One of the biggest questions in the world of Operating Systems is, will Open Source Operating Systems ever be able to compete with Microsoft Windows operating systems or even come reasonably close to it in terms of popularity?
The debate is never-ending. While open source advocates talk endlessly, and the Windows vs Linux discussion will go on forever about why Linux is superior to Windows, here are the reasons why I feel Microsoft Windows wins over Open Source operating systems.
Why the Windows operating system is better than Linux
A lot of folks who’ve experienced a lot of problems with Windows are usually told they need to switch over to Linux. Many thought this was a great idea until they ran back to Windows after finding out that Linux isn’t all that great.
Now, we already have an article stating reasons why you should abandon the need to switch to a Linux distro. But we believe a second take is required for the younger folks.
- Video games and more video games
- Support in terms of drivers
- Not enough quality software
- Too many Linux distributions
- Windows is not a complicated OS
Let us talk about this rivalry in more detail.
1] Video games and more video games
Yes, it is safe to say that Linux is making inroads where gaming is concerned. Several developers have released titles for Ubuntu and other popular Linux distros. Not only that, but Steam has long stood strongly behind the open-source platform.
However, when it comes down to Windows, it is the king of gaming. If you’re a hardcore gamer, then there is no better place to play PC games, and that’s a fact. Every game available on Linux is available for Windows. But you know what? Most titles on Windows cannot be found on Linux, and that won’t change any time soon.
2] Support in terms of drivers
Do you know how many Linux users have problems with their computers due to a lack of driver support? It’s an age-old problem, and despite improvements over the years, the issue still shows its ugly head quite often.
Windows, on the other hand, have a larger pool of driver support for almost all hardware. The Windows Update feature, in many cases, will deal with all driver problems in most cases, so there is little need to worry.
3] Not enough quality software
Let’s be honest here, folks. Linux does not have a huge pool of quality software. In fact, a lot of the apps we’ve used on Ubuntu fail to work properly or not at all. Some of them are old and haven’t been updated in years.
In terms of Windows, there are a ton of apps available both in the Microsoft Store and on the web. Not only that, if some haven’t seen an update in a long while, we can guarantee you’ll come across an excellent alternative in a short while.
At the end of the day, you won’t be able to find certain apps on Linux, such as PhotoShop, Microsoft Office, Adobe Premiere, and many more. Whether you like it or not, these are the facts.
4] Too many Linux distributions
Here’s the thing, when you go out to grab a copy of Windows, your options aren’t that massive. Yes, there are multiple variations, but they are variations of the same thing. Linux, on the other hand, is quite different.
There are many distributions, and most of them do not share the same design and feature set. There are even a few that strive to look like the Windows operating system. What’s the point of abandoning Windows, only to use an OS that looks like it? Makes no sense.
5] Windows is not a complicated OS
Let’s not beat around the bush here. Windows is easier to use than any available Linux distro. Sure, if you’ve been using Linux for multiple years, then definitely it won’t be a headache. However, for new users who just want to get things done on time, Windows 10 is their best bet.
After many decades the Linux movement feels like it is still in beta. The experience moves forward, but at the same time, it feels stuck.
Linux vs Windows Comparision
1. No operating system is as user-friendly as Microsoft Windows. No one wants to write numerous lines of code if he/she can get the same work done by a few clicks. The user interface of Microsoft Windows is much better and easy to adjust as compared to the Open Source Operating Systems. This is due to the fact that Microsoft Windows is designed in such a way that even the most basic users can adjust to its interface.
2. Windows commands a market share of around 90% while Linux is still languishing at around 1%, even today. Due to its large user base, Microsoft Windows has a wide ecosystem and supports a large number of software which provides its users an opportunity to select software programs as per their need – many of it being free software too. Open Source operating systems also have a huge collection of supported software but in comparison to Microsoft Windows, they lag behind; seeing that most of the software programs are built while taking Microsoft Windows into consideration.
3. Open Source operating systems like the server editions based on Linux Kernel are often called the most secure operating systems. If not better in this regard, Microsoft Windows Server Editions are equally secure and they are constantly being made better day by day. The fact is because Windows is used by most people around the world, malware writers find it more profitable to attack Windows, hence it is hammered at more often. After all, why would anyone want to target 2-3% of the operating system market?
Nevertheless, Windows Servers are known to recover faster from Security attacks than Linux. If Linux or Open Source was completely secure, would it have been possible to hack the Linux website itself? One has to understand and accept that, as the popularity of any OS increases, it too tends to come under the radar of malware writers, as we have seen in the case of Apple Mac also in recent times.
4. Microsoft Windows supports a wide range of hardware and most of the hardware manufacturers support their hardware in Microsoft Windows due to its larger user base. On the other side, Open Source operating systems have a comparatively smaller user base and hence only some manufacturers support their hardware in Open Source operating systems like Linux.
5. It is a hard task to find support for Open Source operating systems as they are not used by the majority of the population though some resources are available on the Internet in the form of Discussion Forums, eBooks and Community-driven websites. In comparison, Microsoft Windows includes its own help section and there is a vast amount of resources available on the Internet and many books are available in the market for reference.
6. The final release of Microsoft Windows usually has a negligible amount of bugs as it is tested by highly trained professionals at the Microsoft Corporation, its Beta testers, and MVPs, and it goes through various test stages before its release. Microsoft is also usually quick to release fixes if any are required. Open Source operating systems are also tested by professionals and they have both alpha and beta releases before their final release, yet they do have some bugs which are fixed by the updates and upgrades.
7. Then there is the question of costs. Now, this is one area where Windows loses out! Almost all of the Linux flavors are either free of cost or are available at a much lower price. Whereas for Windows, you have to pay! While for the desktop version, it may not matter much to many, in the Enterprise segment, this becomes important. The maintenance cost of Linux is said to be rather low as compared to Microsoft Windows. This is, therefore one of the fields where Microsoft Windows is facing tough competition from Linux Flavors, esp in the Server segment.
READ: How to create a Windows bootable USB on Linux
Please let us know your views also on this subject.
