What is so great about Linux?

Question

What is so great about Linux in comparison to Windows OS and Mac OS?
Why do computer programmers recommend it?

Answer 1

What is Linux

http://www.linux.org/info/



Why Linux is Better

http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/



Here are some options for installing or trying out Linux



Option One (Full installation)



I thoroughly recommend Linux Mint 8 Main Edition which is built upon Ubuntu 9.10 Its easy to install and easy to use plus it comes with much of the software you are likely to need preinstalled



Linux Mint 8 Download

http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=44



The Perfect Desktop - Linux Mint 8 (Helena) Installation

http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-desktop-linux-mint-8-helena



Linux Mint 8 Helena User Guide

http://www.scribd.com/doc/23787138/Linux-Mint-8-Helena-User-Guide



You download the ISO. image of Linux Mint 8 then you need to create a Bootable LiveCD for installation



Linux Mint 8 can also be run direct from the LiveCD from Booting up without touching your Hard Drive



Option Two (Install Linux inside Windows)



Installing Ubuntu as a dual-boot with Windows without partitioning

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



You keep Windows as it is, Wubi only adds an extra option to boot into Ubuntu. Wubi 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.



Wubi 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 Ubuntu 10.04 LiveCD and you will offered the option of installing inside windows which is where the Wubi installer comes in, you will be asked how many gigabytes you wish to allocate to Ubuntu (I recommend 8gb) then you set a password for your installation then click install and thats it.



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



Ubuntu 10.04 Download

http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download



Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) User Guide

http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Ubuntu:Lucid



Linux Mint 9 has a similar feature called mint4win and the directions given above for Wubi can be followed

http://duncsweb.com/2009/09/27/mint4win-a-wubi-based-installer-of-linux-mint/



Linux Mint 9 Download

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



Ubuntu 10.04 and Linux Mint 9 can also be run straight from the LiveCD without touching your Hard drive



Option Three (LiveCD)



Here the possibilities are endless as you can try out as many different Linux distros. until you find the one thats right for you DISTROWATCH.COM gives full listings (second lists the major distributions)

http://distrowatch.com/



Major Linux Distributions

http://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=major





LUg.

Answer 2

this may be to long

pros



linux Runs on just about any hardware. It is a misnomer that Linux lacks the driver support of Windows and OSX. Linux actually has the broadest driver support of any system. I don’t see Windows running on your TomTom. What is true, is that the latest and greatest hardware doesn’t come to Linux first if the manufacture choose not write Linux drivers. For most things this isn’t a problem for the same reason it isn’t a problem for OSX. Just be aware of the issue before running out to buy the latest add on.

More options than any other system. This is a pro and a con. If you want to change anything in Linux you can. The only limiting factor is your desire to figure out how.

Way more secure than Windows XP and even OSX.

Everything is free. Although please donate a little something to your favorite projects.

If you choose to, you can always be on the cutting edge of computer science. All the new ideas in development on college campuses across the world are tried on Linux first and then the best of those filter down to Apple and Windows but, what’s best is subjective so Linux leaves you with a choice, while Apple and Windows limit you.

Full access to the free open source library of software. Great full featured, compatible, and free replacements for your proprietary software.

Linux management, for example patch management, is much easier. Typical one command or wizard has to be invoked in order to update everything vs. Windows where you have to get OS patches from Microsoft and third party patches from each individual vendor.



Cons



The latest and greatest hardware is typically slower to reach Linux.

The shear number of options can be daunting to a non-technical user. Although, like OSX, the distribution you select will determine the level of complexity presented or hidden from the end user. For instance, my mom would have no problem using Ubuntu but, only the uber techies among us would opt for the Gentoo Linux distribution.

Limited support for proprietary applications. Although you can use Microsoft Office for Windows on Linux by using an open source version of the Windows application programing interface called WINE, I wouldn’t recommend it for the non-technical user. Instead use Open Office, which comes with the Ubuntu distribution, for creating documents compatible with Microsoft Office.

Limited vendor support. This is getting better. Dell now offers systems with Ubuntu pre-installed and those sub $300 Walmart PC’s that they couldn’t keep in the stores were from Everex. As for software support, even though this is under cons, I can’t really say this is a bad thing. In 20 years Microsoft has never answered a question when I have bothered to call them. I may spend hours searching their knowledge base to find an answer to my question. On the other hand, Linux has a massive community of people willing to help. A quick search of the Ubuntu forums will generally reveal an answer, and if not, then a quick post to the forum normally gets a response.



hope that helped.

http://www.uartech.com





watch this video on the ultimate edition.. too cool http://ultimateedition.info/

Answer 3

The biggest advantage of Linux from a programmer's standpoint is that it is entirely open. With Windows and Mac, when you write a program, you have to assume that every call to an API will do what you expect it to do. If it doesn't, then your in trouble. If there's a bug in the API, you have to contact the developer and wait several months for them to fix it. If the same thing happens in Linux, you can actually see what is wrong and fix it yourself.



From a user's standpoint, the advantages of Linux include its heavy focus on security and its customizability. With Windows, you almost always use Explorer as your desktop environment (desktop, the title bar on windows, and so on). With Mac, you always use Finder. With Linux, you could use Gnome, KDE, XFCE, Fluxbox, or any one of several other desktop environment. You can make the desktop look like Windows or Mac or anything else you want without resorting to major hacks.

Answer 4

Programmers recommend it because it's more open source coding than the other two OS's. Also, because it's so uncommon to the general market, it's less susceptible to malware - just because it's uncommon. Using the terminal, one can do multiple steps that would usually take a lot of mouse clicking and tedious navigating on an icon based user interface. Linux to me is easiest to use for specifically networking, especially when using something like Red Hat.

Answer 5

do no longer circulate living house windows till you relatively would desire to. Linux is with the help of lots extra preserve (as long because it relatively is a cutting-edge version of Linux, you are able to desire to envision what they're using and notice if there are any version advancements they have not made available). it is not significant in case you have living house windows or Linux on your computing gadget, the two will artwork while importing your internet site.

Answer 6

Basically everyone uses it because it is freeware so you can modify the actual operating system, and it is very secure from viruses, so you will have to do something very stupid to get a virus on linux, mainly because it is a developers system and they don't like creating viruses for something they have worked so long on.

Answer 7

There's less then 1000 known viruses compared to ~2 million in windows.

Answer 8

IMPOSSIBLE to get viruses

Runs fast on any computer

Everything is free

If your smart you can play games like COD4 using a linux program called WINE