Windows vs Linux free essay sample

This report analyzes the different features of both operating systems in order to arrive at a conclusion on which OS is better for daily use. Both systems are evaluated on a wide range of criteria such as cost, installation process, software applications, hardware, user interface, security/stability, troubleshooting, and the implementation of the OS itself. These will help decide which of the two systems is better to use on a daily basis. Before I begin the comparison the reader needs to know that Windows is created, maintained, and updated by Microsoft. No one from outside can access the underlying code. However, Linux is created and updated by volunteers all over the world, which is why there are so many different variations of Linux like Red Hat, SuSE, Mandrake Soft and a few more. The important features of the operating systems are discussed below. COST:- The Windows operating system is significantly more expensive than the Linux operating system. We will write a custom essay sample on Windows vs Linux or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In fact, the Linux OS can even be obtained for no cost through many websites. Also, only one copy of Windows can be installed once, whereas Linux can be installed as many times as needed. As of January 2005, the price of a Windows-based operating system is $300. 00 at Wal-Mart, while the price of a Linux-based operating system is $200. 00. So, when it comes to cost, Linux is preferable over Windows. The installation of the Windows OS is more straightforward and self-explanatory. Almost anyone can install Windows on a computer. Installation of the Linux OS, on the other hand, is very complicated since the instructions are written in a highly technical language that not many average computer users are familiar with. Most of the time, an expert is required to perform the installation of Linux. This was once sarcastically referred to in a cartoon: to Linux, â€Å"non-technical† people meant those who have never actually created something for Linux and not people who have never used Linux before. The procedure for installing Windows or any other software is always consistent and varies a great deal from the installation of Linux and its software. An average person with a limited knowledge of computers would prefer Windows over Linux for its simple and straightforward installation process. There are more software applications available for the Windows OS than for the Linux. However, the applications for Windows are very expensive, whereas the software for Linux is often available at a much cheaper price. Most software for Linux is included with its installation CD, whereas for Windows, everything must be purchased separately for a high price. Also, in most situations, the software for both operating systems is equivalent, yet there is a significant price difference between them. A person using the computer on a daily basis and who needs various software applications will prefer Linux over Windows. More hardware is available for Windows than for Linux. However, Linux is compatible with most hardware and it runs on almost any platform. It can also run from a CD-ROM whereas Windows has to be installed on the hard drive before it can be used. So, for someone who uses a lot of hardware such as CD/DVD burner or printer, Windows would be more beneficial than Linux. Windows is more user-friendly thank Linux. However, Linux is more customizable than Windows since its code is accessible to anyone. For someone who does not care much about the extra features such as the uniqueness of the desktop, Windows will be better because of its user-friendly interface. As of May 2004, it was calculated that there are about 40000 viruses created for Windows over the past ten years. [1] Furthermore, this count of viruses implies that Windows is being attacked by almost 10 viruses per day. Compared to Windows, Linux is virus-free. Linux strictly asks for the administrative password before downloading or installing any application to ensure safety and security. Once you are into an administrative account in Windows you can access almost every part of the computer with no problems at all. Once a virus enters Windows through an administrative account, it has almost no problem in installing itself and corrupting the system. Also, in Linux you absolutely need to have a user ID and a password to login, whereas in Windows you have an option to turn that feature off. Therefore Linux is definitely more stable than Windows.. There are more technicians and experts for Windows than for Linux. However, that does not pose a problem since Linux is relatively more stable than Windows. There is also a lot of online help available for Linux. So, an average user who does not have much knowledge on how to troubleshoot computers might prefer Windows over Linux. The source code of Windows is known as â€Å"closed-source† in nature: the underlying code cannot be accessed by anyone except for those who actually work for Microsoft. The source-code of Linux is known as â€Å"open-source† in nature, and its code can be accessed and modified by anyone. It is due to this nature of Linux that there are so many variations of Linux on the market today. It also makes it unique and customizable from others. However, an average person might not know how to fix code, and might prefer Windows over Linux. Windows has been around in the market for more than 10 years, and has found its way in to almost every user’s computer. Linux was no competition to Windows until about two years ago. So, some people believe that the longer a product is on the market the better it is, and for those people, Windows ight appeal more than Linux. When it comes down to comparing the two operating systems, the most important criteria will be the cost, software applications, and the security and stability. Linux beats Windows in cost, security and stability, and software applications. In the other criteria, Windows does beat Linux. However, in the long run, the first three criteria are much more significant than the rest. Thus, Linux proves to be a better op erating system than Windows for a daily user. Some detailed knowledge about LINUX and WINDOWS†¦.. Linux has made some serious headway over the past decade, elevating itself from â€Å"that open source operating system† to â€Å"wow, this thing is actually usable! † There’s been a gentle but definite trickle of users away from Windows toward the freer option of Linux and maybe you’re thinking about making that leap. But should you? Here are some fundamental differences between Windows and Linux. Read through them and be absolute certain that you’re willing to put up with the learning curve because there’s nothing worse than jumping headfirst into something unexpected. File Structure:- [pic] The fundamental structure of Linux is completely different from Windows–as it should be, considering that it was developed over a separate codebase with separate developers. You won’t find a  My Documents  on Ubuntu, nor will you find  Program Files  on Fedora. There are no  C:  or  D:  drives. Instead, there is one single file tree and your drives are mounted into that tree. Similarly, your home  directory and your  desktop  directory, they’re both part of that single file tree. Technically, you’ll need to learn a whole new file system and its architecture; practically, it’s not very hard, but the difference is still there. No Registry:- [pic] Have you heard of the  Windows registry? If you haven’t, here’s an extremely fast crash course: it’s a master database of all the settings on your computer. It holds application information, user passwords, device information–pretty much anything you can think of. If it’s not stored as a file, it’s probably stored in the registry. Linux doesn’t have a registry. The applications on a Linux machine store their settings on a program-by-program basis under the hierarchy of users. In this sense, Linux configurations are modular. You won’t find a centralized database that needs periodic cleaning here. Package Manager:- [pic] On Windows, you often need to fiddle with this thing called an  installation package. You visit some website, go to their download section, and click on the link that sends you an . exe file. You run it and the program does its thing and that’s when you consider it to be â€Å"installed. † And when you want to remove programs, you have to mess with the Control Panel. Right? With most Linux systems, you won’t have to deal with that anymore. Instead, you’ll have something called a  package manager, which is essentially a center for browsing, installing, and removing program packages. Instead of visiting the Firefox website, you can just search your package manager’s repositories and download it straight. Personally, this is one of my favorite differences between Linux and Windows. Interchangeable Interfaces:- [pic] The Windows interface hasn’t experienced much innovation in a long, long time. Sure, there’s Aero that came with Windows Vista. Before that, XP made some small improvements over Windows Classic. But the Start Menu, Taskbar, System Tray, Windows Explorer–all of it was fundamentally the same thing. On Linux, the interface is completely severed from the core system. You can switch up your interface environment without mucking about with reinstallations and whatnot. There’s GNOME and KDE and the more recent Unity, as well as a number of lesser-known varieties that all focus on different aspects. Command Terminal:- [pic] Linux has a (fading) reputation for being the operating system for geeks and that reputation mostly comes from the prevalence of the terminal. What’s a terminal, you ask? It’s that black box with traditionally green text that you can use to execute commands. In other words, it’s like Windows Command Prompt on crack. If you’re going to switch to Linux, you must be open to learning about command structures because you will find yourself using it frequently. I’m sure there are graphical workarounds (such as opening config files in a text editor) but it’s hard to beat the power and efficiency of a terminal that does exactly what you tell it to do. Driver Settings Because Windows has such a widespread grasp on the PC market, driver manufacturers tend to focus their efforts on that one operating system. Which means companies like AMD and Nvidia prioritize Windows over Linux. Which means you may end up pulling out tufts of hair in frustration as you try to find the latest compatible drivers for your system. Then again, it depends what you’re going to use while on Linux. If all you need is a word processor, a web browser, some form of instant messaging and email, then it would be passable, if not inconvenient, to have missing drivers. But if you want to play games, you may want to reconsider. (Then again, you’ll have a hard enough time playing mainstream games on Linux to begin with. ) Do-It-Yourself Attitude:- All in all, the Linux environment really calls for a do-it-yourself mindset. The kind of people who would most benefit from the freedom and openness of Linux are the people–men and women alike–who enjoy exploring, learning, and experimenting with what they’re given. Every Linux computer is unique, and that uniqueness comes from having to personalize a bunch of settings to your hardware and setup.