Linux vs. Windows operating systems

The dispute over which operating system is the best is almost as old as computers themselves. One thing which should be clear before we get started: there’s not just one answer to this question. Furthermore, the old ‘Windows is for normal users, but pros use Linux’ saying is no longer quite as justified.

Each operating system has its advantages and disadvantages. Our aim in this article is to compare the most significant aspects, so that each user can decide for themselves whether or not to switch or stick.

Microsoft Windows has been top dog in the world of operating systems for decades, only really suffering losses in recent years. In the mobile sector, Android has gained in popularity, and given the incredible speed at which the smartphone market is developing, Windows is no longer able to keep pace. But if you own a desktop PC or laptop, the chances are that you probably have Windows installed – unless of course you’re an Apple user. But that’s an entirely different, and even older, argument.

Windows has been around since 1985, and ever since its first release it has had a decisive influence on the functions and design of graphical operating systems. Indeed, one of the reasons for its popularity is that most people are familiar with using it. And at the same time, it is the user-orientated design of Windows which has made it so successful. However, Microsoft has also always been subject to a lot of criticism. Windows users all know, for example, that the system crashes from time to time, and the blue screen of death has become legendary.

On the other hand, the fact that Windows has been the market leader for so many years is what gives it one of its biggest advantages as far as users are concerned: the range of software available for Windows is unmatchable. Practically every program released today is compatible with Windows, whereas with other operating systems, it’s not uncommon for there to be no compatible version, because the development effort involved would be too great for too small a target audience. In addition, there are also Microsoft’s own products, primarily the Office Suite, which very few users are willing to do without.

But market leadership also has its disadvantages: Computers running Windows are more frequently subject to cyber-attacks. On Windows systems, the favoured method of attack is the introduction of viruses and malware. This is due to several factors, including the system’s widespread distribution, the type of users (in that the latter, unlike Linux users, tend to have little in-depth IT knowledge), and the complexity of the program structure, which makes it difficult to understand. Moreover, Microsoft is still somewhat reluctant about adopting the open-source mind-set, even though the very fact of making source code visible means it can be more thoroughly checked for security flaws, because it is scrutinised by more people.

To be precise, ‘Linux’ as such does not actually exist. Its historical background lies in the 1960s, with the development of Unix. However, Unix is a proprietary operating system, which is why computer scientist Linus Torvalds developed an open-source alternative in the early 1990s: the Linux kernel. During the course of the following decades, various distributions were then developed based on this, for example Ubuntu. The kernel itself is only really operational when combined with one of these distributions.

Given that the various Linux distributions are mainly the result of community-driven projects, commercial interests are rarely the focus of further development and distribution. This means that none of the distributions can even hope to equal the marketing power behind Microsoft. It also explains why many end users are only vaguely aware of Linux.

Today, most of the distributions have an understandable graphical user interface (GUI). Nonetheless, newcomers to Linux are still faced with a number of hurdles. Whereas many Windows users never even come into contact with the system console, in many Linux distributions, some applications can only be installed via the terminal. Using console commands is therefore unavoidable in Linux.

Since none of the Linux distributions are as widely used as Windows, many software developers do not consider it worthwhile adapting their products for Linux. Consequently, in terms of compatible software, the choice is far more limited for Linux than for the Microsoft operating system. In the professional sector the difference is not quite so marked (for example, there are now Linux-compatible alternatives to the Office applications), but in the entertainment sector it’s a very different story – computer games for Linux are few and far between for instance.

But while it may be lacking in qualities as far as the entertainment sector goes, Linux has gained fans because it is considered to be particularly stable and adaptable. Whereas Windows attempts to hide as many system settings as possible, with Linux everything is accessible. Users with the right knowledge have much more freedom.

To help you decide which operating system is best for you, we have compiled the following table to compare the key points.

In many ways, Linux beats its competitor, Microsoft. The open-source solutions are known for their stability, security and speed. However, to benefit from these advantages, you have to take a closer look at the operating system. Getting started is not particularly easy with any of the current Linux distributions. To get the system set up perfectly, you will need to acquire quite a bit of knowledge and really get to grips with its subtleties. Without this, you won’t have much luck with Linux.

In contrast, Windows is designed to operate out of the box, and it achieves this somewhat better than its reputation might lead you to believe. In recent years, Microsoft has made significant improvements to its operating system. Users looking for a functional system, which does not require extensive configuration, are especially likely to be satisfied with Windows. Its ease of use combined with extensive compatibility makes Windows a good choice for most users.

However, to get a better idea of which operating system would suit you best, why not simply give Linux a try? Most of the distributions are available online free of charge, and you can even run the second operating system on a virtual machine without making changes to your current system. Another option is to use a bootable USB drive and take advantage of the fact that many Linux distributions do not need to be installed on a hard drive and can run directly off a USB stick. This way you can try out several Linux distributions, which is worth doing, because they can vary quite significantly from one another.