Linux or Windows

[Lukios]

Why linux,

Just courious why ppl like to use linux (ubuntu or any other distributions) over windows. I do understand that in many cases linux is more stable and that alot of ppl dual boot with windows for programs that wont work with wine or linux in general, but why go through all that trouble? I personally like ubuntu for many reasons, however coming from a windows user it just seems like a hard transition when your used to most everything working (mostly because programs are specifically made for windows) with an easy user interface and little to no commands. maybe im missing something, but the question still remains, why linux over windows?

[Bölvaður]

For me it is the feeling. I actually feel bad using Windows for some reason. Some things in Windows are unbearable after discovering Linux.

For more common answers I've heard is "It gives you more control, (customization and such)"
"It is secure and stable"

People tend to say that Linux = Freedom and thats why they use it.
Or that Linux doesn't cost you money.
Do not belief them totally. Partly they are lying :)

[jcwmoore]

I like it better... if i didn't like it then I wouldn't use it:popcorn:

EDIT: linux that is...

[SigmaSanti]

Interesting question, their are many reasons to use any operating system over another, their is no perfect combination. I dual boot ubuntu and windows for the learning experience and the customability of linux while keeping windows for the many games and other utilities that still work best running in windows.

[sekinto]

I give 14 reasons why I use Linux here:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=754393

[kutjara]

I prefer Linux because it's:

- Faster (on the same hardware, Ubuntu runs much more quickly than Vista);
- More secure (don't get me started on Windows security);
- More configurable (I can make Linux work the way I want, not the way Steve Ballmer wants);
- More stable (even the Hardy beta runs like a rock for me - Vista is a flake by comparison);
- More attractive (I can use a wide range of tools to customize the UI exactly the way I want);
- Cheaper (I don't have to pay and pay and pay for every tiny tool I want to use);
- Freer (I'm a user and a participant, not a customer).

In short, Linux is a much more open and liberated way of computing. It's a communal effort rather than a corporate one, so its focused on benefiting the user community as a whole, rather than maximizing a few people's bank accounts.

[cardinals_fan]

I want to control my system, not have it control me.

[LaRoza]

Why linux,

Just courious why ppl like to use linux (ubuntu or any other distributions) over windows. I do understand that in many cases linux is more stable and that alot of ppl dual boot with windows for programs that wont work with wine or linux in general, but why go through all that trouble? I personally like ubuntu for many reasons, however coming from a windows user it just seems like a hard transition when your used to most everything working (mostly because programs are specifically made for windows) with an easy user interface and little to no commands. maybe im missing something, but the question still remains, why linux over windows?

Linux is free and easy to install, Windows is not.

I have used Linux as my primary operating system much longer than I have ever used Windows.

Not everyone is moving from Windows to Linux, some are primarily Linux users.

The question is, why Windows?

When I do use Windows (one every two weeks about), I find it a pain. Nothing works well, it constantly gives errors. I dislike the interface, and its terminal is weak.

Windows comes with almost no software worth using, it is expensive and the best apps for it are usually on Linux by default or available for Linux (and are free)

[FuturePilot]

When I do use Windows (one every two weeks about), I find it a pain. Nothing works well, it constantly gives errors. I dislike the interface, and its terminal is weak.


Haha! Same here. Whenever I use Windows something always gives me errors and trouble. Either I've lost my touch with Windows from Using Linux almost exclusively for the past 2 years or during the time I used Windows I got used to that and thought it was normal :neutral:

[Linux&Gsus]

Most is already said. Actually I personally find Linux with KDE easier to use than Windows. I tried Gnome once but for me personal it was just not it.
Also, even in the days I used Windows exclusively I always used a lot Free and/or Open Source programs. E.g. I preferred StarOffice over MS Office, etc. So, from that point of view it's just a logical step to switch over to Linux.

One of the main reasons is business politics, though. I just don't like the vendor lock-in, to not have the choice to use another application if I want to, etc. Microsoft and Apple both are much too aggressive from my personal opinion in how they force users to stick with their software.
Once MS, always MS. Not with me, thank you good bye. I just don't see the point why I should have to upgrade for tons of money just because they want me to. I am a full-time volunteer worker in a non-profit organization. I simply don't have the $$$$ to upgrade all the time only to stay compatible with the others. And yes, I've experienced quite some rubbish with e.g. different versions of Word, etc, while StarOffice all of a sudden made my life easier.

Updates is another big issue. I always had to monitor a lot of websites for software updates and subscribed to an insane amount of email newsletters just to see when updates are out. Then go to the site download and install the update. Luckily the apps did that more and more by themselves and popped up a message when updates are available.
Then, the Windows update was always something rather suspicious to me. Is is really only updating what I want and when I want it, or is it doing something in the background?
Linux is just taking care of all installed programs.

Not to forget the many many reboots when installing software on Windows. Calculated the time it takes to reboot when installing Windows from scratch to a usable system with basic programs is probably as long or even longer than installing Linux.


There is more, these are just the spontaneous thoughts if not already written above.

Cheers,
Steve

[reyfer]

You know, every time someone asks this kind of questions, they alway state that windows is so easy and everything works....do these people ever installed windows? I mean, wipe the HD and do a fresh install. Then tell me that everything works out of the box without having to resort to the hardware driver disks, tell me that you can play DVD without having to install a codec or a full program, tell me that you can play some formats like MP4 or Ogg without downloading special codecs, tell me that you can write a professional looking document without having to get another cd and install Office. Then we can talk about windows working "out-of-the-box"

[atomkarinca]

...but why go through all that trouble?...

For me Windows is more difficult to use than Ubuntu. It's Windows that's trouble.

[sp0nge]

I love answering these threads. Since I migrated from windows, I have loved every minute of it. The education is priceless and I have met so many great people in the community who are more than willing to share their knowledge for the greater good.

I made the switch because as my business and home networks grew, I found windows caused a problem on every machine running it that I encountered, I was constantly salvaging data, reformatting and reinstalling, and the fact that every time I turned around, Microsoft wanted another dollar from me.

In my eyes, linux equals freedom. I played with SUSE, Red Hat, and Fedora before I discovered Ubuntu and I haven't looked back since,

[Balazs_noob]

do these people ever installed windows? I mean, wipe the HD and do a fresh install. Then tell me that everything works out of the box without having to resort to the hardware driver disks, tell me that you can play DVD without having to install a codec or a full program, tell me that you can play some formats like MP4 or Ogg without downloading special codecs, tell me that you can write a professional looking document without having to get another cd and install Office. Then we can talk about windows working "out-of-the-box"

+1 :D

[kamaboko]

God, these threads are becoming simply annoying. Can't people just read through the other 1,000 plus posts regarding Linux v. Windows, or Linux v. Mac? Are people so desperate to start a thread that they'll post a topic that has been beat to death here?

[robhill1965]

Ok, here's my two cents. I'm mainly a Windows Xp user and currently laughing at Vista.
I've been experimenting with Ubuntu and although linux has come a long way, It's still too complicated to figure out for the average user. I installed it on a neighbors system because they could not afford a new Xp disk. Trying to explain the synaptic package manager, "sudo", "apt-get", etc...Most people are not ready for or educated in the use of the command line. It's a hard sell. I've been dilegently trying to learn myself and while I've become quite proficient at Windows based systems, I'm having alot of difficulty learning "the linux way". I would love to ditch Microsoft but until we can get a more complete distribution with necessities like codecs and a flash player, the average joe won't bite. What makes it extremely hard is, I don't have internet access at home so I can't even install codecs to listen to my wma or mp3 music much less flash, mpeg, avi, wmv. Audio video is just not there unless it's strictly linux. Talk about propritary! If you can install these packages, why can't Ubuntu bundle it with the distributiion? Whew! Ok, I'm off my soapbox.

[Tatty]

O I've been experimenting with Ubuntu and although linux has come a long way, It's still too complicated to figure out for the average user. I installed it on a neighbors system because they could not afford a new Xp disk. Trying to explain the synaptic package manager, "sudo", "apt-get", etc...Most people are not ready for or educated in the use of the command line. .


Are you sure? Lets imagine two brand new computer users, and put one on a windows machine, the other on a ubuntu machine. The task we set them both is to install some software on their machine. For windows we will choose firefox and for ubuntu k3b.

The windows user must spontaneously learn the following to do this:
1. That the software must be downloaded from the firefox website
2. How to load a browser.
3. How to get to google
4. How to search google and select the correct search result
5. How to find and download the .exe.
6. How to find the .exe on the hard disk
7. How to run the .exe
8. What to select/click on each page of the installer.

The Ubuntu user must learn the following:
1. That they need to click Applications->Add/Remove
2. That they must type k3b in the search box
3. That they must check the box next to the search result
4. That they must click Apply Changes
5. That they must enter their password into the box that asks them to.

Id say with confidence that the ubuntu software installation method is much more intuitive than the windows method, which requires many more steps, knowledge of how to use the world wide web and ultimately could easily end up with the user installing some malicious software my mistake.

Installing software in linux is different to windows, yes. But certainly not harder or less intuitive. The biggest hurdle for experienced windows users who are trying to use linux is expecting linux to work the same as windows. It is not windows.

[Balazs_noob]

I would love to ditch Microsoft but until we can get a more complete distribution with necessities like codecs and a flash player, the average joe won't bite. What makes it extremely hard is, I don't have internet access at home so I can't even install codecs to listen to my wma or mp3 music much less flash, mpeg, avi, wmv. Audio video is just not there unless it's strictly linux. Talk about propritary! If you can install these packages, why can't Ubuntu bundle it with the distributiion? Whew! Ok, I'm off my soapbox.

Linux Mint ( Ubuntu + codecs + a little more :D )

[Pijits_1]

Linux is a very diverse system with many possibilities of customization. It delivers high performance software thats all open source and can compete with most big named vendors such as Microsoft word or iTunes.

It does, however, require patience and motivation to learn the things that Linux has to offer (trust me, it never all falls nicely in you lap) but the potential yield makes up for this on a much larger scale.

There are plenty of emulators, such as wine, which completely remove the need for a Windows pc but, like most great pieces of software, require a little bit of reading and some heavy patience. There are some aspects of these emulators that just can not be simulated but usually people find ways to compensate.

Linux is not for the person who wants what comes right out of the box (of course for beginners its usually all you need since now that they have pre-bundled software you usually don't need to modify it too much) but the ability to customize it more than most OS is what distinct it from others.

[PurposeOfReason]

Today I pressed alt and went to click and drag a window . . . on a windows computer at school. It took me a good 30 seconds to think "surely every OS would have a feature so amazing"; sadly not. Same as workspaces, so much benefit for something so simple. I use linux for many of the small things like this that you wouldn't ever notice after a while. Scroll a non-focused window? All day long. Shade a window? Debug easily with a terminal?

[Zlatan]

Why linux,

Just courious why ppl like to use linux (ubuntu or any other distributions) over windows. I do understand that in many cases linux is more stable and that alot of ppl dual boot with windows for programs that wont work with wine or linux in general, but why go through all that trouble? I personally like ubuntu for many reasons, however coming from a windows user it just seems like a hard transition when your used to most everything working (mostly because programs are specifically made for windows) with an easy user interface and little to no commands. maybe im missing something, but the question still remains, why linux over windows?

in short- in windows you have to do what system wants you to do- stupid restarts after updates, install antivirus, antispyware and so on... in linux systems does what you want. and this is enough to use lin and not win;)
plus lin is much more comfortable:)

[karellen]

Linux is free and easy to install, Windows is not.

I have used Linux as my primary operating system much longer than I have ever used Windows.

Not everyone is moving from Windows to Linux, some are primarily Linux users.

The question is, why Windows?

When I do use Windows (one every two weeks about), I find it a pain. Nothing works well, it constantly gives errors. I dislike the interface, and its terminal is weak.

Windows comes with almost no software worth using, it is expensive and the best apps for it are usually on Linux by default or available for Linux (and are free)

maybe you are a little too radical. if what you say it's based on your personal experience, it's ok and I can't discuss it no further, but there are many many folks out there for who Windows works just fine. I know it's primarily a matter of subjectivity (with some good arguments for both sides), but I believe if one must be absolutely honest with himself he should admit that no OS is perfect, Linux has its flaws, as Windows has its flaws. we can make statistics, we can appeal to the IT experts, but in the final it all comes to the end user. and no matter what, people's choices should be respected

[christianxxx]

Like so many others, I love Linux because it's great. I love the feeling, the usability and the stability.
Surely, there are some quirks, but I'd say it's down to users and hardware.

Anyways, looking forward to tomorrow. I'll be doing my fourth conversion from windows to linux. My friends are all opening their eyes to this free and great os, and I get to be there and guide them! Wiiii!!
I expect few problems, just the wireless, which can be a real pain-in-the, but once you know how to tackle it, it's pretty straight forward.
Wireless can be just as much pain on any other os, so it's really not linux-specific...

But the greatest thing about ubuntu is the forums. There's always a way...

[quinnten83]

Do not belief them totally. Partly they are lying :)

Would you care to explain why you think they are partly lying?
I use linux and haven't paid a dime in the year I've been using it.

I use it because it is more fun, it's fresh and it is exciting and it is free as in freedom and free as in beer.
no licenses tying me down.

[quinnten83]

why can't Ubuntu bundle it with the distributiion? Whew! Ok, I'm off my soapbox.

Because they are propietary...
and it might be illegal to distribute in some countries.

[ryuko2002]

Productivity.
Most of the task I do with my laptop are easier in linux than in windows.
Browsing the web with firefox, checking mail, programing in java with eclipse, listening to music with rhythmbox or watching videos with VLS is almost the same on both OS...
But with linux I get virtual desktops, transparencies and exposé-style task switcher plus I can switch from english to japanese just pressing shift + space and I like having menus in the top bar and running programs in the bottom one.
I still miss office though.

[hyper_ch]

If you have to ask why one should use Linux then you are better off with Windows.

[quinnten83]

If you have to ask why one should use Linux then you are better off with Windows.

+1

[Trail]

If you have to ask why one should use Linux then you are better off with Windows.
Except `why we prefer Linux` /*I hope you forgive my backquotes geekness*/ isn't easily transmitted to someone that just heard the term and is interested in finding out what the fuss is about...

Granted, it's more complicated than that, but I find such a black-n-white statement unrealistic.

[PartisanEntity]

If you have to ask why one should use Linux then you are better off with Windows.

How is such an answer/approach going to help new Linux users?

[hyper_ch]

How is such an answer/approach going to help new Linux users?

well, if they are new Linux users than they already made a decision to use it ;)

[Crash 0verride]

I personally like linux because I was one of the people that always tried every command in Command Prompt and I knew windows like the back of my hand...Thats why I had to get away from it..Give myself a challenge. As well as I also picked Linux because I support the Open Source Movement

[quinnten83]

I forget, but I thought he wrote that he has tried linux before...
in that case, the statement about him/her being a noob is moot.

[xpod]

O I've been experimenting with Ubuntu and although linux has come a long way, It's still too complicated to figure out for the average user. I installed it on a neighbors system because they could not afford a new Xp disk. Trying to explain the synaptic package manager, "sudo", "apt-get", etc...Most people are not ready for or educated in the use of the command line. .

I`ve been "experimenting" with *buntu & Co for 20 of the 24 months i`ve used a PC now and i have to say that for a completely new PC user,with only 4 months of Windows use behind him at the time Ubuntu was far less of a PITA for me than Windows was.

Mabey if we`d bought the shiney new Windows enabled PC`s to start out things might have been different but i believe i was extremely lucky stumbling across Ubuntu & Co as quickly as i did......before we ever bought the new machines,well,the makings of the new machines:)

[caravel]

For me a Windows XP re-installation involves:

1) Partitioning
2) Installation
3) Installation of drivers for sound, video, motherboard chipset etc
4) Disabling of all the junk and unneeded services
5) Extensive reconfiguration
6) Installation of security software
7) Installation of browsers

A ubuntu install tends to involve:

1) Partitioning
2) Installation
3) Enable restricted drivers for graphics card
4) Installation of java and flash

And that's pretty much done. I like the fact that ubuntu just works. Of course it doesn't work for everyone on every platform, but then neither does windows.

[IHATEDLINK]

...and the best apps for it are usually on Linux by default or available for Linux (and are free)

iTunes, MS Office, and 90% of the games. I MISS THEM!

I wont change ubuntu for nothing but that realy hurted me

[NightwishFan]

http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net

[egwest]

I actually learned how to use a computer with the old DOS system, then I upgraded later to a windows system, and to tell you the truth, I have never liked windows all that much, from windows '95-vista, I have used them all, I upgraded a windows operating system, from '98 to XP, it took nearly 8 painful hours. And the computer still never worked right. Later I found a nice Pentium 3 computer at a thrift store for $5, still had everything in it, it had windows me installed, I felt it was time to try something new, and I ordered and installed UBUNTU on it, worked like a charm, was fast, friendly and I had no problem learning to use it. To me, using the command lines was like going back to DOS, I bought a couple of books and taught myself. That computer was my learning computer.
Not long ago I made a nice find at another thrift store, a pentium 4 computer, so I installed UBUNTU 7.10 and that has become my main computer. I am afraid that I did sacrifice the P3 to fix it up a bit, as the cd/dvd drives were trashed in the P4, and I had a DVD burner and a CD burner in the P3 and I removed most of the other hardware I had installed, such as the WIFI card, but it works like a dream, and I am not really one to go out and buy the latest piece of technology. I usually haunt the thrift stores and sooner or later, it will show up and come to me.
Computer technology is a tool, and Linux makes using that tool a much nicer experience in my book.

[Beamvr6]

Nearly two years ago I had a serious XP crash. The OS was basically deleting all files it had used at start up iirc. support.microsoft.com blamed it to either HW, network, maliscious stuff, etc, etc.

Feeling I was about the lose all data I had I downloaded a Knoppix Live CD on another deck and saved all relevant data to DVD. Apart from that it told me M$ was bullshitting around like hell period. A few weeks of trying out various distro's made me stick to Dapper Drake which has been in use until y'day when it was upgraded to Hardy Heron with some very minor issues which are resolved as we speak.

The only reason I keep an XP install is because I'm a hardcore Civilization player and for most of the mods the installer requires XP. Cedega handles the rest. Ideally that would be Wine but they are still catching up.