Advantages of Using Linux

I have recently published a guest post called Disadvantages of Using Linux.
There were lots of comments on that post, and most of them are very valid.
To those who did not get the point... That post was a very-very fat troll. Yes, don't take it close to your heart. It was published on Sunday/Monday night to ease up your difficult Monday with few smiles on your face.
I am Linux person in heart, and by no doubt support Linux.
That's why let me talk about my Advantages of Using Linux.

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1. Many options to choose from

Somebody may see it as disadvantage, but this is surely not! If you don't like one version or distribution of your operating system, please try a different one. There're so many of those that it is difficult to leave without your favourite one. Each Linux distribution has its followers, fans and opponents. Isn't it true democracy?

2. Free as freedom

Yes, you can do with your Linux distribution whatever you like. You can promote it, ask your friends to try it, help newbies to get used to it. Or you can use CD with image of your "enemy" as coaster for coffee cup. Whatever you use it for, nobody will take legal action against you. It's all your decision! It's all your freedom.

3. Free as beer

I have mentioned several options how you can use your Linux distribution just above. What I can add here? That you don' need to waste a penny of your money to get it. Of course, I do not mention money you need to spend on electricity, CD-R disks, internet access, computer depreciation and so on. By the way, there's a good way to save lots of money, and especially your own time and nerves, if you use services which deliver Linux distributions right into your mail box (yes, real mail box with real CD). One of them is our sister site Buy Linux CDs. Coming back to the cost of Linux. It's very rare case when you actually need to pay money for Linux distribution. It's more like exception: RedHat, Mandriva and Zorin OS are the most famous of those, because some of their versions cost money. In most cases (99.9%), your distribution will not cost you anything to download.

4. Easy to use

Yes, somebody may argue, but I can assure you that Linux is actually easy to use. Especially if you have not been brainwashed by system architecture of Big Companies, it does not matter what you can learn. Point-and-click interface is common nowadays. And, moreover, there are several "point-and-click" interfaces available: GNOME2, GNOME3, KDE3, KDE4, XFCE, LXDE, E17, Openbox... They are all easy to use, easy to configure (to some degree). Even if you have used Windows all your previous life, there are actually very few thing you need to re-learn: directory structure, security features and... FREEEEEEEDOM! All the rest is actually very similar to Windows / Mac interface, especially if you use KDE/XFCE environments.

5. Great community with great support

The last, but not the least in my list is support. Have you ever tried to use support for commercial OSes which you buy with your computer pre-installed? Honestly - I have not. The most I have tried was forums. Linux-based OSes have forums and other public support options as priority. Most of them have them as the only available option. That's why many Linux advocates, fans and users praise their community. It does not only give you the best-of-the-best advice on how to use your OS, but also can give you real friends.

Do you have anything to add? Surely, each Linux user has his/her own advantages! Don't be shy! Put your own reasons in comments below!