Why did I install Ubuntu?

So, my old HD died (literally old.... five years). So I installed a 10gb partition of Ubuntu 5 and a 30gb partition of Win2k.

...now, why did I bother with Ubuntu? I'm an up-and-coming Software Engineer, second year at college. Should I be, like... using it? I can't think of anything I need to use on Ubuntu that I can't just use Win2k for.

This isn't a joke post. Seriously. Why should I bother with Linux?

If you work for a small or mid-size business, the difference between Linux and Windows is measured in "Can our budget afford to pay this guy, or do we have my nephew install Windows and just let their tech support handle everything?"

As well, you can run a Linux server on a hell of a lot less machine than you can run a Windows server.  For personal use, you probably don't need Linux other than keeping up on how to use and maintain it.

However, you're going to be a software engineer.  Put Linux on your second box and use it for the stuff that'd clog up your main machine.

a) If you have to ask, you probably don't need it, but...
b) If you're going to be a software engineer, you need to know *nix. Might as well start now, lest you suffer in an interview...

Hmm. Interesting.

I have the whole summer to play with it. Anything you recommend I do to show off how different it is than Win2k? Some basic skill the school/jobs in the future will expect me to know?

Thanks for the un-4channish answers.
-OP

Uh, I know this will be painful, but I really recommend that after you've played with Ubuntu for a week that you then run through Linux From Scratch (http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/). Make sure you hammer out every issue in the system (don't cop out), and keep an eye open for security.

Once you have your own LFS installed, set up your own instances of Apache, exim or postfix, MySQL or Postgres, and write a few CGI programs in PHP/Python/Perl/Ruby. Muck around with ethereal and snort, etc.

Once you've done all that, you'll have an idea about most of the relevant things. It'll take you most of your summer, but if you want a crash-course, this is the best way to go...

>>5 While that's a good idea for someone who *wants* to understand how an OS interacts with bare metal, I don't really think that fits the bill for what >>4 is asking for.

If >>4 goes in and says "I can compile all this stuff and make my own linux" they're going to yawn and not care.

What tasks do they do in the business world, and what ones are easier/more efficent to do with Linux?

The business world, eh? 30 Java application servers or one Apache/PHP server?

>>7
How about a lighttpd server that can handle 3 times the load of an Apache server?

>>6
The guy wants to be a software engineer. He'd better understand *nix inside-out. I don't know a single software engineer who doesn't. If I ever met one, I'd have major questions about their credibility and ability...

There's a big difference in the amount of knowledge needed to produce a workable system between using a package system and actually rolling the thing yourself. Ergo, if he wants to learn fast, LFS is the way to go.

C-FLAGS

>>9

Ha, I love the rolling-the-thing-yourself analogy.

I suppose I'll look into all of this - software engineers need to understand the workability and hardware issues as well, I'm sure. I'll especially look into lighttpd and the such.

Any more suggestions before this thread disappears forever? Again, I appreciate it all.
-OPer

>>11
Yes, use -O3 -m64 -march=athlon64 -malign-double -funroll-loops -fno-pointer-aliasing -foptimized -ffaster -feven-faster -ftake-less-megahertz