Which is better to use windows or linux

11 Reasons Why Linux Is Better Than Windows

Last updated September 21, 2020 By Ankush Das 609 Comments

Brief: Are you wondering if Linux is better than Windows? Don’t wonder. Linux is better than Windows and in this article, we’ll see the advantages of Linux over Windows.

If you are not a power user, it might seem that “Windows” OS is a better (or easier) choice when compared to Linux. In either case, if you are not enjoying using a Linux distro then Windows would be your obvious choice.

However, in reality, we tend to experience something different, which lets us jump to the conclusion where Linux gets the edge over Windows OS.

Advantages of Linux over Windows

In this article, we will take a look at 11 of the compelling reasons why Linux is better than Windows. Some of the points mentioned here are already discussed in our earlier article on why switch to Linux.

1. Open Source Nature

What is it like when you buy a car, but you cannot see what’s under the hood? Similar is the case with when you use a Windows-powered system.

However, in contrast, Linux is completely an open source project. You can have a look at the source code of a Linux OS, which is a plus.

I know, most people don’t care about this openness of Linux, but to me, this is the most important feature of using GNU/Linux.

2. Secure

Let’s face it; Windows OS is vulnerable to different types of attacks (or hacks). However, Linux is not as vulnerable as Windows. It sure isn’t invulnerable, but it is a lot more secure. Although, there’s no rocket science in it.

It is just the way Linux works that makes it a secure operating system. Overall, the process of package management, the concept of repositories, and a couple more features makes it possible for Linux to be more secure than Windows.

When you have Windows installed, you need to download/purchase an Antivirus program to keep your computer safe from hackers and malware. However, Linux does not require the use of such Anti-Virus programs. Of course, a couple of software tools still exist to help you keep your system free from threats, but it is often unnecessary when you have a Linux system.

Being secure by nature would make things easier for you and save money as well because you will not have to get a premium Antivirus software!

3. Can revive older computers

As the operating systems evolve, so do their hardware requirements increase exponentially. For instance, if you purchase a genuine copy of Windows 10, you will have to meet the minimum hardware requirements to run it successfully, and you cannot run it on just about any low-end system.

Nevertheless, with Linux, you could even utilize one of your oldest computer systems to achieve a task. However, that does not mean that every Linux distribution would work with 256 MB of RAM coupled with an outdated processor. However, there are options which you can install on such low-end systems as well (such as Puppy Linux).

So, being an efficient OS, Linux distributions could be fitted to a range of systems (low-end or high-end). In contrast, Windows operating system has a higher hardware requirement.

Overall, even if you compare a high-end Linux system and a high-end Windows-powered system, the Linux distribution would take the edge. Well, that is the reason most of the servers across the world prefer to run on Linux than on a Windows hosting environment.

4. Perfect For Programmers

Linux supports almost all of the major programming languages (Python, C/C++, Java, Perl, Ruby, etc.). Moreover, it offers a vast range of applications useful for programming purposes.

The Linux terminal is superior to use over Window’s command line for developers. You would find many libraries developed natively for Linux. Also, a lot of programmers point out that the package manager on Linux helps them get things done easily.

Interestingly, the ability of bash scripting is also one of the most compelling reasons why programmers prefer using Linux OS.

Linux also brings in native support for SSH, which would help you manage your servers quickly. You could include things like apt commands which further makes Linux one of the most popular choices of the programmers.

5. Software Updates

Microsoft pushes a software update when it receives a set of problems or if something major needs to be fixed. And, for this reason — your system potentially breaks with an update or you end up waiting for an update to fix your issue for a significant amount of time.

I’m sure if you have a Windows-powered system for a long time, you may have encountered issues with every update.

However, with Linux, you would observe software updates to address every little bug and most of which isn’t system-breaking if you’re using an LTS version of a distribution.

So, with Linux, you will notice more effective and faster updates to fix the problems you might be facing. That’s not the case with Windows.

6. Customization

One major advantage of using Linux instead of Windows is customization. If you like tweaking your system’s looks, Linux is just perfect for you.

Apart from installing themes, you have tons of beautiful icon themes. In addition to that, you can use Conky to display system information on the desktop in the coolest way possible. Needless to say that you can do a lot around Wallpapers in Linux.

7. Variety Of Distributions

There are no flavors of Windows. Yes, you may have different plans & packages which differ in licensing terms, the period of activation, packaged features, and price.

In contrast, you will find tons of Linux distributions catered for a different set of needs. So, you can choose to install any of the available Linux distros according to your requirements.

For example, there are Linux distributions for hackers, there are Linux distributions for programmers, there are Linux distributions for extremely old computers, and the list goes on. There is a Linux for everyone.

If you’re curious, you might want to learn what is Linux to know why there are 100s of Linux distributions.

8. Free to Use

Linux is accessible to the public for free! However, that is not the case with Windows!

You will not have to pay 100-250 USD to get your hands on a genuine copy of a Linux distro (such as Ubuntu, Fedora). So, it is entirely free.

If something is free but useful, it is always the best thing one could expect. With the money you just saved, you can consider enhancing your system (just saying, you can go to Starbucks as well!)

9. Better Community Support

You do not need to hire an expert to solve a problem you are facing on your Linux system. You just need to search for a similar thread on the web for a solution or post a thread to let others solve the problem.

Within minutes of posting a thread on any of the Linux forums, you may expect a reply along with a detailed solution which would finally help resolve your problem at no cost! Not to forget, you should find solutions to most of the common problems in the forums properly explained without needing to do a lot of research.

There are a lot of active Linux users who are always ready to respond to a relevant thread one might have created. The number of community users active on such forums is more than the number of active members on any Windows-focused forum.

However, the community response might vary depending on the Linux distribution being used. You can also reach out for help through our community forum.

10. Reliability

Windows, as we know it, becomes sluggish day after day. You will want to re-install Windows after a while when you encounter crashes or slowdowns on your system.

If you are using Linux, you will not have to worry about re-installing it just to experience a faster and a smoother system. Linux helps your system run smooth for a longer period (in fact, much longer!).

Also, with Windows, you will have to adapt to a habit where you keep on rebooting the system for just about everything.

• If you just installed software, reboot!
• If you recently uninstalled software, reboot!
• If you just installed a Windows update, reboot!
• If the system seems to slow down, reboot!

However, in the case of Linux, you will not have to reboot for the situations mentioned above. You can comfortably continue with your work, and Linux will not bother you.

Another fact that proves Linux to be reliable are the web servers. You could observe that most of the Internet giants like Google and Facebook run on Linux. Even almost all of the supercomputers run on Linux.

So, Why isn’t Windows preferred over Linux for mission-critical tasks? It is because Linux is far more reliable than Windows OS. Period.

Of course, it doesn’t mean Linux does not have issues. But, if we look at the bigger picture, Linux is reliable by design. If you consider trying any of the Linux distribution for your computer, you might want to try Pop OS (my personal favorite) or any of the best Linux distributions we have listed.

11. Privacy

Microsoft certainly tries to anonymize the data collected from every user. However, it does not look convincing with Microsoft’s latest Windows 10. It has already received an enormous amount of criticism of how it collects data, what it should collect and what it should not.

If you have ever used Windows 10, you could only head into the privacy settings to know that everything is enabled by default. Even if you opt out to send Microsoft information about your data, it is still being collected. Of course, Microsoft will not bother revealing it officially with a press statement, but it surely does. So, you would need a set of tools to disable the spying modules of Windows.

In contrast, Linux would be the perfect solution for a privacy buff. First of all, Linux distributions do not collect much data (or none). Moreover, you will not be needing additional tools to protect your privacy.

Do you also think Linux is better than Windows?

Now that you know the advantages of using Linux instead of Windows, what do you think?

If you’re still going to keep using Windows as your primary OS, what reason could you think of choosing it over Linux? If you’ve already made the switch, and using Linux, what more benefits do you observe?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

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13 Reasons Why Linux Is Better Than Windows

1. Security

Linux tends to be a highly reliable and secure system than any other operating systems (OS). Linux and Unix-based OS have fewer security flaws, as the code is reviewed by a huge number of developers constantly. And anyone has access to its source code. So, you won’t need any anti-virus software to protect your PC from malware and viruses. The reason it’s secure because it’s open-source, which means you can see its source code. As a result, bugs in the Linux OS will fix rapidly compared to other OS.

2. Free

If you use windows, you need to buy it or use a crack version of it, like a thief. It just doesn’t feel good after a certain age when you use something unethically when there is a free better OS is available for you.

3. Developer Friendly

The package-manager of Linux is way more robust than any other OS. Installing software in Linux is notably easy compared to Windows. It can enhance the work-flow for programmers remarkably. Most cases, you only need to open up the terminal and write:

That’s because Linux comes with software managers like apt , rpm , dpkg , synaptic etc.

In Windows, you need to search for the website where you can find it. Download the .exe file. Then click on the .exe file. Click, click, click, …… . Finally, most cases, you need to reboot the system to make the software working. Whereas in Linux, this process is way easier and needs no rebooting to make the software working.

4. Pre-installed Powerful Tools

A lot of handy useful programming tools comes pre-installed with Linux. For example, grep , wget , cron etc. Linux also comes with native support for SSH, which helps managing servers swiftly.

It also depends on different distributions of Linux. Like in Kali Linux, you get a lot of pre-installed tools for hacking and penetration testing. This helps a beginner to start the learning process right away.

5. System Update

In Linux, users have full control over updating their system. The system updates are immensely faster in Linux. You can update the system at any time or never, that’s your own wish. On the other hand, Windows sometimes forces the user to update the system.

At times, you power up your system, and out of nowhere, the system starts updating, when you maybe need to send an urgent mail to someone. Also, the system updates are notoriously slow in Windows.

6. Privacy

Windows always collect user data. Almost everything. Even if they give you the option to diagnostics data viewer, but there are a lot of complain that it’s just a pretence. Linux doesn’t have any hide and seeks game, as you can always look into its source code.

When it comes to Linux, you can literally see everything that is transmitting from your system, if you’re tech-savvy enough. Even if you’re not, there are tens of thousands of eyes who are looking into the source code and looking for flaws that can cause any vulnerability to the system.

7. Task Automation

By automating tasks, one can work more efficiently, which makes life easier. Bash shell scripting doesn’t come native with windows, and you need to install third-party software to make it work in an ugly way. Experienced Linux users don’t write one thing twice because Linux lends itself very well for task automation.

Sometimes we do the same thing again and again, which consumes a lot of time. All of these repetitive tasks can be automate with one-liners. Linux terminal is kind of the heart of Linux. There are Bash , SH , Korn , ZSH , Fish shells, use whatever the one you like. The terminals are all about efficiency. No unnecessary movements, browsing through file manager and clicks.

8. Portability

Linux is a portable OS. It supports a wide range of computer architectures. Portability means you can move your code from one system architecture to another easily. When you need to troubleshoot a system in day to day life, having a lightweight system is amazing.

Now, let’s say you have a GitHub repo where there is a set of instructions to install all the software you use in just one file, then what you can do is just execute that one file from anywhere to make your system ready to go with all the software you use in an entirely new Linux installed in your system. Perhaps, within 20 minutes, your system will be ready to go as your daily driver.

9. Customization

If you don’t like something in Linux, you can remove it or modify it according to your choice. For example, if you don’t like GNOME, you can change it to KDE plasma. Else, you can also install a lot of extensions to enhance your desktop environment or even you can make your own custom UI. You won’t find these level of freedom in any other OS.

You can even run your Linux without any UI at all. A lot of people/companies use Linux only to maintain servers, so all you need is just a terminal.

10. Hardware Support

Windows-powered systems require higher hardware requirements. As the OS evolve, with the latest Windows systems, your very old hardware supported PC may become obsolete because it won’t support in your old hardware. Whereas, with Linux, you can install it on very low-end hardware systems.

11. System Performance

Linux powered PCs are way faster than Windows. The main reason for that Linux a lightweight system and Windows is crammed with lots of unnecessary software. A lot of systems running on the background makes your windows PCs sluggish.

Another reason is, file systems are pretty organized in Linux. Files are located in chunks that are closer to each other, which makes read-write operation way faster than Windows.

That’s the reason, most cloud systems run on Linux. Even Microsoft runs Linux to run Azure. xD

12. Linux Can Run in Almost Anywhere

You can run Linux from Super Computers to Game Consoles, Smart TVs, Smartwatches, Car infotainment systems, Flight entertainment systems, Self-driving cars, Nuclear Submarines and many more. NASA heavily relies on Linux for data transmission from satellites and telescopes. Read about this more from here.

13. Meaningful Error Message

“Oops! something went wrong…” type of messages are not useful at all. I know that Windows users are tired of this blue screen.

This sort of error message doesn’t help in any way. As a user, I want to know what’s actually went wrong. If you can know the explicit error message, you can at least make an attempt to solve the problem.

Linux provides precise error logs that tell you what caused the error. By knowing what went wrong precisely gives you an option to search for the solution on the internet.

Sadman Kabir Soumik | Machine Learning Engineer @Chowa Giken Corporation.

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