Linux Windows Debate

Don't fear the penguin - there's a Linux package for every taste

The Linux computer operating system turns 20 in August. But, despite having reached that fine age (in computer terms), it remains on the fringe, with relatively low usage levels.

Mostly, it has suffered from its reputation for being complicated, with many thinking it’s exclusively for geeks and nerds who know each line of code by heart.

But the reputation is undeserved. Linux hardly makes any special demands on users and is about as simple to use as Windows or Mac OS.

Indeed, the most daunting prospect with Linux is choosing between the variety of versions available — and the ability to dive beneath the user interface and get deep into the software, if you’re so inclined.

There are other hurdles for Linux, which uses a penguin as its symbol. Most computer users find it a step too far to switch to Linux when their computers come pre—installed with Windows, says Novell manager Holger Dryoff. “Personally, I haven’t used anything but Linux on my computer since 1994.” Novell has close links with one of the classic Linux versions, OpenSuse, which basically consists of the core of the system, along with a few other freely distributed programmes.

Suse, the affectionate name of OpenSuse’s predecessor, “did the pioneering work for the distribution of Linux in Germany,” says Nils Magnus, co—founder of Linux Day.

If you understand Windows and want to switch, OpenSuse is the way to go, thanks primarily to the accessible graphical interface from KDE.

But OpenSuse is no longer the most popular Linux variation. That honour belongs to the Ubuntu project, founded in 2004 and now with an estimated 25 million users worldwide.

Its version 11.4, for the first time, no longer comes standard with the Gnome desktop, but a new interface from Unity. The launcher is no longer at the bottom, but on the left, leaving more space on displays — which predominantly use a 16:9 ratio — for contents running from the top to the bottom of the screen.

“This is a new and very interesting attempt to design the desktop differently than before,” says Magnus.

Ubuntu is a version based on Debian, which has been around since 1993 and also consists predominantly of freeware. Other versions include free commercial programmes like Acrobat Reader.

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Does Loving Linux Make Us Dislike Windows? - Datamation

Years ago, I was a reasonably content Windows desktop user. Then something remarkable took place that changed everything: I began stumbling upon various open source projects that I found to be nothing short of amazing.

The first open source application I happened upon was a project called " Firebird ." Destined to become what we today refer to as the Firefox Web browser, Firebird offered me a whole new way to look at software.

Even back in the early days of the Firebird/Firefox browser, I knew it was going to take off like crazy as development began to pickup. As time went on, I found myself using open source software over that of the freeware/shareware alternatives. Software cost was certainly part of the reasoning for my change in computing habit, but so was the speed of application development.

Today I'm a full-time desktop Linux enthusiast, who is familiar with dozens of popular distributions. I'd consider myself very comfortable with Linux on the desktop. What's interesting though, is the change in how I view Windows.

These days, I avoid Windows as much as possible since I feel much more limited with it. Perhaps this is what Windows users trying Linux feel when stepping outside of their regular computing routine?

Whatever the issue happens to be for others, I've found myself disliking any non-Linux experience on the desktop. The reasons for my view of Windows are bountiful. However I can't say that everyone reading this is going to agree with them.

Regardless, this is simply a deeper look into what makes me embrace Linux and avoid Windows whenever I can...even though I own a Windows 7 PC.

Where's the software?

Based on my own experiences with Windows 7, the software included is laughable. There is no default office suite, the productivity software is missing out of the box and most of the time the driver support is painful to behold.

Just to make the Windows 7 desktop usable in my office, I must hunt down software solutions that mirror my Linux desktop experience. Though, to be fair, there are some very solid applications available for Windows users. Claiming otherwise would be disingenuous.

However, finding these software titles can be tedious. Worse, I find myself using search engines and shareware websites to fill in software gaps for application discovery. Considering that Linux software is available from Linux software repositories, along with the plethora of apps already installed, Linux has software availability won hands down in contrast to Windows.