Linux advantages and disadvantages

Linux Operating System advantages, disadvantages & features

by Heba Soffar · Published January 5, 2016 · Updated May 20, 2021

Linux is an operating system that can be installed on a wide variety of computer hardware, ranging from mobile phones, tablet computers, and video game consoles, to mainframes and supercomputers, It is open-source software and a free operating system (OS).

Linux advantages

Linux is available for free or at a much lower price than Microsoft Windows , Linux variants and versions are notoriously reliable and they can run for months and years without needing to be rebooted, It is relatively stable, The computers that run on UNIX operating system is known to run stable indefinitely.

Most of the software programs, the utilities, and the games available on Linux are freeware or open-source, The complex programs such as GIMP, OpenOffice, and StarOffice are available for free or at a low cost, You do not need to throw your old computers, It is still can be used for certain purposes by using Linux.

Most Linux variants and programs are open source and they enable the users to customize or modify the code as they choose, Security in Linux is more superior to Windows , almost all Windows users would be exposed to viruses, spyware, Trojans, adware, etc, That almost does not happen on Linux.

Linux Operating System

Linux is used as the operating system for the servers at the companies and at the schools, It is used for home computers but often by the users with more technical knowledge and background, It is always a very secure operating system, and it is more secure than Windows .

Linux operating system is a free open source operating system, there is no license fee for buying or using Linux, It is easy to use, It is almost as easy as using Windows ِ and all the applications included in Windows have been alternative in Linux.

Linux is very stable, It rarely crashes, when it crashes, the whole system does not go down, It is less vulnerable to computer malware, and it has better backward compatibility.

Linux operating system is one of the first open-source technologies but many programmers have contributed and added software that is completely open-source for any user, So, anyone can download the source code and change it.

Open-source technologies such as Linux have a wide range of options that are available to the users, and they have the increased security, With Linux being open-source, several distributions are available to the end-user.

Linux disadvantages

Although Linux variants are improved dramatically in ease of use, Windows is still considered to be easier to use for non-technical computer users, Windows-based PCs are much more likely to be found in the schools or the workplace setting.

There are some hardware devices that are not supported by Linux, The hardware manufacturers usually write the drivers for Windows but not all brands write the drivers for Linux.

Linux has many available software programs, utilities, and games but Windows has larger software programs, The h ardware support from certain vendors is not too good for Linux, The installation of the software is not as easy as in Windows.

Linux does not dominate the market like Windows , It is difficult to find the applications to support your needs but more programmers are developing the applications that are supported by Linux, Many people have problems with running the printers on Linux, and Blu-ray discs cannot play using Linux.

There is no one standard edition of Linux, Linux is not as easy to use as Windows or Mac , It requires knowledge about computing than other operating systems, It can be very challenging for a beginning user, When you use Windows or Mac , you will have to unlearn and relearn many different functions and processes.

Some programs will not run on Linux, while there are hundreds of choices of programs that are similar to specific Windows or Mac software, Less computer hardware is compatible with Linux, and there is a much smaller selection of drivers that will work with Linux.

There are many Linux users that are very helpful in answering your technical questions in the forums and the chat rooms, it can be more difficult to get assistance for your issues, There is no immediate help, it can be difficult to find a computer repair person who is versed in Linux.

Источник

The advantages and disadvantages of Linux

by ddos · Published January 9, 2020 · Updated January 28, 2021

A certain understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of Linux can help you better understand Linux. Nowadays, Linux has become more and more popular because of its stability, security, low configuration requirements, and security.

Advantages of Linux

• Stability and efficiency: Because Linux was developed from Unix, Linux and Unix have many similarities. Not only the user interface and operation methods, but Linux also inherits the superior stability and efficiency of Unix. For servers using Linux as the operating system, it is quite common to run for one year without downtime.
• Low configuration requirements: Linux has very low hardware requirements. It can run smoothly on computers and Linux laptops a few years ago. With Windows, you need to constantly upgrade the machine’s hardware.
• Free or a small fee: Linux is based on the GPL (General Public License), so anyone can use or modify the original code for free. Only a small fee is required when choosing a Linux distribution made by some vendors. Of course, it is still much less expensive than Windows.
• Strong support: a large number of Linux enthusiasts will exchange discussions, and develop and share some good software, with a very open use atmosphere.
• Security: Linux has considerable user and community support, so it can quickly find system vulnerabilities and quickly release security patches.

Linux has many other advantages, such as strong network support, convenient console operation, and so on. You may even download Photoshop for Linux and use its photo editing and designing features on this free platform. Although Linux does a good job overall, it still has some shortcomings.

Disadvantages of Linux

• There is no specific support vendor: Because the software on Linux is distributed for free, naturally there is no support such as after-sales service. But the good news is that as long as we search carefully, we can always find a solution to the problem: D
• The graphical interface is not good enough: this is probably the most important reason affecting the popularity of the Linux desktop. But over time, Desktop environments (Gnome, KDE, XFCE) have become more useful and better. At present, every major Linux distribution can be used as a desktop computer.

Источник

Advantages and disadvantages of Linux operating system

3 min

Before I go into details of the Linux operating system, I want to describe what an operating system (OS) is. An operating system is a system software which makes communication between computer hardware and software. There are various types of operating systems e.g. Windows OS, Linux OS, and Mac OS. Windows operating system comes with major releases e.g. windows 7, windows 8 and windows 10. But Linux OS comes with different distribution e.g. Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Zorin OS, Elementary OS, Manjaro Linux.

Now let us discuss some pros and cons of Linux operating system.

Advantages of Linux operating system

Open source:-

Linux is an open-source OS that means anyone can see the source code and change it according to his needs. You can freely install Linux on many computers without getting paid license. If we compare this with windows or mac then they are paid operating systems. You have to get license of windows and mac to use on your machine.

No anti-virus software needed:-

In Linux, you do not need anti-virus software to be installed on your PC. Linux has fewer chances to be affected with virus. The reason for strong virus protection is that Linux has large number of open source developers which keeps an eye on virus-related stuff. If any source code needs to be updated then it is done in no time.

Text editors:-

Linux has a vast range of text editors available. If you are a programmer then you can pick any of free software packages like visual studio code, Vim, Atom etc. Most of text editors are freely available and you can use it without any issue.

Powerful command prompt:-

Command prompt in Linux is very advanced and if you are developer then you can perform most of your work using the command-line interface. You can install different repositories and packages through the command-line interface.

No reboot needed:-

If you are windows user then you have seen system reboot while you install/uninstall any software or rebooting when the system becomes slow. But in case of Linux, you do not need to reboot your system in such cases.

Low system specifications:-

If you have an old computer that has low specification then you can still run Linux. Linux has different distributions that are available for all types of computers e.g. large scale computers, servers, Pc etc.

Good at multitasking:-

If you want to do some batch works like printing a large file or downloading large file then you can concurrently perform other tasks like typing or coding any program. Linux is good in doing such multitasking and your system will not slow down.

Less disk space needed:-

If you have limited disk space then you can still run Linux. You do not need extra disk space for running Linux for a longer time.

File formats:-

Linux supports a large number of file formats. So you have to not worry if any file format does not run on Linux. You can install different software packages for specific file format and it will work fine.

Disadvantages of Linux operating system

Hardware drivers:-

One of the issues that most Linux users face is that some hardware drivers are not available for Linux. Hardware companies prefer to make drivers for windows or mac because they have more users as compared to Linux.

Learning curve:-

Getting started with windows is easy for beginners but learning Linux is difficult. You have to learn about the command-line interface and searching for new software is also little bit difficult. If you face any problem in the operating system then finding solution is problematic. There are fewer experts for Linux as compared to windows and mac.

Software alternative:-

Take an example of Photoshop which is a popular graphic editing tool. Photoshop is available for windows but is not present in Linux. There are other photo editing tools but Photoshop is a more powerful tool than others. MS office is another example which is not available for Linux users.

Games:-

Most of the games are made for windows but not Linux. As windows platform is widely used so game developers have more interest in windows.

Examples of Linux operating system

Some of Linux distributions are below:-

• Ubuntu
• Debian
• Fedora
• Linux mint
• Zorin OS
• Elementary OS
• Manjaro Linux

Источник

Top 10 Advantages and Disadvantages of Linux

By supersu
Post date

Table of Contents

Linux is a growing operating system adding more and more users to its user base each year. It is a fabulous operating system and a great alternative to Windows and Mac.

But its increasing popularity also demands that it keep changing and upgrading with new technology. Like every other operating system, Linux also got its ups and downs. But is it worth using Linux when professional operating systems like Windows and Mac are skyrocketing?

This article will discuss the Top 10 biggest Advantages and Disadvantages of the Linux operating system. In the end, I will leave this choice upon you to decide if Linux is worth a try or not.

Disadvantages Of Linux

• No standard edition
• Hard Learning Curve
• Limited market share
• Lack of proprietary software
• Difficult to troubleshoot
• Poor support for games
• Unsupported Hardware
• Lack of technical support
• No hibernation
• No unified installer/package manager

No standard edition

Instead of one single edition like Windows and Mac, Linux has several community-developed editions called Distro or distributions.

This often confuses newbies. Choosing a standard Linux operating system for use is pretty difficult for beginners.

No standard edition also means that the community is divided. Getting support for one special edition of Linux will be even more challenging.

Every Linux operating system has its own separate package manager, for which each software has to be packed differently. This makes publishing software for Linux a tedious task.

Linux can also not compete with Windows and mac due to the same reason. However, if it has just one and only one single standard edition, then the story would be a lot different.

Hard Learning Curve

For Windows users and users with less technical experience, learning Linux is hard. You need to know how to handle the Terminal. It is very similar to the command prompt in Windows.

Although you won’t use Terminal every time you do something in Linux, but you will have to use it to complete your task at one point or another.

There are tons of tutorials for learning Linux on the web. However, the learning curve of every Linux distribution is different.

For example, some Linux distros like Linux mint are made beginner-friendly, while distributions like Arch are pure pain for even experienced Linux users.

Limited Market Share

Limited Market Share is the biggest problem Linux is facing currently. Due to its small market share, popular Windows and Mac applications are not ported to Linux by developers.

This is the reason why many people don’t use Linux. Your favorite applications might and might not be available for Linux.

And it is hard to find computers with Linux pre-loaded on them for purchase on stores like Amazon and eBay easily.

Lack of Proprietary Software

Many big developers don’t even bother publishing their software on Linux because of its small market share.

You will have to use third-party software like Wine or use Virtualbox to get your favorite software up ad running on Linux.

One such example is Adobe. No Adobe software is available for Linux, and most don’t operate properly over Wine.

Linux also lacks good video editing software. There are only two helpful video editing software; Kendlive and DaVinci Resolve. While DaVinci Resolve is for more advanced video editing, Kdenlive is for simple video edits.

But none of these provide as good functionality as Wondershare Filmora or Adobe After effect for Windows.

Difficult to Troubleshoot

Troubleshooting in Linux might be complex if you are not a tech expert. It is also hard to find someone to help you with your Linux problems. Every user faces different issues, and an answer to that might not be available on the web.

Issues are caused due to different Hardware and software, and the user will have to find a cure for the problem himself.

Most of the Linux software are open source and developed by various community users. You get no warranty, and the software might or might not work on your system.

Finding technical support regarding such software is also very time-consuming. You will have to submit a bug report and wait for the publisher to solve the issue.

Poor Support for Games

Popular video games run on Window’s Direct X technology which is not available for Linux. Hence, Linux misses out on many games.

For the past few years, Steam has done great work to bring more games to the Linux platform.

Technology like Steam Proton, Wine, and Lutris make gaming on Linux possible. However, they are still not native to Linux and do not run as smoothly as they would run on the platform they are made for.

However, this is not a significant downside of Linux because, with fast-evolving technology like Cloud gaming, it is now possible to play any game on Linux.

Unsupported Hardware

This is one more significant issue with Linux distributions. There is no proper concept of Drivers in Linux like other operating systems. Instead, all drivers are built in the Linux kernel itself.

But the Kernel can not have drivers for every Hardware. This raises a compatibility issue with some hardware devices.

Printers and WiFi cards are most hit with this issue. Users generally face problems while using printers with Linux. Many WiFi cards that come pre-installed in your Laptop might not be compatible with Linux or need extra configuration to work.

Lack of Technical Support

Sooner or later, you will surely need technical support for your system. However, unlike Windows and Mac, there are no local stores or on-demand support services you can use to solve your problem.

You will have to depend on the Linux community on Stackoverflow, Reddit, and various other community forums, which can not guarantee instant help or expertise.

It is also hard to figure out the problem in Linux, so the chances are that if you are facing some driver or hardware-based issue, then you will have to hope to another Linux distribution.

No Hibernation

Hibernation is an excellent feature that every operating system must-have, but either Linux distributions miss out on this feature wholly or it is unstable.

Hibernation is very useful in certain situations and saves a lot of time. Soon, the developers might improve this feature, but the current state of Hibernation in Linux is terrible.

This feature is available for Windows users but users switching from Windows to Linux might find it troublesome due to the lack of Hibernation in Linux.

No Unified Installer / Package Manager

Unlike Windows, which has only exe files, every Linux distribution has its own Package manager, making it difficult for developers to build and deploy Linux applications.

Fedora has RPM, Debian has DPKG, and Arch has Pacman. There is no united package manager for all distributions by default.

Although Linux has Snap, AppImage, and Flatpak, which are supported on almost all Linux distributions, they also have their cons.

These were all the Disadvantages of using Linux over other popular operating systems. If Linux has cons, then it has some extreme benefits too. Let us now discuss the advantages of using Linux.

Advantages of Linux

• Highly Secure
• Stable
• Free and Open Source
• Easy to use
• Absolute Freedom over your system
• High Performance
• Proper use of System Resources
• Privacy-Friendly
• Easily Install Software
• Better Software Updates

Very Secure

Linux is a highly secure operating system. Your security and privacy are put first before anything else in Linux.

There are locks on every layer which prevent your system from getting hijacked. The cases of a daily Linux user getting Virus are sporadic.

Linux does not generally get a virus because it is lock out malware and other software, causing trouble. Also, since it does not have a significant share in the market, Hackers and viruses usually do not target Linux distributions meant for daily use.

There is also a very great diversity among different Linux distributions making it harder for malware to target you and disrupt your peaceful life.

Unlike Windows, where every user is an Administrator, Linux highly restricts root access. The typical user only has enough permission to use the system without causing trouble.

Because Linux users have low automatic access rights and require additional permissions to open attachments, access files, or adjust kernel options. It is harder to spread malware and rootkits on a Linux system.

Stable

Although Linux systems get bugs that are hard to troubleshoot and solve, they are rare. Linux distributions are pretty stable and constantly updates with the latest bug fixes.

Every Linux distribution is tested thousands of times before releasing a stable version. When the Linux kernel gets an update, it is tested by your Linux distribution developers beforehand to ensure that it is stable and compatible with the operating system.

These layers of stability checks keep your system bug-free and ensure the best performance.

Free and Open Source

Linux is released under the GNU GPL license. It is free to download, use and share in any way you want. This means you can contribute to the Linux system and review the code and any functionality yourself.

You need not pay a single penny for using Linux ever. You can use Linux for free as long as you want.

Linux software are also mostly open-source and free. You get a variety of thousands of free software which you can choose from and easily install from the Software manager.

Unlike Windows and Mac ecosystem, Linux does not cost you and keeps you in the free software loop. You can use alternatives to any popular software free on Linux, and some are good options while others are even better than the original software.

Easy to Use

Linux is the easiest operating system to use if you know the basics. In contrast to what people normally say, Linux is even easier than Windows to use.

It is way more less complicated than Windows or Mac, but it does have a steep learning curve. If you learn even the basics of Linux, you will love it.

Linux is highly customizable and lightweight, with no bloatware or heavy applications that limit your productivity.

Linux has many different, very simple, and easy-to-use desktop environments. That boosts your productivity and an easy system to install any software in just one line of command.

Especially for programmers, Linux is heaven. You can install all necessary programming tools with just one click.

Absolute Freedom Over Your System

Linux distributions give you absolute freedom over your system. You are free to do whatever you want, customize however you want, tweak as much as you wish; there are no restrictions.

You can even change your whole desktop environment or make your system look just like Windows or Mac.

There are tens of desktop environments available that you can choose from. A few of them are Cinnamon, Mate, Unity, KDE, and hundreds of themes and docks.

You are free to change your system to maximum possibility and install anything without restriction.

High Performance

Linux systems are very low on resources and can run on even 500 MB ram or at 256 MB RAM at the lowest. Linux uses resources very efficiently and can run on low spec hardware quickly.

While Windows and Mac struggle to perform well on even good hardware, Linux is used to revive old computers with meager specs.

Suppose you are also facing the issue of Windows running slower on your system. In that case, you should consider giving Linux a try.

Proper Use of System Resources

Linux uses system resources very efficiently. Be it RAM or HDD. You need not have much space on your system to run Linux. Even 10 GB is enough to run any Linux distribution properly.

Linux can manage itself even when there is almost no space left on the system. This is probably the best advantage of Linux.

You need not worry about space management on your storage device. Linux uses very little space and can function smoothly on that.

On the other hand, Linux distributions are very lightweight. They function smoothly on even the oldest hardware and the lowest RAM.

You can choose a Linux distribution and desktop environment that best support your hardware from a wide range and variety.

Privacy Friendly

You get the right to Privacy with Linux. Unlike other operating systems which collect your data and use it to target you based on your online behavior, Linux has nothing to do with such things.

You also get access to lots of open source applications that, in contrast to premium applications in Windows, do not steal your data.

Easily Install Software

This is the best part of using Linux, to install any software, you can open Terminal and type out one line of command to install the software.

Most of the tutorials are based around the Terminal, so you only need to copy and paste from the tutorial into your Terminal to get the work done.

You can download AppImage of software from the web, which runs universally on every Linux operating system without the need for installation.

Better Software Updates

Linux beat every operating system in terms of Software and system updates. New and more stable updates are released once in a while, and these software are very easy to upgrade to. Unlike Windows, which takes hours to upgrade/update, Linux updates are short in download size and take under a minute to install with no reboot required.

So that next time when you switch on, you won’t have to deal with an “updating the system” message for hours.

Linux updates are also very stable and ideally tested before publication. The chances of updates breaking your system in Linux are very rare.

A new version of the operating system is also released yearly, which you can upgrade to without removing your old operating system and directly upgrading to.

Conclusion

Like every operating system, Linux has its ups and downs; with time, Linux keeps upgrading itself and getting better each day.

More and more users are joining the Linux world; most of the problems in Linux can be avoided or solved with intermediate or basic technical experience.

The reasons to not use Linux are diminishing with every new update. Now It’s up to you to decide if Linux is worth it or not?

Источник