Recently, I published a video titled "Is Linux too hard to use ?". After a fair number of views and comments, I got the impression that while Linux has some drawbacks, it also does a lot of things better than Windows, so here is a recap of what I think Linux is better at than Windows. Set up your own Linux server with LINODE :
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1 - Updates:
On Linux, everything is updated from your App Center, Software Center, or package manager, whatever it is called on your distribution. On Windows, system updates and application updates are separated between Windows Update and the windows store. Applications installed from outside of the windows store have their own update mechanism. It really is easier to manage every app, whether it's a package, a flatpak, a snap or a system component from the exact same interface.
2 - Everything is in the package manager
Every available software is in your distribution's package manager or software center. Windows's store is woefully understocked, often lacking the good quality options you can find directly from the developer's website. This means that some apps you can install from the Store, some you'll have to browse for, or use a third party app to manage. On Linux, if some applications are not in your default repositories, you can simply add a repo to your package manager. Distros based on Arch are even better stocked, with the AUR that has virtually every piece of software you'd ever want to run.
3 - Security
Windows is the most used OS, and as such, is the most targeted by malware, viruses, ransomwares, and such. Its architecture is less secure, and its installation methods are prone to getting an infected computer. Linux has less market share on the desktop, and is a much smaller target, so it simply doesn't get many viruses or malware. Linux is, however, the most used server OS, and is largely hailed as a very secure option. Its architecture is also safer by default, requiring a root password to install programs. In the end, it's way easier to keep a system safe and secure on Linux.
4 - Privacy
No Linux distro collects any personal information by default. Sure, you have some distros asking you for telemetry data, but nothing personal is being shared, only some computer specs. In comparison, Windows 10 has a bunch of screens right at the start of the configuration of a new PC, that ask the user to select what they want or don't want collected, with some screens not even giving the option to opt out completely of data collection. So, in the end, no need to go fiddle with the settings to disable every checkbox the OS has activated for you, on Linux, this collection doesn't exist.
5- Disk space
By default, a Linux install uses less than 10Gb for most distros. A default Win10 install uses about 15gb, and can grow to enormous sizes since after every update, a "windows.old" folder is kept, basically keeping the previous version of most system files. Linux makes it easy to manage disk space usage by leaving your storage available for what you really need it for: programs, files, games, or whatever else you want to store.
6 - Customization
Welcome to the wonderful world of themes, extensions, and even desktop environments. On Linux, you can pretty much change anything you like, from the panels, the icons, the theme, and even the behavior of the windows, the position of the window controls, and much much more. On Windows 10 ? You can change the color and use a dark theme. Want to go beyond that ? Good luck using third party, potentially insecure apps that might break your system after each update.
7 - Consistency and user experience
Linux as a whole, and most desktop environments offer a coherent, cohesive way to do things. The apps from a given desktop environment look the same, behave the same, there are no duplicates, and everything is pretty simple by default. Compare this to Windows 10, where users are faced with windows 98 interfaces, mixed with some Windows 7 experiences, and some newer "fluent" Windows 10 applications. Settings are duplicated between a newer settings app that doesn't have everything, and a control panel that is getting increasingly irrelevant. Title bars don't always look the same.
8 - Out of the box experience
Sure, you have to install Linux on your computer. But once you installed it, it's pretty much a complete experience, with everything you need. No need to spend time removing crapware, or some manufacturer's terrible software. On a pre installed windows computer, you can spend hours uninstalling obtuse software you never asked for, sometimes making itself very hard to remove, and even pure windows 10 ships with ads and bloatware installed.
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