, same as with any other software.

Anyone who tells you differently, or tries to convince you that their favorite operating system is somehow immune to market forces, human error, and plain malice, is doing both you and the operating system they espouse a disservice.

What's your take? Does Linux really have fewer bugs, or less-serious bugs than Windows? What's the best way of judging relative "bugginess?" Are there distributions or builds of Linux less buggy than the one that Fred discussed? Join the discussion!

To discuss this column with other readers, please visit Fred Langa's forum on the Listening Post.

To find out more about Fred Langa, please visit his page on the Listening Post.