Linux and Windows users?

Question

Please, dear Linux users, could you please tell me the difference between Windows and Linux. The advantages and disadvantages of Windows and Linux. I'm trying to get a new laptop but I do not know which one to choose. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Functionally, under the hood, they *do* the same thing: they act as a management tool between the user and the hardware. Without getting too geek about it, the two systems do it very differently.



The major "difference" from the user perspective is the user interface. Windows has a single interface, which usually changes only when a new version is released. There's a single desktop and a limited amount of ways to customize it. Linux (which really describes the operating system "kernel" that does all the work under the hood) is distributed with different interfaces and GUIs: Gnome, KDE, Xfce, Enlightenment, etc. These are all very customizable and you can usually find one to suit your needs.



The other big difference, obviously, is software. Linux doesn't run Windows software and visa versa. There are many application that have both Linux and Windows versions (Adobe Acrobat and Flash are two that come to mind) and many open-source application developers make their apps available for multiple platforms (Apache Web server, many programming languages like PHP and Perl, many user apps).



There are ways to run Windows software on Linux, through the use of virtual machines or tools like WINE. They have their advantages and disadvantages.



Subsequently, there are many Linux-capable apps, nearly all open source, that perform the matching functions of Windows apps. OpenOffice is the primary office suite like Microsoft Office. GIMP is the main graphic app, like Paint Shop Pro or even Photoshop. Firefox is the primary browser. There are lists on line of apps that perform various functions in Linux versus their Windows counterparts. Here's one:



http://laptoplogic.com/resources/top-50-linux-alternatives-to-popular-apps



The argument that Linux is hard to use makes no sense with todays Linux distributions. Linux is no more difficult to install, configure and use than any other system. The reason that many people find Linux distros "difficult" to install is because they've never installed an operating system. Most people buy computers with Windows pre-installed...this isn't common with Linux. This is why you see a lot of confused questions here about reinstalling Windows...people just can't seem to do it right a lot. On most of the popular distributions (the Ubuntu family, Fedora, PCLinixOS, Mint), you can manage the installation in a matter of minutes.



The two key things to remember about Linux are that it's free (free as in freedom and free as in free beer), and they you can use it side-by-side with Windows. If you have Windows installed on your new laptop, you can install nearly any version of Linux on the same system in a dual-boot format, in a separate partition, and you can choose which system to use when you start the system. This is the preferable way to run Linux and Windows together, in my opinion. You can also use VMware and other virtual machines and there's even something that allows you install Linux within Windows and run it from there.



Many Linux distributions come as LiveCDs, which means you can burn the ISO images to a CD and run the system from there by booting to the CD. This gives you an opportunity to try it out in a limited way before installing it.



I've answered tons of questions here about Linux over the months, so feel free to browse through my previous questions in my profile to get more information. This is not a question easily answered in one shot.

Answer 2

Linux OS is a freeware opensourced OS, they are many different kinds of linux OS, such as limpus lite, ubuntu, fedora, etc.



Linux uses a smaller footprint then windows vista, and is can be faster then windows XP. Most programs for Linux OS are freeware. But not all vendor recognize linux as a major OS, so there is not many programs for linux outside of the list of linux software you can installed on the OS. Also not very many hardware manufacturer may have a linux driver, if you plan on using external hardware on it (cameras, tv tuners, etc) make sure it has a linux driver or someone on the community made a linux driver. BTW most usb flash drives should be able to work on linux anyway.



Linux often uses freeware opensource alternatives to commerial closed source software. Such as openoffice instead of microsoft word, gimp instead of photoshop, pidgin instead of msn/yahoo messenger, Firefox instead of internet explorer, etc.



Also just like a mac, Linux can not run window programs, although you could run windows programs by using WINE, this does not always work or at-least not right away and sometimes with minor glitches.



If you choose a linux OS, give yourself a week or 2 to get used to get.

Answer 3

Did you utilize first use homestead windows without training? I doubt it. Linux isn't comparable to homestead windows, no longer harder, yet once you elect the main suitable consequences you may examine the linux documentation. No you do no longer ought to spend hours analyzing obtuse pages of jargon, yet a couple of minutes staring at a youtube video or finding over a step via step education for appearing some projects that are diverse in linux; like installation application, and customizing your gadget. stable success

Answer 4

Easiest answer, run dual boot, that way you have the best of both operating systems. What one lacks the other compensates for. The really Power Horse of Linux is the console command, not the graphical user interface. I run dual boot on my computer systems.