What is the point of linux?

[LFCJohnSmith]

I know a few people use linux, but what I want to know is what can it do that windows can't? Also what are it's advatages and why would you use it as opposed to a windows operating system? I have never used linux and I am a comlpete novice on the subject so any info that you can provide me with will be appreciated.

 

[hikaricloud]

Moving this to the Linux section.

 

[KSoD]

Well first and foremost, it is free. Yes there are paid version of some of the Linux distros out there but Open Source means free. The most notorious paid version of a *NIX variant is OS X which is build off of a BSD base.

As for what it can do that Windows cant, that is tough cause the way the industry works is something is though of and done, then copied. Everything i have tried to do in Linux i have been able to do in windows and vice versa.

It is all about personal preference. Some people are comfortable with the whole Terminal usage (think Dos Prompt) and the open source aspect. Some are so used to Windows and its closed source side that they cant switch.

I have used both. Linux not as much, by about 14 years, as Windows. But that doesnt mean that there are many things that are not good or better in Linux. for starters, it is far easier to customize the look and feel of Linux. while it can be done in Windows, the whole aspect is far easier in Linux.

So yeah you are going to get a whole wide range of aspects on this. Let me say this now, NO BASHING OF WINDOWS OR LINUX SHALL TAKE PLACE. If i start to see comments saying that any OS is bad for ANY reason i will delete the post and close the thread. This is for OPINIONS and as such your opinion is not going to be that of everyone else who has ventured into the Dual Boot world. So if i see any comment about Windows sux or that Linux sux i will not hesitate to stop this thread dead in its tracks.

I have shown that it can be done. No bashing took place and my opinion was stated. There is no reason for any type of hating. This is the only warning.

 

[hikaricloud]

One thing that is interesting about Linux is there are a lot of different versions that are better for different things, and have different feels to them. But when you have more versions, you also have a higher rate of not-so-great versions.

I know a lot of people like using certain linux distros for servers as opposed to Windows Server.

 

[oldskool]

Well first and foremost, it is free. Yes there are paid version of some of the Linux distros out there but Open Source means free. The most notorious paid version of a *NIX variant is OS X which is build off of a BSD base.

As for what it can do that Windows cant, that is tough cause the way the industry works is something is though of and done, then copied. Everything i have tried to do in Linux i have been able to do in windows and vice versa.

It is all about personal preference. Some people are comfortable with the whole Terminal usage (think Dos Prompt) and the open source aspect. Some are so used to Windows and its closed source side that they cant switch.

I have used both. Linux not as much, by about 14 years, as Windows. But that doesnt mean that there are many things that are not good or better in Linux. for starters, it is far easier to customize the look and feel of Linux. while it can be done in Windows, the whole aspect is far easier in Linux.

So yeah you are going to get a whole wide range of aspects on this. Let me say this now, NO BASHING OF WINDOWS OR LINUX SHALL TAKE PLACE. If i start to see comments saying that any OS is bad for ANY reason i will delete the post and close the thread. This is for OPINIONS and as such your opinion is not going to be that of everyone else who has ventured into the Dual Boot world. So if i see any comment about Windows sux or that Linux sux i will not hesitate to stop this thread dead in its tracks.

I have shown that it can be done. No bashing took place and my opinion was stated. There is no reason for any type of hating. This is the only warning.

Maybe I missed something, I haven't ever seen any bashing here before. Once there was an interesting debate, but I didnt see any bashing... hmmmm....

 

[LFCJohnSmith]

From my very limited knowledge about linux I have been told that an advantage is that you don't get any problems with viruses or you get very little problems with them. A downside to linux is that the likes of media player and all the stuff that will work on your windows os will not work on a linux os is this true.

Also I would imagine that if you use linux your pc will work faster as it won't use nearly as much of your cpu and ram is this the case or is this not true? Also is it easier to develop software in linux than in windows?

 

[KSoD]

It happens all the time. If you are a die hard Linux user you hate Windows. Most die hard Windows users hate Linux. Just go to any strictly Linux based forum and see some of the stuff that is said about Windows.

It has happened here a few times before. Not so much recently but there have been plenty of times where topics such as this have gotten way to heated.

 

[LFCJohnSmith]

Right then, I am going to download a free version of vmware and then I am going to run a copy of linux, can anyone recomend a download site where I can get a good copy from so I can evaluate linux.

 

[oldskool]

Well the debate I spoke of, it did get a little frayed around the edges, but that is exactly wny I dropped out of it. All my posts concerned why I liked Linux versus Windows, and even pointed out why I liked Windows over Linux. From there, it seemed to be die hard vs die hard... I just hope this thread can stay to the point without bashing. Good of you Mak to set the tone, though, and that is to stay on topic...so I digress:

I like that Linux has come a long way, but has a lot to be desired in usability for newbs. Ubuntu is good for new Linux users, but even the mention of Ubuntu sparks debate. So my suggestion is to try a few distros out and see what it is YOU like or not like about Linux as you will certainly get a number of varying accounts from others - in the end, it is you that should see what you like (or not like) about Linux.

Also I would imagine that if you use linux your pc will work faster as it won't use nearly as much of your cpu and ram is this the case or is this not true? Also is it easier to develop software in linux than in windows?

I don't think it is inherantly easier, I wouldn't think, but I haven't tried development in Linux personally, so I don't know. If you want to try Ubuntu, for example, it is at Ubuntu Home Page | Ubuntu

 

[LFCJohnSmith]

I know where to get the vmware from it's just the linux where I need a bit of direction.