windows vs linux, which is better?

Question

Okay to start off I have only used windows all my life. I have heard that linux is more efficient and that you can customize it to your liking. Basically what are the advantages and disadvantages of linux? And is ubuntu the best linux version?

Answer 1

First off, Windows isn't Linux. Linux is a free, open source operating system that's aimed towards server, desktop, and laptop use. It's very versatile, secure, easy to use, and is one of the most advanced operating systems. Though most things for Windows won't run on it, there are many alternatives and similar programs.



Windows is also easy, versatile, and is good for both desktops and laptops. I'm sure that you understand Windows, though. I'd use Windows if you were into using programs that won't run in Linux such as Photoshop or if you play games that aren't available on Linux (A lot of them are, though!)



Though the best is considered opinion, there are certain distros that work better on different hardware.



openSUSE is for business and works very well on laptops and netbooks (Not as well on desktops.)

http://www.opensuse.org/en/



Fedora is also good for business and office work. It's also easy to use and has good support for most hardware.

http://fedoraproject.org/



Ubuntu is very, very easy, well supported, and can do just about everything you'll need.

http://www.ubuntu.com/



There's also Linux Mint, which is pretty much Ubuntu but with better artwork, more drivers, and even more installed.

http://linuxmint.com/



Try out all of those, download their live CDs. You can burn them to a CD and put them into your computer and they'll boot up, not install anything, and give you a good idea of how they work. Find out which one you like best.

Answer 2

Well we often need Windows for programs that don't run on Linux. This includes most games. There are also plenty of proprietary programs used in the workplace that only run on Windows. Still, for typical home computing, Linux is great if you don't feel strongly about playing the latest commercial games.



Ubuntu is an excellent choice for the desktop (I run CentOS or Red Hat on servers though). It comes with Firefox, Open Office, a photo manager, an instant messenger, a bit torrent program, a media player, a disk burner, and other stuff. Through the built in software manager, you can automatically search for and download nearly any type of program you want. Ubuntu doesn't come standard with the Adobe Flash plugin, but you can get it through the software manager. Mint Linux is also a good choice, but I've not used it before (I only know it by reputation).



Be aware that there are some programs that you can get for Ubuntu, but that aren't available through the software manager. The four most common of these are Frostwire, Drop Box, Skype, and Virtual Box. You have to download those programs (in .deb format) from their respective web sites.



Linux is far more stable and secure than Windows. You don't have to worry about viruses, and I have never seen a Linux box crash. I have never needed to reboot Linux except when updates require it. You don't have to worry about junk like CCleaner and all those other maintenance utilities that folks use to keep their Windows computers running well. There's no registry to worry about. You don't have to defrag ever because Linux avoids fragmenting files in the first place. If you're a command line person, you'll soon find that Bash is far nicer, cleaner, and more powerful than DOS.

Answer 3

Advantages of using linux :

1. Security is Best

2. Virtually no need of purchasing Antivirus

3. Once system is properly configured it is stable & robust.

4. Minimum hardware /resource requirements

6. best for using in servers. and many more.



Disadvantages of using linux:

1. Steep learning curve.

2. Finding driver for many hardware is difficult.

3 Linux is lagging in Graphics area i.e. GUI although Ubuntu has done some improvement.

4. The naming convention are very hectic like Gimp

5. Unavailability of Microsoft Office but you can use Open office.



Ubuntu and CentOS5 both are good and free.

For a desktop user Ubuntu is better

Answer 4

I would suggest you do a Google/Yahoo search on this topic, since it usually starts a flame war in places like this. I'm a major Linux geek, but trying to explain why it's better would take pages and pages.



As for the "best" version, that's also a subjective thing. Ubuntu is one of dozens and dozens of different distributions. There are a number of really great "general" distros like Ubuntu, Fedora, Mint, PCLinuxOS, and more. There are a variety of specialty distros that focus on specific areas (security, multimedia, etc).



I recommend that you visit http://www.distrowatch.com which is the "clearinghouse" site for all available distributions. Tons of helpful stuff there.



I will give you a few pluses and minuses that you can research further:



Advantages:

1. Free, as in "freedom" so you can change or customize it anyway you like.

2. Free, as in "free beer." You can download and install pretty much any version of Linux and tons of software for it at zero cost, other than your time and maybe a few blank disks.

3. There isn't anything you can do in Windows that you can't do in a distro of Linux.

4. Incredibly vast support community, including thousands of web sites, forums, etc. Problems can frequently be solved through a visit to your distros community forums or a simple Google search.

5. Choice: if you don't like one distro, try another. Since it costs you nothing, you have nothing to lose. You can try different distros side-by-side on the same system in dual boot or VM. You can install a Linux distro right alongside Windows and boot between them.



Disadvantages:

...I can't think of any.



Read these, too:



http://www.linux.com/learn/resource-center/376-linux-is-everywhere-an-overview-of-the-linux-operating-system



http://www.howtoforge.com/



http://alternatives.rzero.com/

Answer 5

So... you just want to start the computer up and gaze longingly at the desktop? That's all you want to do with the computer?



Oh... you want to browse the internet? Linux is better because it is free, the web browsers available are free, and it allows you to do surf the net.

You want to write papers? Linux is better because it is free, the word processing software available is free, and it allows you to write papers.

You want to perform graphic design? Linux is better because it is free, the image manipulation software available is free, and it allows you to be a graphic designer.

You want to watch movies and listen to music? Linux is better because it is free, the media software available is free, and it allows you to entertain yourself.



You want to play specific games? Windows is better because Linux versions of those games have probably not been created.

You want to use a specific software suite like MS Office or Adobe Photoshop? Windows is better because Linux versions of those suites have not been created... although there are similar software suites like Open Office and GIMP that are free, available for Linux, and comparable.



There are more than 170 different Distros of Linux available. Ubuntu is one of them, and several other distros have been built off Ubuntu. Is it the best? That's a personal choice. Can you customize Linux? Sure. Will you? Probably not. Is it more efficient? It can be, but a lot of these newer distros are not, because people want them to look and feel like Windows, so they end up bloated and slow.



The best advantages to using Linux are that you most likely will never get infected, because no one writes infections for Linux... and you won't have to pay for software because you can always find a free program that does what you want... and you can dual boot it along side Windows, so you can still keep an install of Windows for when you REALLY need Windows... and you can use an emulator like WINE to try to run some Windows programs within Linux.



Personally, I recommend Linux Mint http://www.linuxmint.com



end of line

Answer 6

Most linux distros are very good operating systems. They are, for the most part, quite lean and clean. Since Linux is not all that popular, it tends not to get as many viruses as does a Windows installation. The down side to Linux is that it will not run any programs that are written for Windows. So if you use programs such as Photoshop, Auto Cad, Microsoft Office, etc, these will not run on Linux. Also, most browsers, mail clients won't run on Linux. But if all you do is brows the internet, and e-mail, then Linux will work well for you.



Next, Red Hat is probably the most robust of the Linux distros, but Ubuntu is the most user friendly.

Answer 7

You many times have fantastically solid solutions contained in those gained so far. As for specific courses, as has been mentioned, there are comparable courses attainable under Linux for many living house windows courses, yet once you like software-specific standards (MS get admission to as an occasion) there won't be Linux variations attainable. Wine could be an decision, yet Wine does not paintings with all MS courses. Get a liveCD and play with it - it won't exchange your living house windows partition (until you paintings out the thank you to make it gain this) and it provides you with a sampling, so which you would be able to come to a decision in case you desire to attempt installation a twin-boot gadget to attempt the waters extra. i like Linux, it supplies issues that living house windows does not, yet at circumstances this is not as ordinary to apply, and in case you're relatively into video games as an occasion, there is far less attainable. I twin-boot, and reckoning on what i desire to do, I run the two living house windows or Linux.

Answer 8

It is really difficult to make this kind of call, when you run them as dual boot, you have the best of both systems and they compliment each other.



Linux: Stability, running longer and not crashing every time you turn around, It would Be Linux or MAC. The reason why I bring up MAC, it has a Unix based underlying operating system enhanced and embedded with other operating systems.



Windows: Has everything you could ever think of installing, which in turns make it more vulnerable to system crashes more than other operating systems. Most will agree that for gaming it would be a Windows based PC.



Software wise it would depend it you want something that will get the job done or you want all kinds of eye candy , wizards, whistles and bells. Example, a simple word processor, I do my document, it's done, I use one with everything in it, I would probably use only 5% of that word processor capability.

Answer 9

For gaming there is XP



For everything else there is Linux



Why Linux is Better

http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/



I thoroughly recommend Linux Mint 9 Main Edition which is built upon Ubuntu 10.04 Its easy to install and easy to use plus it comes with much of the software you are likely to need preinstalled



Linux Mint 9 Download

http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=52



The Perfect Desktop - Linux Mint 9 (Isadora)

http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-desktop-linux-mint-9-isadora



Linux Mint 9 User Guide Download pdf.

http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_isadora.php



Alternatively install Linux Mint as a dual-boot with Windows using mint4win without partitioning (mint4win works the same as Wubi as described below)

http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/wubi



You keep Windows as it is, mint4win only adds an extra option to boot into Linux Mint. mint4win does not require you to modify the partitions of your PC, or to use a different bootloader, and does not install special drivers. It works just like any other application.



mint4win keeps most of the files in one folder, and if you do not like it, you can simply uninstall it as any other application.



Boot in to windows insert the Linux Mint LiveCD and you will offered the option of installing inside windows which is where the mint4win installer comes in, you will be asked how many gigabytes you wish to allocate to Linux Mint (I recommend 8gb) then you set a password for your installation then click install and thats it.



Once Linux Mint is fully installed upon starting your PC you will be given a choice of which operating system you want to use Windows or Linux Mint



You download the ISO. image of Linux Mint 9 then you need to create a Bootable LiveCD for installation



Linux Mint 9 can also be run direct from the LiveCD from Booting up without touching your Hard Drive







LUg.

Answer 10

have a nosy here as well



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Windows_and_Linux



and no, ubuntu is not the best - not even close,

people only believe its the best because its the only one they have heard of, its the one everyone says 'use linux, switch to ubuntu its just like windows' and its the most widespread.



the 'best' is personal choice - and my personal choice is mandriva linux



http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/mandriva-2010.html



http://www2.mandriva.com/downloads/one/



or you could try the linux chooser



http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/



it offers some options based on your answers