Is Moving From Windows to Linux The Right Choice For You?

[BoraMurdar]

The intention of this article is to provide Windows users with some basic information about why and how they might choose to move to a Linux based operating system instead.

In general, Windows users tend to stay with what is the most familiar computing environment, but many complain about it.

Moving to a Linux based system instead is now a much easier operation than it was a few years ago. Linux systems have become much simpler to install and use, and some have even been developed to mimic Windows so Windows users will feel more “at home” in their new environment.

What are the main reasons why Windows users stay put?

• Influence exerted by Microsoft
• Familiarity with the operating environment
• Hardware support at which Windows excels
• A misconception that stuff they need doesn’t work with Linux
• Confusion. Anyone researching Linux for the first time is likely to be confused by the sheer number available and also the different desktop environments such as KDE, Gnome, Xfce etc.

What are the reasons why folks might decide to change?

• Security. Apart from exploits targeting *servers, Linux can be regarded in general terms as being virus free.
• Speed. In general, most Linux systems run many times faster than Windows.
• Customization. Pretty much everything in Linux can be changed to suit your personal preference. With just a few minutes work you can have a system that looks very different to the default package. There are tons of examples of standard and customized Linux systems in these two forum threads. (work backwards from the last pages to see examples of the latest releases).
• Try before you (don’t) buy. Most Linux systems provide a “live” mode option that can be run from a DVD or USB drive. This provides the ability to try out a selection of Linux distros to see which might suit you best. This does not affect your installed Windows system in any way.
• Support. Most Linux systems have their own support community where users can post queries and receive help with problems.
• Ready to go out of the box. Unless you choose a minimalistic Linux distro, all the programs you need for daily use including web browser, mail client, office suite and media player come pre-installed and ready to use.
• Dual boot with Windows. You can install one or more Linux systems alongside your existing Windows installation and choose which one to run at boot. You can also access your Windows files from your Linux system(s). There are comprehensive guides detailing how to dual boot specific Linux distros with Windows. See also our own guide here for dual booting an existing XP installation with Linux Mint.
• The ability to run many of your Windows programs in Linux using a special program called Wine (explanatory video).
• Ease of maintenance. Updates for your Linux system and all your installed programs are automatic.

* Other exploits do exist, including Linux specific rootkits. However, Linux was designed to be secure from the outset and unless users ignore the default safeguards, the chances of a home system being compromised are to all intents and purposes, nil.

Where do I start?

Read some reviews. Good sources are:

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computer_software.html
http://www.linuxinsider.com/perl/section/linuxinsider-reviews/

There are also some great reviews on YouTube including: https://www.youtube.com/user/LinuxSpatry

A not too accurate guide to the popularity of individual Linux distros can be found here:http://distrowatch.com/

“Popular” however does not always equal better and many of the lesser ranked distros are worthy of consideration.

Choose a distro and download the ISO image for it. Always use a torrent download if one is available as the results will be more consistent. Use Google to find a torrent download if one is not provided by the developer. Then burn the ISO to a DVD or USB drive using the slowest speed possible (for DVDs). I useImgBurn for Windows (beware of the unwanted bundled components!!) and either UNetbootin or Win32 Disk Imager to transfer the files to a USB drive.

Use the resulting DVD or USB to boot into a live session of your chosen distro. Now you can try out all of the different functions you would normally perform to check everything works as expected. Hardware compatibility with Linux is not as good as for Windows. Some systems for instance will not run at all in my NVIDIA desktop and yet work perfectly in my Intel system. AMD systems may also be inconsistent with some Linux distros. Even if some functions do not work, these are mostly fixable and the solutions will already be in the Linux forums. To avoid spending time researching fixes however, it is important to at least check that your network connection(s), sound and video function correctly before committing to a full install. I have always enjoyed better results by installing from a live session, rather than choosing the direct install option when booting from the live DVD or USB.

Don’t be put off by the default “look” of a distro because everything you see can easily be changed (see the screenshot links above).


Recommendations:

I guess from the popularity stakes alone I have to include Ubuntu and Linux Mint, but I wouldn’t use either. Also, providing a big list of options here is only going to add to the possibility for confusion already highlighted above. So, here are just a few covering a selection of the various desktop environments (DEs) *available.

Ubuntu (Unity desktop)
Linux Mint (Cinnamon desktop)
Point Linux (MATE desktop)
Manjaro Linux (KDE desktop)
Zorin OS (custom desktop)
ChaletOS (Xfce desktop)
Voyager (Xfce desktop)
Trisquel 7 (Gnome desktop)
Elementary OS (custom desktop)
Peppermint (LXDE desktop)

*Many distros offer a choice of DEs although (mostly) these need to be downloaded and installed separately.

Release Types:

Some distros offer a variety of release types such as Standard, LTS (Long Term Support) and Rolling.Standard releases might come out every six months or annually. Usually an upgrade is possible from the previous version but this operation is not always successful. Rolling releases are continuously updated so in theory you would never need to reinstall. These however tend to be more unstable than the other release types. LTS releases can be supported for up to five years and tend to receive more love from the developers and be more stable in use.
From TechSupportAlert

 

[yigido]

Thanks
I just want to put this link here : http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/

 

[Oxygen]

I could never fully switch to linux, I can only dual-boot with Fedora.

 

[Ink]

Is Chrome OS considered / categorised as Linux?

 

[.com]

Source : https://www.linux.com/directory/Distributions/livecd/chrome-os-Linux

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrome_OS

 

[Ink]

I know it is, but for this thread would it be considered a reason to switch away from Windows. I should have been more clear.

 

[.com]

1. Windows commands a market share of around 90% while Linux is still languishing at around 1% even today.

2. Due to its large user base Windows supports a larger number of software options as compared to Linux.

3. Hardware equipment always ships with disks for Windows. Seldom if ever do you find a Linux disk shipped along.

4. Linux is said to be more secure! Why on earth would a malware writer want to target 1% of the operating system market?

5. Cost is one area where Windows loses out. Windows is not Free while almost all of the Linux flavors are free of cost.

Source : http://marketshare.hitslink.com/ope...aspx?qprid=8&qpcustomd=0&qpct=2&qptimeframe=M

 

[Amiga500]

1. Windows commands a market share of around 90% while Linux is still languishing at around 1% even today.

2. Due to its large user base Windows supports a larger number of software options as compared to Linux.

3. Hardware equipment always ships with disks for Windows. Seldom if ever do you find a Linux disk shipped along.

4. Linux is said to be more secure! Why on earth would a malware writer want to target 1% of the operating system market?

5. Cost is one area where Windows loses out. Windows is not Free while almost all of the Linux flavors are free of cost.

View attachment 44117

Source : http://marketshare.hitslink.com/ope...aspx?qprid=8&qpcustomd=0&qpct=2&qptimeframe=M

absolute nonsense..most androids and iphones are running linux as standard.Your source of the figures stated is.....?

 

[Amiga500]

Moving from windows 7 to linux mint was the best computing decision i have ever made.No issues with linux.Gone are the blue screens of death and other malfunctions which occur with windows.

 

[jamescv7]

For such simpler task and doing more on server/business related, then Linux is a great choice. A powerful environment to learn something new especially for developers who wants to create software.

Entertainment based = Windows
Business based = Linux (As I explore on such stores in our region, I've saw quite many using that OS)

 

[Deleted member 178]

you have to consider that computer manufacturers (Asus in my case) developed some bundled software/drivers that manage some of your computer functions (battery usage, graphics, HDD optimization, etc..) , those drivers/softs are inexistant on Linux and can hinder your computer capabilities.

for example , Linux seemed to drain battery faster than windows on my laptop.

Linux is very light and safe but can't beat Windows in terms of hardware compatibility; what i want to say is that if you just bought a brand new computer keep Windows on it and put Linux on the old one.

 

[Ink]

Windows and Mac OS X are top desktop Operating Systems. I prefer Windows over OS X, but both are more capable / better supported than free Linux variants.

 

[Amiga500]

Windows and Mac OS X are top desktop Operating Systems. I prefer Windows over OS X, but both are more capable / better supported than free Linux variants.

Well a clash of opinions is all well and good in the texture of a woven discussion but to say that windows is better supported than linux is a bit of a misnomer.

Consider this.:

• Supported by whom.?
• Support for which kind of user as this could have hundreds of different connotations.
• The ever increasing malware problem on windows.
• The closed source nature of windows and mac.(Can you be really be sure surveillance software is not in these products.?)
• Windows and mac maybe indeed top operating systems,but this in itself is a security risk.
• Windows is more capable than linux you declare.Well i would sincerely disagree with that statement.
• Whatever you can do on windows can be easily achieved on linux.

 

[SkyJP]

I've lived with Linux (Mint) on a VERY old PC for a couple of years and it's surprisingly good. It's still there, being used daily by some people, and runs astonishingly quick in hardware nearly 10 years old.

And you barely have to use the command line, at all, to be honest. Last time I remember was when I had to install a couple of drivers (a couple of years ago...) and that was the last thing I heard from Terminal.

I'm willing to switch to Linux when there's official Office 2013 and Google Drive support...

 

[Amiga500]

I've lived with Linux (Mint) on a VERY old PC for a couple of years and it's surprisingly good. It's still there, being used daily by some people, and runs astonishingly quick in hardware nearly 10 years old.

And you barely have to use the command line, at all, to be honest. Last time I remember was when I had to install a couple of drivers (a couple of years ago...) and that was the last thing I heard from Terminal.

I'm willing to switch to Linux when there's official Office 2013 and Google Drive support...

Which office do you speak of..?

 

[Deleted member 178]

play games on Linux... good luck.

 

[Secondmineboy]

play games on Linux... good luck.

It is possible to run some Windows games on Linux

 

[Nico@FMA]

play games on Linux... good luck.

Try wine.. problem solved.

 

[comfortablynumb15]

Yeah, it's not a hopeless situation as it once was but you're never going to be playing the top titles. It has less to do with Linux and more to do with game developers and graphics card vendors working to make sure games work better on the more profitable cards. Which in turn "work better on Windows". Like practically everything, it's about money and marketing.

 

[dragonmew]

play games on Linux... good luck.

my GM on warcraft uses linux so your statement is false linux+wine = gaming fun i might switch to linux i hate windows atm due to all the errors im getting and stuff