What would you say are some of the disadvantages of using Linux as opposed to Windows.?

Question

I'v heard before that Linux is more stable and secure than Windows, however, I still haven't seen it nearly used as much as Windows in a Desktop or laptop. Even yesterday when I went to pay the light bill, I saw that the computers they use still use Windows 7. I know over the years, Linux has never really gained nowhere near enough popularity to be able to replace Windows, so what do ya'll think are some of the disadvantages? I guess one could be compatibility with hardware or software.

Answer 1

The only disadvantage I see in Linux is that some aps written specifically for windows will not run in linux without a lot of extra work.

Other than that- Linux has the advantage- period. Its not even a contest.

I tried Ubuntu back in 2008- it was so easy that I just dropped windows altogether. I have not had a single software issue in Linux for near 9 years, until this year- when I dual booted windows 10 with Ubuntu. A windows 10 update screwed up my computer. But it was an easy fix- I just deleted windows and re-installed Ubuntu......

Problem solved. I don't need windows. AND probably more than half the folks using windows now do not need it either- they are just not aware of it.

Answer 2

Linux is more secure because it is not susceptible to Windows exploits as long as you do not run everything as root (admin). I have been running Linux for over 20 years (since before Win95) and it has never been infected even when Windows on the same PC was. So it boots much faster than Windows using less memory without having to anti-virus scan.



Certain business applications may only be written for Windows. For example the active trader app for stock and options with one broker is Windows only and even their web browser version requires Microsoft Silverlight. So I moved the rest of my IRA and Roth IRA to a different broker which has a Java app that works in Linux with real time data and charts or their browser app works fine using flash.



There may not be Linux versions of all games, but Steam developed their Steam OS based on Linux, so they have plenty of Linux games. You can watch Netflix with Google Chrome or Hulu using Firefox. There is LibreOffice for MS Office tasks and gimp for graphics editing. I don't really miss anything. The only time I boot Windows is to help someone with a problem or question about it.

Answer 3

Not all programs run under Linux. Games / business software etc.



Not all hardware is supported, so you may find a certain laptop wont run, or you can't use a certain printer.



Do those disadvantages apply to you?



For a general internet use it works fine. I'm typing on my "daily driver" Linux Mint box here right now and can do all the basic stuff that you can on a Window or Mac computer.

Answer 4

the only thing that Linux boxes CANNOT do is play most of the popular games, which Windows does well.

otherwise, depending on what "flavor" of Linux you use, it is pretty much the same. you can't run Microsoft Office, but there is OpenOffice and LibreOffice (pretty much the same).

installing stuff is done through an "app store"-like interface, so you have a hard time installing BS viruses and the like.

most programs are free, but installing them sometimes requires that you install other packs first, which it won't do automatically, meaning you need to actually READ the install directions.

otherwise, it is far more lightweight and faster than Widnows in nearly every way, and infinitely customizable ;)

Answer 5

Lack of much serious commercial support in both software and hardware(including games, photoshop, autocad, etc) Looks to be changing, but people have been saying that for at least a decade.

As a side effect of the previous point we have both better and worse hardware support overall ( What works tends to work well across the board, what doesn't work, fails horribly)

The constant circlejerk of people in the material and philosphical camps.

Answer 6

LOL, linux is nether more stable nor secure. There's a reason virtually no one uses it as a desktop, it's mostly worthless unless all you are doing is browsing the web, etc.