I’ve used GNU/Linux for my primary operating system (on desktops) for roughly 14 years. I used Microsoft Windows products for about 10 years before that, and occasionally since (usually mandated by employment), but not at all in the last 8 years, and Apple Macs. I have a strong preference for GNU/Linux, there’s no question about it.

I get that it’s not for everyone, and this post is in no way meant as “You should be using GNU/Linux!”, but you should be anyways ;).

A very interesting thing happens when I am working, I’ve been told on a number of occasions that only “Tier one” providers can be used for security reasons. This means, in effect, Windows or Macs only.

In some cases it’s because there is a requirement that surveillance software be installed on the machine that is only compatible with Macs or Windows OS. The only other restraint might be who supports the device in the event that something doesn’t go right, but this only matters where companies have an IT support team.

In all of my time as a developer I’ve worked at two companies where such a team existed, and they certainly weren’t up to the task of supporting the software I needed to do my job, which meant I got no support at all (in effect), which is exactly what I would get if I were to use GNU/Linux.

The issue, though, becomes ludicrous when the job is “Write software that will be deployed , and run on, cloud containers running GNU/Linux”.

Yes, you read that correctly, employers, for reasons nobody understands, are insisting the GNU/Linux is unsafe for use at the desktop level, but is fine for hosting mission critical production software.

Any argument that can be made for the cloud, whether it be auditing, logging, or other process, must surely be applicable to the desktop.

So the question has to be, what’s stopping businesses from letting their staff use the OS of their choice to do their job? It’s almost like businesses want to impeded productivity. Keeping in mind that developers in particular have to install virtual machine technology to test their software in an environment that replicates production, it’s bizarre.

There’s no logical, or technical, reason not to let people use GNU/Linux as their OS of choice.

If you want technical specialists to do their job, and do it well, then you need to let them make technical decisions for themselves at a local level (you’re paying them to make technical decisions at other levels).