Despite the fact that Windows is immensely more popular than Linux, that doesn’t necessarily make it ‘better’ – at least not in every sense. There are some ways in which Linux is actually far better than Windows, and has a significant advantage over it.
In particular the advantages of opting to use Linux as opposed to Windows are its:
Odds are you may have noticed that the open source nature of Linux is behind many of its advantages, and that is something that Windows simply can’t match. Make no mistake Windows does have several areas where it is stronger than Linux as well, but in some cases Linux is definitely the far superior option. At very least you should now be aware of the reasons why you may want to experiment with Linux or even use it as your primary operating system.
In particular the advantages of opting to use Linux as opposed to Windows are its:
- Nonexistent cost As you probably know you need to purchase an original copy of Windows or a license in order to install it, and that can be fairly pricey. On the other hand as Linux is open source it is completely free and for some versions (i.e. Ubuntu) you can even have a copy mailed to you for a small fee to cover postage.
- Full customization Although Windows allows for some customization, it is often skin deep and only covers certain areas. With Linux however anything and everything can be customized, including the desktop, windows, network settings, and so on.
- Diverse distributions It is important to note that there are several distributions of Linux, each of which caters to a different set of needs. Depending on your needs and how you intend to use your computer, you can pick one that suits it best and benefit from its specialized nature.
- Security Unlike Windows, Linux tends to be less vulnerable to viruses. In part this is due to the fact that it is less popular and therefore doesn’t attract the attention that Windows does. However in addition to that Linux is more secure at its core, and because it is open source if and when there is ever a threat or vulnerability its community can respond and fix it almost immediately. In most cases it isn’t even necessary to use an antivirus on Linux – that’s how secure it is.
- Hardware requirements Newer versions of Windows typically have hefty hardware requirements that older machines struggle to cope with. In comparison Linux has far lower requirements, and can run on dated machines with little or no issues whatsoever and will never have to worry about how to speed up a Mac or PC. Some distributions of Linux may have slightly higher requirements, but even these are a far cry from what Windows needs.
Odds are you may have noticed that the open source nature of Linux is behind many of its advantages, and that is something that Windows simply can’t match. Make no mistake Windows does have several areas where it is stronger than Linux as well, but in some cases Linux is definitely the far superior option. At very least you should now be aware of the reasons why you may want to experiment with Linux or even use it as your primary operating system.
