Larger software companies like Apple and Windows are turning to downloads for users to upgrade their machines. Long gone are the days of chipping in with your mates to buy the latest version of Windows or some other software and each of you loading it on to your PCs.
Linux on the other hand is programmed by a worldwide community of software developers and is not owned by an individual or company, therefore they don´t charge ridiculous prices and allow you to share it between friends. In actual fact, Linux software is low-cost, if not free as it is designed to offer powerful computing solutions to school and charities in developing countries.
If you know how, it also gives you the freedom to modify it and use it for a specific purpose of your choosing.