Stable - The design of Linux means that if the web browser crashes the whole computer will not need to be restarted. Linux systems, when properly configured, have tools that allow them to perform needed maintenance and commonly run for more than two or three years at a time without needing to be restarted.

Secure - Since Linux is designed to be a multi-user system on the Internet, it has built-in protection from others on the Internet and also has procedures in place that make it very difficult to write a virus that will cause major damage to a Linux computer. Although it is very difficult to break into a Linux system, it is still possible and as with any computer, users should monitor their systems.

No planned obsolescence - Software companies will often plan to stop supporting a product after a number of years (e.g. Microsoft no longer supports Windows 95 although there are still customers using it) or the company may go out of business altogether. This can cause headaches for customers that rely heavily on the software for day to day operations and can force customers to upgrade. The freely modifiable nature of Linux and Linux software means that other companies and individuals continue to support and develop products that would otherwise be obsolete and upgrades are almost always free!

No vendor lock-in/Choice - Software vendors often create software that is totally incompatible with other software. This means that customers (and often their customers as well) are at the mercy of that vendor when their needs change. Linux provides options. There are often a variety of different software applications that perform the same task (e.g. word processors) and they are all compatible with each other.

Low software cost - There are generally no purchasing or licensing fees for Linux or Linux-based software applications. If there are purchase costs they are often limited to the cost of media (e.g. CD/Books) and shipping. Some software applications that run on Linux do charge licensing fees and have software costs (e.g. Oracle™ database, ACCPAC™ accounting program) but there is almost always a free alternative. As for all software, Microsoft, Linux or otherwise there are always installation, training and maintenance costs.

Open Architechture - Since Linux is open-source, the source code is freely available. This means that if a particular application does not exactly meet your need, you can change it as needed. Another advantage of the open architecture is that anyone can check the code for bugs, spyware and other anomolies.