Windows vs Linux

Windows vs Linux

Introduction:-People  often think of the continuous struggle between Windows and OSX.

Which is the world’s most popular system? We put Windows and Linux head-to-head to see whether your business should make the switch to the open source operating system.

Windows vs Linux: User-friendliness

When it comes to user-friendliness and how accessible an OS is to first-time users, Windows is a clear cut above the competition.The fact that Microsoft has been producing its system software for nearly 30 years means that many aspects of it have become cultural touchstones.

However, Linux is an operating system that gets simpler to use the more you understand about it, while Windows can sometimes be the opposite. Digging down past the basic tasks into more complicated functions can leave some people baffled.

Microsoft, to its credit, has spent the past few years simplifying the more confusing and labyrinthine elements of its software, and generally making it much more accessible for entry-level users that aren’t necessarily computer literate.

This is especially evident in Windows 8.1’s settings menu, which boils down some of the most common and crucial control panel tasks and lays them out under clear and concise headings. It’s a lot more straightforward for the layperson, and the control panel’s still available for power users to tinker with. 

Windows vs Linux: Installation

Still with us? Good; now we move on to looking at installation. Again, this differs a little from Windows methods, as well as varying between distros.

A common feature of Linux OS’ is the ability to ‘live’ boot them – that is, booting from a DVD or USB image without having to actually install the OS on your machine. This can be a great way to quickly test out if you like a distro without having to commit to it.

Windows vs Linux: Layout, Design and User Interface

As we mentioned above, the sheer volume of distros means that users are spoilt for choice in terms of design. There are distros that visually emulate both OSX and Windows, as well as stripped-down systems for those that favour minimalism.

Some, of course, are visually dire, but that's the risk of community-created software. Most of the major distros, however, are very well-designed, particularly corporate-backed offerings such as Ubuntu and Fedora.

In the end, a lot of it comes down to personal taste. We should mention, though, that many Linux variants will require an adjustment period for those familiar with Windows or OSX. They’re also just that little bit less polished when compared with the big boys

Windows vs Linux: Support

As it’s created and maintained by a community of passionate fans, Linux has a huge wealth of information to fall back on, in the form of tips, tricks, forums and tutorials from other users and developers.

However, it’s somewhat fragmented and disarrayed, with little in the way of a comprehensive, cohesive support structure. Instead, anyone with a problem has to brave the wilderness of Google to find another user with the answer.

Microsoft is much better at collating its resources. Though it doesn’t have quite the amount of raw information that’s available regarding Linux, it’s made sure that the help documents it does have are relatively clear and easy to access.

There’s also a similar network of Windows forums and tutorials if the official assistance doesn't help you.

Windows vs Linux: Performance

Microsoft’s ubiquitous OS can be called many things, but ‘lightweight and speedy’ is not one of them. Windows has an unfortunate tendency towards bloating and sluggishness, and can very quickly feel outdated if not properly maintained.

Linux is much quicker, on the whole. The OS itself is less demanding, and many distros sacrifice any visual bells and whistles to ensure that performance is the absolute best it can be. Opting for one of these builds can be an excellent way to bring an ailing older laptop back up to its former speed.

There are, of course, numerous ways to ensure that a Windows PC or laptop remains decently nippy over the course of its lifespan, but Linux computers will on average outperform them over a longer period.

 Windows vs Linux: Software and compatibility

The vast majority of programs are written predominantly for Windows. While there are many that also have Linux-compatible versions, the sad fact is that a lot of popular Windows software simply isn’t available on Linux.

There are always ways around this, however. The open source community has created free alternatives to basically every program you could wish for, and has devised workarounds, such as emulating them in virtual machines, for the few that it can’t recreate.

Still, these replacements are often homebrewed, and feel like poor relations in comparison to the originals. If your business depends on specialist software, we’d strongly advise checking that this software either supports Linux or has an adequate substitute before making the jump.

Another key difference from Windows is the method of installation. Rather than downloading a nice, neat .exe file, most Linux programs install from within your distro’s software repositories.

Windows vs Linux: Security

Security is a cornerstone of the Linux OS, and one of the principal reasons for its popularity among the IT community. This reputation is well deserved, and stems from a number of contributing factors.

One of the most effective ways Linux secures its systems is through privileges. Linux does not grant full administrator – or ‘root’ - access to user accounts by default, whereas Windows does. Instead, accounts are usually lower-level, and have no privileges within the wider system.

This means that when a virus gets in, the damage it can do is limited, and restricted mainly to files and folders on the individual machine. This can be greatly beneficial from a damage control standpoint, since it’s far easier to simply replace one machine than scour the entire network for malware traces. 

Conclusion:-On my view Linux is the best operating system