Break the habit and save money!

Linux desktops are becoming mainstream

Providing organisations and individuals with a genuine alternative to Microsoft Windows.

We help and support organisations that wish to adopt Linux desktop for some of their computers and laptops.

what our clients say

From organisations we have worked with

Cornwall Federation of WI – Truro

An old Windows 7 computer was collecting dust in the office of Cornwall Federation of Women’s Institutes in Truro, until someone from Mainstream Linux installed Zorin OS on it. Now the staff in this office can make use of digiKam software to manage and archive images. Their Trustees and Archive Team were delighted.

Why Linux Desktops?

Top reasons why some large organisations are switching

Cost Savings

Avoiding upgrade costs and licence fees from Microsoft and other vendors is usually cited by organisations looking to make better use of their IT budgets.

Extending the shelf life of older computers by using Linux can greatly benefit the bottom line.

Strategic Autonomy

Large businesses and organisations are usually weary of limiting their choices and getting locked into the ecosystem of a single vendor. Such dependency can render them incapable of fully controlling their IT resources and data.

Security

To date Linux desktops have had little by way of malware issues compared to Windows, even if this could change with more use of Linux. Even so, Linux is open source, and attempts to insert backdoors or other malware would be more quickly detected and mitigated.

Build Your Own OS

Many private and public organisations have chosen to create their own Linux distributions with mixed results to date. However, creating your own distribution is a great way to stimulate and build local (or indigenous) IT capacity.

Why NOT Linux Desktops?

Top reasons NOT to switch

Switching to Linux desktops is not for everyone. While large organisations with 10s and 100s of computers will invariably find savings in switching, the same may not be true for smaller organisations. Here are some reasons not to switch.

Specialised Operations

If your organisation depends on very specialised software that only runs on Windows (or macOS) and that software is not yet available from the Cloud, then switching to Linux may not be viable.

Bad Plan, Bad Execution

Especially for large organisations, there needs to be a detailed plan with very clear objectives, along with a method of transition that ensures user buy in, business continuity and security. Without these, failure is all but assured.

Some Views

What Some People Think

Three of countless Youtube videos on switching to Linux. These may be useful for individuals [be careful of exagerations] But for corporations issues of compliance, security and business continuity should be top considerations.