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Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

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Re: Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

#101

Post by est31 »

foxrider wrote: post #81
p_l wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

but it does brick Been there, done that, didn't get a T-shirt but a lot of scorn from IRC

Yeah, but then it is supposed to - you are expected to have knowledge to fix it as a user. And unlike proprietary OSes it gives you legible errors and great logging/debugging tools and a path to downgrade. Last time I had to help my friend troubleshoot his Windows setup all we would get would be an extremely cryptic error code and we solved it by finding a thread on an Italian forum and had to google translate a solu…

I think the difference is not between legible errors vs none, but how many people who deeply understand computers are in the community. So a community difference instead of a technical one. In Windows land, most folks don't understand it, so most you'll find on the internet is "I reinstalled windows, the problem is gone" and "try Pro Cleaner ^TM 2000, the trial version has some ads but it removed the problem for me. requires E-Mail signup though".

Re: Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

#102

Post by at-fates-hands »

tester756 wrote: post #84
sysrpl wrote: post #44

Linux runs better on both new and older hardware. Better as in programs open faster, the file manager opens faster, the task manager opens faster. Everything uses less memory and less CPU cycles. Everything is snappier. Linux users don't have to worry nearly as much about malware, trojans, viruses, exploits. It's more secure. Linux distros generally don't annoy users with stealthy automatic forced updates. Linux dist…

>Linux users don't have to worry nearly as much about malware, trojans, viruses, exploits. It's more secure. In my opinion it's flawed logic _if_ you wanted to say that "Linux is more secure because windows has more malware" >Linux user experience is much more customizable. In what way? desktop? kernel tweaks?

> In what way? desktop? kernel tweaks?

How deep do you want the Rabbit hole to go Alice?

On one end you have Arch Linux:

Arch is largely based on binary packages. Packages target x86-64 microprocessors to assist performance on modern hardware. A ports/ebuild-like system is also provided for automated source compilation, known as the Arch Build System.[28]

Arch Linux focuses on simplicity of design, meaning that the main focus involves creating an environment that is straightforward and relatively easy for the user to understand directly, rather than providing polished point-and-click style management tools — the package manager, for example, does not have an official graphical front-end. This is largely achieved by encouraging the use of succinctly commented, clean configuration files that are arranged for quick access and editing.[29] This has earned it a reputation as a distribution for "advanced users" who are willing to use the command line.[30]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch_Linux

And then on the other end you have Distro's like Mint, or Ubuntu:

Mint is designed for ease of use and a ready-to-roll out-of-box experience, including multimedia support on desktops. The operating system is easier to install than most Linux distributions. Mint includes software required for e-mail and online functionality as well as support for multimedia content, whether online or from a user's own files and physical media

There are several different desktop editions of Mint, including Cinnamon, GNOME, XFCE and KDE, to best support various hardware. The operating system is also provided in an alternate Linux Mint Debian Edition for those that are more familiar with Linux. That edition is said to be less intuitive and user-friendly but also faster and more responsive.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_Mint

I started with KDE, then went to Mint, Ubuntu, and some other distros like Manjaro that I've been tinkering with lately.

You can see a good list of all the distro's here (current and upcoming):

https://distrowatch.com/

Re: Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

#103

Post by gruez »

StavrosK wrote: post #64
throwaways885 wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Astronomically lower probability of catching a virus. Yes because nobody uses consumer desktop Linux. With higher market share the malware will come. > No bullshit forced updates when the OS feels like it. True, but that also means you're going to end up with a lot more botnet nodes out there because people will never update. Or they'll never update and still complain things are not working. > No phoning home with…

> True, but that also means you're going to end up with a lot more botnet nodes out there because people will never update. Or they'll never update and still complain things are not working. Or people update when it's convenient for them vs when it's convenient for the OS.

...which is nice from a user control perspective, but completely ignores gp's argument. You can either have user control or everyone up to date. You can't have both.

Re: Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

#106

Post by thotsBgone »

sysrpl wrote: post #44

Linux runs better on both new and older hardware. Better as in programs open faster, the file manager opens faster, the task manager opens faster. Everything uses less memory and less CPU cycles. Everything is snappier. Linux users don't have to worry nearly as much about malware, trojans, viruses, exploits. It's more secure. Linux distros generally don't annoy users with stealthy automatic forced updates. Linux dist…

> Linux runs better on both new and older hardware. Better as in programs open faster, the file manager opens faster, the task manager opens faster. Everything uses less memory and less CPU cycles. Everything is snappier.

Unless "hardware" is many laptops or all tablets, which effectively can't run Linux (unless Android etc.)

Re: Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

#107

Post by bitwize »

josephcsible wrote: post #13
bitwize wrote: post #9

Objective reasons to prefer anything else over Linux: Security. Linux is now the least secure desktop OS available, with limited sandboxing and no provision for checking binary signatures. It's 2020, the net is a dangerous place, and if you want to avoid malware, signature checks must be done on everything from the bootloader up through the user application code.

> Linux is now the least secure desktop OS available [citation needed] > limited sandboxing seccomp? Namespaces? What exactly do you want Linux to be able to sandbox that it can't? > no provision for checking binary signatures Bootloaders already enforce this for the kernel, and the kernel can enforce it for its own modules. Userlands are free to enforce it for userspace programs (e.g., how Android requires APKs to b…

Those are toolkits to sandbox processes, but I'm talking in terms of complete solutions. Linux has Snaps and Flatpak, but the modern distros lack in solutions to enforce sandboxing policies systemwide against arbitrary binaries.

Re: Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

#108

Post by aaomidi »

zamalek wrote: post #104

I finally decided to try Linux "for real" (no dual booting) on my laptop. I have used it in the past, but for the first time it truly can be said: The Linux (Gnome) UX is miles ahead of Windows. I genuinely wish I could have Gnome on Windows.

It....really isn't though?

I'm one of those people who never turns their computer off. I've done no changes to gnome other than installing tweaks to bring back minimize buttons.

Still though, every 1-2 days I need to do Alt + F2 and `r` to restart gnome.

Re: Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

#109

Post by gruez »

hansvm wrote: post #11
fctorial wrote: post #7

It lists file system case sensitivity as a pro, which it isn't. Case sensitivity is the default you get when you don't think about the users, and windows chose the opposite because it's better.

Ignoring the issue of which is better, windows isn't even uniform across the OS in its filesystem case-sensitivity. You can insert identical-other-than-case files with some kernel calls and break everything when you try to modify them later with the more common file interfaces.

>You can insert identical-other-than-case files with some kernel calls and break everything when you try to modify them later with the more common file interfaces.

that doesn't seem like a realistic scenario, nor is it comparable to explaining to granny that "Cookie recipe.txt" and "cookie recipe.txt" are two separate files.

Re: Reasons to prefer Linux over Windows (2014)

#110

Post by red75prime »

sysrpl wrote: post #44

Linux runs better on both new and older hardware. Better as in programs open faster, the file manager opens faster, the task manager opens faster. Everything uses less memory and less CPU cycles. Everything is snappier. Linux users don't have to worry nearly as much about malware, trojans, viruses, exploits. It's more secure. Linux distros generally don't annoy users with stealthy automatic forced updates. Linux dist…

1. Swap thrashing can bring the system into a completely unresponsive state.

2. Linux servers are targeted and breached. Linux desktop share is too small to be worth it (yet).

3. Windows updates aren't stealthy for a considerable time.

4. That's a matter of opinion.

5. Some distros do, but it's opt-in. Transparency is better on the Linux side too. I agree on this point.

6. You are tempted to spend time on customization with unclear objective benefits.

7. Developers don't owe you anything.

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