A couple of weeks ago, I saw a tweet asking: “If Linux is so good, why aren’t more people using it?” And it’s a fair question! It intuitively rings true until you give it a moment’s consideration. Linux is even free, so what’s stopping mass adoption, if it’s actually better? My response:
几周前，我看到一条推文问道：“如果 Linux 这么好，为什么没有更多人使用它？“这确实是个合理的问题！乍一听似乎很有道理，但稍加思考就会发现并非如此。Linux 甚至是免费的，如果它真的更好，那么是什么阻碍了它的大规模普及呢？我的回答是：
If exercising is so healthy, why don’t more people do it?
If reading is so educational, why don’t more people do it?
If junk food is so bad for you, why do so many people eat it?
如果锻炼那么有益健康，为什么不是人人都去锻炼？
如果阅读那么有益教育，为什么不是人人都去阅读？
如果垃圾食品那么有害，为什么还有那么多人在吃？
The world is full of free invitations to self-improvement that are ignored by most people most of the time. Putting it crudely, it’s easier to be fat and ignorant in a world of cheap, empty calories than it is to be fit and informed. It’s hard to resist the temptation of minimal effort.
这个世界充满了免费的自我提升机会，但大多数时候都被大多数人忽视了。说得直白点，在一个充斥着廉价、空虚热量的世界里，变得肥胖无知比保持健康和见多识广要容易得多。要抵制最小努力的诱惑是很困难的。
And Linux isn’t minimal effort. It’s an operating system that demands more of you than does the commercial offerings from Microsoft and Apple. Thus, it serves as a dojo for understanding computers better. With a sensei who keeps demanding you figure problems out on your own in order to learn and level up.
而 Linux 并不是最小努力。它是一个比微软和苹果的商业产品对用户要求更高的操作系统。因此，它就像一个道场，让你更好地理解计算机。就像一位不断要求你自己解决问题以学习和提升的师傅。
Now I totally understand why most computer users aren’t interested in an intellectual workout when all they want to do is browse the web or use an app. They’re not looking to become a black belt in computing fundamentals.
我完全理解为什么大多数计算机用户对这种智力锻炼不感兴趣，因为他们只想浏览网页或使用应用程序。他们并不想成为计算机基础知识的黑带高手。
But programmers are different. Or ought to be different. They’re like firefighters. Fitness isn’t the purpose of firefighting, but a prerequisite. You’re a better firefighter when you have the stamina and strength to carry people out of a burning building on your shoulders than if you do not. So most firefighters work to be fit in order to serve that mission.
但程序员是不同的，或者说应该是不同的。他们就像消防员。体能并不是消防的目的，而是先决条件。当你有体力和力量能够把人扛在肩上从燃烧的建筑物中救出来时，你就是一个更好的消防员。所以大多数消防员都努力保持体能以完成他们的使命。
That’s why I’d love to see more developers take another look at Linux. Such that they may develop better proficiency in the basic katas of the internet. Such that they aren’t scared to connect a computer to the internet without the cover of a cloud.
这就是为什么我希望看到更多的开发者重新审视 Linux。这样他们就能在互联网的基本招式上更加精通。这样他们就不会害怕在没有云的保护下将计算机连接到互联网。
Besides, if you’re able to figure out how to setup a modern build pipeline for JavaScript or even correctly configure IAM for AWS, you already have all the stamina you need for the Linux journey. Think about giving it another try. Not because it is easy, but because it is worth it.
此外，如果你能够弄清楚如何为 JavaScript 设置现代构建流程，甚至正确配置 AWS 的 IAM，那么你已经具备了 Linux 之旅所需的所有耐力。考虑再试一次吧。不是因为它很容易，而是因为它值得。