what is the advantage of linux over windows or mac?

Question

what is the advantage of linux over windows or mac?

Answer 1

So, you’re a new, or fairly moderate Linux user, who wants to know what the true advantages of Linux over Windows are? There are several advantages of Linux, and of course, some disadvantages to using the Linux operating system. This article covers 5 advantages of using Linux over Windows, and lists a few disadvantages as well.

Answer 2

"Mac" is a type of computer. I'm sure you meant "OS X".



Linux has an advantage over Windows in security. It is about equal to OS X in security. There are no viruses known for either Linux or OS X. Many people are confused about this recently as the Mac Defender Trojan horse has made the news. That is not a virus. It cannot change the OS X files at all or reproduce itself. It simply makes false claims about virus protection and asks you to pay for getting rid of non-existent viruses. There are very few Trojans made for Linux since it is less than one percent of the home computer market.



Several versions of Linux are free and thus have an advantage in cost over both Windows (about US$199) and OS X (US$29.95).



As to the other answer with these claims for Linux...

1. Comprehensive software updates

(This is true for all three. Windows has tons of updates every week, most of them for virus protection.)

and

2. Integrated app store

(This is true for OS X as well.)



There are some disadvantages for Linux as well, but I see you didn't ask about that.

Answer 3

That leads us to Ubuntu’s first big advantage.



1. Comprehensive software updates

In a world where most of the security vulnerabilities are coming from third-party applications, Windows and Mac machines are at significant risk because they run lots of these apps and those apps aren’t always updated automatically, which leaves the machines open to attacks. Again, to be clear, both Microsoft and Apple have comprehensive updating systems for their software — both the OS as well as company apps that run on top of the OS. The problem is with the software (programs, extensions, and plug-ins) from other vendors and the inconsistent methods they use for updating their code to protect against known flaws.



2. Integrated app store

While managing Ubuntu’s software repositories is handled with an administrator tool called Synaptic Package Manager, there’s also a much easier way to browse through the official Ubuntu-sanctioned applications. It’s called the Ubuntu Software Center and the people I know who have used both Ubuntu and the iPhone typically say, “It’s just like the App Store.” From a user perspective, the Ubuntu Software Library has a very similar experience to the iPhone App Store or the Android Market. You simply open it up, browse or search through different categories of applications, and download the ones that you want to try. It’s basically an app store for the PC.

Answer 4

Why Linux is Better

http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/



Overall a Linux based platform can perform most of the tasks equally as well as a proprietary platform using the likes of Ubuntu and its derivative distros. However Linux does have its limitations with some applications and in particular gaming. For example I retain a dedicated Windows partition to run specific applications such as Office 2010 etc.

http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2010/12/08/how-to-dual-boot-linux-mint-10-and-windows-7/





LUg.

Answer 5

I could go on for days...



1) Free

2) Highly customizable

3) Thousands of programs comparable and often times compatible with Propietary software (i.e. OpenOffice).

4) Viruses are pratically non-existent

5) Stable (no blue screens of death)

6) Lower hardware requirements

7) Relating to #6, it runs incredibly fast.

8) Hundreds of different Linux Versions (called Distros) that are tailored to different needs.

9) Open Source = Faster fixes for bugs in software

10) Many distros can be booted "live" which means you can try the OS without installing.



Oh did I mention, it's FREE. I personally use Ubuntu, but for a brand new linux user, I would recommend Mint.

Answer 6

"1. Comprehensive software updates

(This is true for all three. Windows has tons of updates every week, most of them for "

No really,. with one command you can update almost every component installed on your linux system that has a package manager..



Really one of the biggest advantages is it's ability to be customized. You can mix components for a lot of different applications and components. Some distros are geared towards file and media serving, other to games, some to old hardware, some to net-books. and so on. There are also a few niche uses in the scientific community where the predominant tools were developed on and for Linux.



Another it it's resiliency, security and stability (so long as you aren't doing the uber-tweaking mentioned before) That makes it great for giving to younger and older people who may no be computer savy, but wants email, browsing, and music to work without a lot of hassle.

Answer 7

it's safer, there are almost no viruses for linux. this was the same for apple until recently.

and what I like about linux is that it is really open, you can change everything to your likings.

plus it takes a minimum amount of space