More people nowadays are opting for Linux OS than Windows. There are many great reasons why one should use Linux. Here are the top most reasons why you should shift to Linux.
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Cost
While windows would cost you hundreds of dollars even if you are updating from a previous version, Linux is totally free. Anyone can download it over the net for free or can order the installation CD in a box for a nominal cost. This CD can be used for installing the OS on any number of computers, all licensed. Any update from the existing OS is also free.
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Open Source
All Linux applications and the very OS is open source, which means anyone can modify it to fit their needs. They can recompile and distribute the same over the net for the use by other Linux users (of course, for free). This gives the user a wide variety of options to choose the one that best fits their need.
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Performance
Windows Vista needs at least 2GB of RAM with 15GB hard disk space to run at a manageable speed. Linux, on the other hand, can run happily even with 64MB of RAM. Most applications that are tested are also proven to run at a higher speed on Linux compared to Windows. This is because of the removal of “bloatware” from Linux.
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Security
Linux is a UNIX based OS, which is built with security in mind from the beginning. This means there is a remote chance that your computer is attacked by viruses, Trojans, adware, spyware and other malicious intruders. This is further confirmed by the stats which show that the number of total new virus signatures for windows in 2006 is 48000, compared to a mere 40 for Linux.
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Easy Installation
Any Windows user who has reinstalled the OS knows the pain of it: there is no upgrade to Windows. If there are any patches that were released after you got the CD, you will have to reinstall all of them. In Linux, this is all automatic. Just download the upgraded version and say “Install”. Your upgraded OS is working in half an hour. Getting a Windows system working after reinstallation might take anywhere from one day to a week, depending on the number of programs and applications you have to install.
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Applications and Programs
All applications and programs designed for Linux are either comparable or better than their Windows based counterparts. Moreover, all of them are free, and are mostly included in the OS installation itself. On the other hand, installing all the programs on Windows can be very hectic. I know people who maintain a huge list of CD keys that they refer to every time they have to reinstall Windows.
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Robust
“Windows has encountered a problem with blah blah blah… and needs to close.” All Windows users must have seen this error message with an annoying frequency. Linux, being a UNIX based OS, rarely freezes or hangs, even without rebooting for several days. It does not need to reboot even when you add new applications, which is not the case with Windows. This feature is particularly useful to organizations where even a few minutes of down time can cause a huge problem.
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Dual Booting
Linux makes running multiple OS an easy task. It can access all the files that are stored in the Windows partition and can even run Windows programs directly if required. Accessing any Linux based file/program using Windows is impossible (at least for a regular computer user)
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Easy Configuration
Linux gives the user almost infinite number of ways it can be configured. From icons to cursors to files to desktop appearances, there are just too many ways that a Linux system can be configured. It can even be made to resemble the look of Windows (not sure if anyone wants to!).
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Support and Availability
Clarifying a doubt about Linux is quite easy as there are free support forums that are available all over the net. Redistribution of Open Source Software means that even if one distributor of a program goes out of business, you will still have many others who supply the same or better versions.
The above listed features are just a part of all the uses. There are many other advantages of using Linux like:
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Workspace
Enables you to swap your desktop, so that you can open many windows without Confusion
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GIMP
A photo editing software which is as good as Adobe Photoshop, and for free
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OpenOffice
Has applications for word processing, spread sheets and presentations, hence can easily replace MS Office that costs you so much.
CD burning, Torrent file downloads, Photo viewing and managing, encryption of files and folders with password, Memory Monitor, Taking Screenshots etc. are all in-built features of Linux.
So when are YOU shifting to Linux?
14 Responses
Good information to have. I`m lucky that I can get my PC turned on, so I knew none of this stuff. I will have to see what my son can do about installing this for me to make life easier. Thanks
Very informative Valli, and now I have a better understanding..
A good article with lots of helpful advice. I don’t know much about these things, but your explanation was very clear, even to a ‘dummy’ like me.
very useful information, thanks for sharing!!!
Thank you Lanne, Icy, Anne and Neelam for your encouraging comments.
Thanks valli, very informative!
Thanks, Chan, for the comment.
Loads of important info here. Thanks for sharing.
very informative!
Thank you Ruby and Alexa for reading and commenting.
Good effort, keep it up
Thanks Parasu47 for reading and commenting.
You lost me with the very first sentence, which is completely untrue:
“More people nowadays are opting for Linux OS than Windows.”
Whew… Do you know the difference between 6% market share and 90% market share?
Stumbled. Great article. I knew there was a reason i installed linux on my laptop