Why is Linux still being used?

Question

I'm confused as to why companies are using Linux and Unix anymore. It's a ridiculous OS with 500 distros, no proper documentation or support, very difficult to configure what can be done in windows in a matter of time, doesn't support even 25% of what Windows supports, and the admins get paid twice as much to administer it even though it's free.....What's the point? Microsoft can be built to be just as strong of an OS if done properly. I might as well go use a typewriter and say "Hey look at me, i'm smart because I use a typewriter from 50 years ago rather than a computer" Makes no sense to me as to why you would spend hours configuring something that can so easily break with some updates, and pay someone so much money when Windows can do the job very well. And NO MS products aren't cake walk to learn either and have plenty of scripting and shell you can use so I don't want to hear that it's a noob OS because it's NOT! Linux= Job security for most, otherwise if it's free and so great, why the hell does MS still have most of the market, and why the hell is there a new distro every few months? Because it's so great and people make it greater? HAHA! yeah right....

Answer 1

Healthy bit of Linux bashing going on here.



It is widely recognized that Linux servers are more secure and stable than other platforms



As for lack of support thats laughable



Red Hat

http://www.redhat.com/



Red Hat Support

http://www.redhat.com/support/



SUSE Linux

http://www.novell.com/linux/



SUSE Linux Support

http://www.novell.com/services/



Ubuntu

http://www.ubuntu.com/



Ubuntu Support

http://www.ubuntu.com/support



There is solid evidence to show that the use of Linux is growing albeit slowly. Five years ago Linux use sat at around 0.4% in comparison to todays 1.1% and there are thought to be around 12 million Ubuntu Users alone (many of which are servers)



Companies make concious decisions when it comes upgrading or changing there software so that alone should speak volumes.



The Perfect Server - Ubuntu 10.04 [ISPConfig 3]

http://www.howtoforge.com/perfect-server-ubuntu-10.04-lucid-lynx-ispconfig-3



Moving on to the Desktop Environment. True there is a wide array of distros. available but they are not all hard to use.



Distros. usually break down in to three categories



Beginner (example Ubuntu)

http://www.linuxmint.com/



Intermediate (example Fedora)

http://fedoraproject.org/



Advanced (example Gentoo)

http://www.gentoo.org/



Distros. such as Linux Mint have most of the software you are likely to use preinstalled and can be run straight from the LiveCD (including Compiz)

http://wiki.compiz.org/



For running from LiveCD I thoroughly recommend Linux Mint 8 (there are known issues with running Compiz LIVE on Linux Mint 9)



Linux Mint 8 Download

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



Linux Mint 8 User Guide pdf.

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



Yes the likes of Ubuntu and Linux Mint do release upgrades every 6 months however you do have the choice of working with an LTS (Long Term Support) release. These generally come every 2 years. Desktop support lasts for 3 years (Server 5 years)



Current latest LTS releases Ubuntu 10.04 and Linux Mint 9



Ubuntu 10.04

http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download

http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-desktop-ubuntu-10.04-lucid-lynx

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



Linux Mint 9

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

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

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



I could go on but suffice to say your argument in all areas does not stand up to the FACTS !





LUg.

Answer 2

I run Linux because it is faster to boot, faster to load programs and faster to network. Not to mention 30 times faster to install. There are just a few features that Windows can do that Linux cannot. The new hardware made for Windows 7 runs incredibly fast, but most of the same hardware will work well with Linux. Windows is slow because of the virus-scanner software needed. That problem seems to be fixed with Microsoft Security Essentials add-on, but that is for Windows7 platform. Other virus protection can seriously disrupt Windows. Just set up a dual-boot on one computer with at least 2 partitions. You should have Windows stabilized and running first, then install the Linux. VM solutions an OS run very slowly. You need virus scanning on the Windows side so you don't give a Windows user a virus with your Linux documents or downloads. But, for me, I am a programmer and Linux is faster in setup and execution. Linux networks better.

Answer 3

Microsoft has most of the market share because Windows is shipped on nearly all commercially sold computers. Linux, while very different than Windows, makes an incredible webserver. Windows server and OSX Server both pale in comparison to most Linux equivalents, and aren't free. Another main reason Unix and Linux are used by companies is that they are much easier to customize than Windows. Google uses a special version of Ubuntu, for instance, called Gubuntu. Gubuntu is tailored to the needs of the Google company so that they can get things that they need done much faster than if they were using Windows or OSX. Linux supports nearly everything Windows supports, as well. WiNE, for instance, allows most windows programs to run without error on a *nix based machine. For things that can't be run through wine, for one reason or another, it is fairly easy to make a virtual machine on any *nix, and install a full Windows copy onto it, to use other software.

Linux also has very good documentation. Not all distros do, but if you started off by trying Slackware or a similar distro, that's your own fault. Ubuntu, for instance, comes with a manual allowing you to research nearly any part of the OS, not to mention the vast Ubuntu forum. Moreover, Linux admins generally get paid about the same as Windows admins.

Answer 4

Windows has the majority of the DESKTOP market. Server market? Linux. Why? because it's fast and stable and also uses less resources,is highly configurable across platforms for serving files and is for the most part non- proprietary. I think you are confusing your numbers between desktop and servers. Windows is the standard for desktops and Unix based systems for servers. Unix has been around a heck of a lot longer than windows .



If Windows were the cat's meow, I don't suppose that you could explain why over 460 of the worlds fastest supercomputers run LINUX/UNIX OS's.. M$ about maybe 10. It's all about stability and the need to not have to reboot every time you add a new piece of software.

Answer 5

The reason why Windows is mostly used is due to many having what is called Learned helplessness. I guess you don't realize that in Windows you are locked down. In other words, you can not open up the code and alter anything without it becoming a liability issue. Have you ever heard of an OS uptime? Windows Uptime is measured in days to weeks, Linux on the other hand is measured in Months to Years.



You are correct, you can harden windows by purchasing an Anti-Virus, Firewall, Anti-Spyware, Anti-Adware, &c. Where as Linux has a firewall built right in that loads at runlevel 3 even before the CLI and the GUI OS loads. Anti-Virus, not needed unless you have family and friends that use windows and you want to make sure that you don't send an infected file. If you use the Repositories for all of your software, you don't have to worry about mal-ware infecting your system. If you go to an unofficial source for a program, you just have to confirm the file with the checksum then you don't have to worry about mal-ware.



Here's my question, why do you care? It is all about the freedom to choose what OS you want to use. If you want to pay a couple of hundred for Windows, you are free to do so.



Here is something that is ironic, you are most likely using Linux based devices without even knowing it, Linux in actuality is dominating: http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/linux-is-winning-707828

Answer 6

"Makes no sense to me as to why you would spend hours configuring something that can so easily break with some updates, and pay someone so much money when Windows can do the job very well."

But... it's free....

By the way, Microsoft owns most of the market because it's a monopoly. Not because people have accepted it as the god of all OSes everywhere.

Answer 7

Because of this, "Windows security center has detected two security threats in your computer

1) You have not formatted your computer this week.

2) You still haven't formatted your computer. to eliminate this threats please format your computer.



why linux is not widely used is because linux is not for the weak of heart it's simply not for everybody. But windows, windows is for all. It is for amatures and this is where majority of the population lies. You have to be a techie to know why -nix systems are better. plus linux has improved over the years and configuring the system is not as hard as you are making it sound. there are sustem tools like yast and others that make life simple. the more you get used to it, the more you like it.

Answer 8

because linux is just as easy as windows, with alot more options..... that's why

Answer 9

because there are so many putzes and communists out there who want to disrupt the system, for the sake of disrupting the system.