Articles Directory | Free Articles | New Articles Daily | Is Linux A Better Choice Than Windows

Windows is a very popular operating system, yet Linux is an alternative OS that many people use. It's reputation presents it as a computer programmers software, not something the mainstream can use - this is actually not true. What do you do on a computer everyday? Why would you need a new OS? These are questions you must ask before changing Windows out for Linux. As you continue to read, we will present reasons for both sides, giving you an unbiased look at both Windows and Linux.

Some fans of Linux will tell you that the limited compatibility with Windows programs can be easily overcome. You are able to use Linux to run Windows programs, because there are emulator programs that will allow it. If Windows is installed, these programs will run much faster than if they are run on a computer with Linux. There are devices that could cause a problem with compatibility, and some of them could be flash drives, digital cameras and printers, to name a few. You'll also have to invest some time into learning how Linux works if you want to be able to run any Windows programs. You might need to put of with the inconveniences of the compatibility problems and spend some time learning, but there are many advantages of using Linux.

One of the most famous operating systems that utilizes Linux in the background is Ubuntu. This is a great OS for many reasons. This OS actually comes on a CD and you operate it from the CD without any type of installation. Imagine that! You can then test the operating system on your computer without having to load it, basically to give it a "test drive". If you are looking for something simple, that you can load very rapidly, you should try out Ubuntu. Commercial operating systems like Windows can be very demanding on your PC which makes this OS very intriguing. Updates are quite frequent for this OS and upgrades are easy to accomplish. Linux has gained quite a bit of popularity due to Ubuntu, drawing more and more people in every year.

One of the main benefit of choosing Linux is that you can run it on old computers. This is what makes it unique among all of the available operating systems. It is a well known fact that computers are obsolete after just a few years, this definitely true for any computer that has Windows or Mac installed on it. If you want to install Windows 7, to use one example, on a computer that is five years old, it will completely overload your system because of Windows' high memory requirements. By today's standards, however, Linux's needs (like the Ubuntu Feisty Fawn system) are incredibly tiny--all it needs is a 300mHz processor and 64MB of RAM. So you could dig your old computer out of the basement, or buy one for a few dollars, download Linux and be up and running without any problems.

Windows or Linux? Which one do you get? Basically, it comes down to your daily habits and what you really need the operating system for. If you want to play the most popular games, it will be easier on a Windows based computer. Other tasks, however, such as networking are often easier with Linux. The operating system that you ultimately choose should be one that helps you operate better during the day. Assess why you need it and choose one OS over the other. It's that simple.