So much editing and expanding.

.gitignore

@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 *.swp
+*.html

why-linux-is-better.rst

@@ -1,31 +1,57 @@
 .. -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
-===================================================
+====================================================
-Rational reasons for preferring Linux to Windows NT
+Objective reasons for preferring Linux to Windows NT
-===================================================
+====================================================
 
-There are plenty of opinions about why Linux is a better operating system than Windows NT,
+It is easy to opine about one's preferred operating system,
-but precious few clear examples.
+but harder to give specific, objective examples.
-With the caveat that both Windows and Linux are moving target,
+
+With the caveat that both Windows NT and Linux are moving targets,
 here are some practical reasons to prefer Linux.
+They are by no means exhaustive,
+but aim to be representative.
 
 ++++++++++++++++++
 Technical reasons.
 ++++++++++++++++++
 
+-------
+LiveCDs
+-------
+
+Live versions of Linux are full operating systems,
+able to mount and repartition disks,
+connect to the internet and run a web browser,
+and even (for persistent LiveUSBs) retain settings and data on the next boot-up.
+Some live Linux distributions, such as Puppy Linux,
+are lightweight enough to default to creating a RAM disk,
+which generally runs faster than the OS installed on the disk.
+
+Windows LiveCDs, while `they`_ `do`_ `exist`_,
+are hampered by licensing and often lack the features of a live Linux distribution.
+
+.. _they: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BartPE
+.. _do: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Preinstallation_Environment
+.. _exist: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_To_Go
+
 ---------------------
 Maximum path lengths.
 ---------------------
 
 Windows path lengths are limited to 260 characters, including filename [#]_.
-This is not a flaw in NTFS, but in the Windows OS itself.[#]_ [#]_ [#]_ [#]_ [#]_ 
+This is not a flaw in NTFS or Windows NT per se, but in the non-Unicode version of the Windows API.
+This problem can be avoided by using Unicode versions of the API calls,
+but many applications (e.g. Windows Explorer, Powershell) have not done so. [#]_ [#]_ [#]_ [#]_ [#]_ [#]_ [#]_
 
 .. [#] http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa365247%28VS.85%29.aspx#maxpath
 .. [#] http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee681827%28VS.85%29.aspx#limits
+.. [#] http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa365247(v=vs.85).aspx
 .. [#] http://stackoverflow.com/questions/265769/maximum-filename-length-in-ntfs-windows-xp-and-windows-vista
 .. [#] http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1065993/has-windows-7-fixed-the-255-character-file-path-limit
 .. [#] http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2006/11/filesystem-paths-how-long-is-too-long.html
 .. [#] http://blogs.msdn.com/b/bclteam/archive/2007/02/13/long-paths-in-net-part-1-of-3-kim-hamilton.aspx
+.. [#] http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1880321/why-does-the-260-character-path-length-limit-exist-in-windows
 
 Does this cause real problems in real software? `Yes`_.
 
@@ -35,19 +61,24 @@ Does this cause real problems in real software? `Yes`_.
 NTFS case-sensitivity.
 ----------------------
 
-NTFS on Windows cannot be case sensitive because Windows is not case sensitive[#]_ [#]_, though it is case-preserving.[#]_
+NTFS on Windows `cannot be case-sensitive`_ because the Windows API for filenames `is not case-sensitive`_ for legacy reasons. 
+However, it is `case-preserving`_.
+This means that you can mount an NTFS partition with Linux and make a file called "Myfile.txt" in the same directory as "MYFILE.TXT".
+However, you won't be able to access both those files using Windows NT.
 
-.. [#] http://support.microsoft.com/kb/100625
+.. _cannot be case-sensitive: http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/278918-making-windows-7-case-sensitive-possible.html
-.. [#] http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/278918-making-windows-7-case-sensitive-possible.html
+.. _is not case-sensitive: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/100625
-.. [#] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Case_preservation
+.. _case-preserving: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Case_preservation
 
 ------------------------------
 Limited choice in filesystems.
 ------------------------------
 
-Windows NT has no built-in support for any filesystems but NTFS and FAT16/FAT32/exFAT.
+Windows NT has no built-in support for any filesystems but NTFS and the `patent-encumbered`_ FAT16/FAT32/exFAT family.
 Linux can mount any file system that can be legally mounted without paying patent fees,
-and the ones it uses by default (ext2/ext3/ext4) are corruption-resistant and do not require defragmentation.
+and the ones it uses by default (``ext2``/``ext3``/``ext4``) are corruption-resistant and do not require defragmentation.
+
+.. _patent-encumbered: http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2009/02/microsoft-sues-tomtom-over-fat-patents-in-linux-based-device/
 
 -----------------
 UTF-16, not UTF-8
@@ -60,6 +91,15 @@ Some reasons:
 - UTF-8 is a superset of ASCII, so it is backwards-compatible with existing text files.
 - UTF-8 does not require a byte-order mark and is less likely to be mistaken for other encodings.
 
+----------------------------------------------------
+File extensions are the sole determiner of filetype.
+----------------------------------------------------
+
+On Linux, filetypes are determined by a combination of filesystem metadata, heuristics, and file extension.
+On Windows NT, the file extension is the sole determiner of filetype.
+If the file extensions for different filetypes happen to collide,
+one program must take default precedence over the other.
+
 ++++++++++++++++++++++
 Architectural reasons.
 ++++++++++++++++++++++
@@ -68,15 +108,20 @@ Architectural reasons.
 Ease of bug reporting and logging.
 ----------------------------------
 
-On Windows, you can (ususally) use Ctrl-C when an error window pops up to copy the error message.
+On Windows, you can (usually) use Ctrl-C when an error window pops up to copy the error message.
-On Linux, you can attach gdb to a running process,
+On Linux, you can attach the debugger ``gdb`` to a running process,
-start a logfile that catches all output to stderr,
+start a logfile that catches all the output,
-and run a backtrace when the program fails.
+and run a backtrace when the program fails (it's better with debugging symbols, though).
-Or you can attach strace and see what system calls it makes,
+If the process is already unresponsive, you can attach ``strace`` and see what system calls it makes,
 and whether it receives the kill signals you send it or not.
-There are similar programs for Windows,
+There are `similar`_ `programs`_ `for`_ Windows,
-but both strace and gdb come with a standard Linux install,
+but they don't come installed by default,
-so you can rely on being able to use them on any Linux box you use.
+whereas both ``strace`` and ``gdb`` come with a standard Linux install,
+so you can rely on being able to use them on almost any Linux box.
+
+.. _similar: http://www.intellectualheaven.com/default.asp?BH=projects&H=strace.htm
+.. _programs: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896647.aspx
+.. _for: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/ff551063(v=vs.85).aspx
 
 --------------
 Locking files.
@@ -86,19 +131,22 @@ Windows applications lock files they use by default, so misbehaving applications
 
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_locking#In_Microsoft_Windows
 
-By contrast, on Linux it is not unusual to read from a file with two different programs at once.
+By contrast, on Linux it is not unusual for two applications to share read access to a file,
+since applications share file access by default.
 
 ----------------------------------------
 Separation of window manager and kernel.
 ----------------------------------------
 
 The Windows NT window manager/desktop and kernel are very tightly coupled.
-Also, by design, multiple concurrent sessions are impossible on all but Windows server OS.
-This is a licensing issue, not a technical limitation.
 
-http://aplawrence.com/Reviews/tightvnc.html
+Also, by design, multiple concurrent sessions are `impossible`_ on all but the server version of Windows NT.
-http://blogs.msdn.com/b/rds/archive/2009/08/21/remote-desktop-connection-7-for-windows-7-windows-xp-windows-vista.aspx
+(This is a licensing issue, not a technical limitation.
-https://www.nomachine.com/forums/topic/concurrent-session-limit-for-nx-4-free-version
+Third-party remote desktop software for Windows is `legally`_ `obligated`_ to not circumvent this limitation.)
+
+.. _impossible: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/rds/archive/2009/08/21/remote-desktop-connection-7-for-windows-7-windows-xp-windows-vista.aspx
+.. _legally: http://aplawrence.com/Reviews/tightvnc.html
+.. _obligated: https://www.nomachine.com/forums/topic/concurrent-session-limit-for-nx-4-free-version
 
 In Linux, the X server and kernel are separate,
 so the window manager can be restarted if necessary without a reboot.
@@ -111,15 +159,30 @@ A single user may also run two different desktop environment at the same time,
 or not use the X-server at all, but just a command-line TTY.
 
 There are a plethora of window managers to choose from on Linux,
-making it highly customizable to the sytem's resources and the user's wishes.
+making it highly customizable to the system's resources and the user's wishes.
 
-The X server has become so pervasive that versions of it power not only Linux but also OS X and Android,
+The X server has become so pervasive that versions of it power not only Linux but also OS X (XQuartz),
-and there are many options for running an X server on Windows.
+and there are ways to run an X server on Windows or Android.
 
 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 Configuration and software packaging.
 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
+----------------
+Default software
+----------------
+
+Linux distributions have many powerful tools installed by default.
+A C compiler (usually ``gcc``),
+build system (``make``),
+and several shells (e.g. ``bash``, ``dash``, ``csh``, ``zsh``)
+In fact, they are required to do so by the `POSIX standard`_.
+
+.. _POSIX standard: http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/009696699/utilities/contents.html
+
+On Windows NT, by contrast, a C compiler and build system are not installed by default,
+and PowerShell must be installed separately.
+
 ------------------------
 Registries and dotfiles.
 ------------------------
@@ -129,7 +192,8 @@ Most of the things that users care about --
 not losing configuration between installs --
 are scattered around in various directories or in the binary-only registry.
 
-On Linux, system level configuration is stored in ``/etc/`` and user level configuration is stored in dotfiles (hidden folders or text files) in the user's home directory.
+On Linux, system level configuration is stored in ``/etc/``,
+and user level configuration is stored in dotfiles (hidden folders or text files) in the user's home directory.
 Want to back up your configuration or migrate it to a different Linux? Just copy over your dotfiles.
 Want to save only some of your configuration? Just copy over the dotfiles your care about.
 
@@ -138,16 +202,16 @@ Package manager with signed binaries and easy backup/reinstall.
 ---------------------------------------------------------------
 
 There are many Linux packaging systems,
-including Fedora's rpm-based yum package manager,
+including Fedora's rpm-based ``yum`` package manager,
-Debian's apt and dpkg,
+Debian's ``apt`` and ``dpkg``,
-Arch Linux's pacman,
+Arch Linux's ``pacman``,
 and so on.
 This is the real reason Linux users are protected from viruses:
 they use packages that are signed by the maintainers,
-not any old .exe they download from a website.
+not an untrusted ``.exe`` from a website without secure HTTP.
 
 This is has other tangible benefits such as avoiding DLL hell,
-avoiding lost disk space due to duplication of libraries,
+saving disk space due to duplication of libraries,
 verifying that there are no backdoors in the code,
 and upgrading all software at once with a single command.
 
@@ -156,23 +220,64 @@ Just save the output of `dpkg -L` or its equivalent.
 If your disk crashes and your backup fails,
 at least you can get back your packages with the package list and a good internet connection.
 
-It also makes distributing programs with library dependencies much easier.
+It also makes distributing programs with library dependencies easier.
 For example, installing python and matplotlib is simple on Linux,
-but a pain in the neck on windows.
+but a pain in the neck on Windows NT.
-People have been `working on fixing this`_, but it's far from comprehensive.
+People have been `working on fixing this`_, but so far the repositories are not comprehensive.
 
 .. _working on fixing this: http://chocolatey.org/
 
+
 ------------------------------------------------------------
 Fixing configuration problems with commands instead of GUIs.
 ------------------------------------------------------------
 
 GUIs are good for some applications,
-but they are clumsy and error-prone for fixing configuration problems.
+but they are clumsy and error-prone for rapidly fixing configuration problems.
 Many Linux config problems can be fixed by editing a line in a text file or running a few commands in a terminal.
 Windows configuration generally requires navigating deeply nested GUIs and ticking various checkboxes.
-This has the same security problems as blindly running commands in a terminal,
+This has equivalent security problems as blindly running commands in a terminal,
 but is much less efficient.
 
+In addition, using GUIs for configuration makes user support and documentation significantly more time-consuming.
+Text is easier to store, transmit, and search for than screenshots or notations like Tools -> Options -> General Options -> ...
+
+The emphasis on textuality also makes diagnosing problems easier.
 For example, want to see which displays you're connected to? Run ``xrandr``.
+Want to see what USB devices are connected? Run ``lsusb``.
 Want to restart your networking daemon? Run ``sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart``.
+
+Another benefit of textuality is ease of using search engines to find similar problems.
+
+Finally, software configuration can be kept or removed easily.
+For example, when uninstalling a software package on Debian Linux,
+the user may either also remove the configuration (with ``apt-get purge``)
+or leave the configuration in place when the application is installed again (with ``apt-get remove``).
+
+++++++++++++++++++
+Cultural problems.
+++++++++++++++++++
+
+----------
+Debugging.
+----------
+
+By requiring frequent reboots,
+Windows NT encourages resetting software when encountering a problem,
+rather than diagnosing and reporting bugs.
+
+--------
+Malware.
+--------
+
+In theory, Linux and Windows are equally susceptible to malware.
+In practice, Windows users often inadvertently install malware (cf. importance of software packaging, above).
+This is has two repercussions:
+
+#. Users must spend considerable time and effort detecting and removing malware.
+#. Users may falsely attribute software misbehavior to malware.
+
+Number 2 is particularly problematic.
+Computer running slowly? Viruses.
+Applications crashing? Viruses.
+Random reboots? Viruses.