LM

We agree with your point that Linux documentation could be better. From where we stand, however, it doesn't seem that Linux experts intentionally withhold basic configuration information to maintain control. On the contrary, many of our authors are experts who are excited to provide information on Linux, and they actually regard it as good business to share their solutions with the world.

As to whether Windows "always works," I can honestly say that many of our readers would disagree, and in fact, many users come to Linux because they can't get Windows to work.

As for the difference in the availability of introductory documentation, maybe the best place to start is to consider that software documentation is extremely expensive to generate. Microsoft makes a huge investment in Help text, online documentation, and white papers, not to mention certification and training, technical marketing, and various forms of marketing to disseminate information about their products.

This information is very useful for the beginner, but it comes with a price that is reflected in the cost of the software and the persistent inconvenience of the proprietary licensing model. This trade-off might work well for certain newcommers, but more advanced Windows users (and some beginners, for that matter) might actually prefer to keep some of that money in their pockets rather than subsidizing the education of entry-level users whenever they buy a Windows license.

Having said that, I should add that the Internet has plenty of Linux mail servers that are working very well, and in fact, the Kerio mail server you mention in your letter comes with a Linux version. Have you tried it?

Please send your comments and suggestions to mailto:letters@linux-magazine.com