list all the reasons why linux is better than windows?

Hey Geek haru... Unix ramro hola tara ..normal people ko lagi windows or mac nai thik cha..
Computer geeks think about computer and play with it all day ok???
We are not in computer line ... have other things to think and work on. So we need windows..

No yaar! I haven't heard yaar. Kasto ramailo hagi !!!

i also havent heard any serious problem with the virus in Linux except some hacking. Also new linux versions are very much user friendly.

All hands down...
Linux / Unix is the way to go!!!

Even Mac OS has started using BSD since their OSX...

Its not too long that Windows will be just a thing of 90's...

Most the the devices are already compatible with Linux/Unix because of this stability and security compared to WIN...

I do use win coz i have been using it since win 3.1 (wasnt OS then) but i also have Linux box that i use for various test purpose..


Any of you guys wanna try linux without even installing it..
try "Knopix" you just boot ur pc from CD ROM and LINUX is in...
reboot without the CD.. u r back to your Windows..
no installation required.. but very good tool!
ENJOYEEEE!!!

There's a saying among the nerds' community:
"There are two kinds of computer users: Those that use Linux, and those that will soon use Linux."
Interesting enough -- that might come true someday!!

I'm not against any particular Operating System: Every OS offers variety of functionalities; one does better job than the others, depending on what we're looking for, to accomplish a task.

Let's not forget ..however.. that we all Linux users (at least the ones that are here reading and posting in sajha, unless any of us worked for companies running the commercial UNIX prior to '99, AND learnt using a PC on an UNIX platform) climbed the stairs of Windows to get to the point where we could overlook the Windows, and stepped up to the Linux world; because -- Linux was developed in the early 90s, and went public in 1999. Now, if you were a complete computer illiterate till 1999 and had your first PC that came with MAC (or LINUX..does that happen?) installed; then my saying wouldn't hold the truth.

So, Personally,.. I think no OS is worse than its counterparts.

Just wanted to point out few things though, about some of the previous posts I saw in this thread --:

Someone wrote:".. it is free and geeks get a boost of self-pride and self-esteem by using it, which they can't get by using windows." I agree on that. It needs an extra mile-effort to get comfortable using this OS.

Someone talked about Linux Kernel & applications being harder and hard to break into, so the attackers get deviated. I think that's true as well, and since Windows is still far more widespread, majority of malwares are written to exploit exclusively the Windows OS.

It is reliable, customizable (because of being open source), and is free -- Agreeable.

Someone gave an example of running a UNIX/ LINUX machine for 2 years without an interruption --
The OS is not the only factor on that. You need to consider the Hardware specifications, the physical environment, the applications you are running, performance, and payload. One of the old Volvos ran close to one million miles during its lifetime-- and I assume it didnt run that far simply because it's a Volvo. It must have been well maintained and ontime repaired.

Memory leaks occur in any OS -- and it happens with LINUX too. As someone mentioned earlier -- it depends on what applications you are running. Try some exploits and payloads through www.metasploit.org and test against your Linux machine .. you can run buffer overflows in a matter of minutes.

Also, as far as I know -- Kernel is the core of the Operating System, and there is only ONE core embedded within each OS.
Hyperthreading is running multiple threads (instances of a process) in parallel, not running multiple Kernels. And Hyperthreading is supported by both Windows and Linux.

Virtual Machine concept (VMware) comes into play...when you need to run multiple Kernels. And that's supported by both platforms as well.

Also, Win3.1 is an Operating System version. Even DOS is an Operating system on itself.
So, let's not call 3.1 as a Non OS.
Pretty much all Linux distros (not only Knoppix) have their OS booting+running 'One CD' version out in the wild these days.

~@~

saajha jyu,
here is more addendum to your remarks
for VMWARE and how it works
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMware

now... you can hyperthread the processes. this is to fool the kernel. this is after the kernal is loaded.

you can as well load the kernal multiple times and that is possible.
for novice users here is how you can change your lilo conf for loading multiple kernel in the same machine and how to load it separately as well.......
http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/redhat-fedora-linux-help/32341-multiple-kernel-possible.html


I am not talking about memory leaks by application. i am sure you are aware of windows OS not freeing up stacks of registers after it gets loaded.

Hello thapap,
Thnx for the wiki-update on VMware, as well as clearing the fact that you weren't referring to the Overall Memory Leak, and was just indicating the memory leak that could occur during the OS STARTUP. That doesn't mean Linux is overflow proof though..!!

Anyways, here's what I'm interested in..after reading your repeated 'hyperthreading' and 'multiple kernel' phrases:
Let me tell you what I've understood:
A single physical processor with multithreading capability (which all the state-of-the art processors possess) is enhanced one step above, giving it a look-and-feel of 'hyperthreading'; while making the processor appear as two logical processors, so as to more efficiently service the threads.
You load multiple kernels on the bootloader menu such as linux loader (lilo) or grub, or whatever new third party releases are there these days; giving you an option to choose the OS of your choice to load with.... in other words -- 'multiple boot' .. or in my own terminology, an 'extended dual boot' ;) That's what I see on the forum example link you provided. And this functionality can be found in Windows as well, given that we are limiting ourselves exclusively to load different Windows OS versions.

What I naively didn't understand is:
Is there more you're saying besides that?

Are you saying you can have multiple standby kernels on which you can switch back and forth during runtime -- pretty much like switching between Gnome and KDE whenever you get enough of one desktop environment? If that is so, then Thank You :) You've made my day.. !! Otherwise, my VMWARE still rocks. :)

cheers!

~@~

Linux could be better or worse depending upon your need.

its all about relativity E=mc2 hoina ra (O:
if it was fool proof then there would not be a choice there.. one would be a total monopoly.

anyway... (O:

its not only limited to alternate boot loader. but its preety close to what VMWare emulates. not as seamless as switching between x to cde but you need not power on and off.. . you can switch between loaded kernels.

anyway just installing cygwin and making windows feel like its linux/unix environment is not exactly linux/unix .. same goes for VMWARE. hoina ra ??

No OS is foolproof..
but as Sajhauser.. it depends on the need..
depending upon how things are implemented.. windows could be a good one too
but Linux/Unix is just better.... (i am little biased) :)

but security wise windows has a long way to go, to catch up with linux/unix..

I like linux/UNIX simply because it's open and not limited to one giant company holding all the secrets and thereby establishing it's monopoly nation.

With linux/UNIX there is so much room to learn and grow as opposed to microsoft, where you will have to live on the company's mercy.

Just my little thought on the subject.

Hey *nix junkies,
vmware is a good virtualization software but Xen beats it. Xen, uses something called para-virtualization rather than full-virtualization, making the OSs run more faster than vmware does. Above all, like linux Xen is free and is the future in virtualization.

BTW: what is your favourite distribution and windows manager?
-mine is gentoo with fluxbox

Linux sucks if you are using wireless connection. Having hard time installing Wireless card and yet everytime need to repeat the same process of hours of headache. Btw, Suse 10.2 looks great.

Any suggestion on how to install wireless card (belkin) permanently? Thanks in advance.

beau..
u need to make the driver.. (find proper driver first.. ) i use wireless on my redhat and it works totally fine...

Hello Beau,
Configuring wireless card driver is a piece of cake in linux. You can easily do that using ndiswrapper (http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/). It uses windoz wireless card driver and installs it in linux. So, if you have the windoz driver, you don't need anything besides ndiswrapper.
It is pretty easy and straightforward. I had no problem installing linksys wireless card driver.
You will get a lot of help in ndiswrapper forum.
particularly: http://www.gidforums.com/t-4390.html

Good Luck :)

1 more thing,
To install ndiswrapper for different distros:
for gentoo, #emerge ndiswrapper
for debian, # apt-get install ndiswrapper
for Fedora Core/CentOS, #yum install ndiswrapper
for suse, install from #yast

a recently vulnerability was seen on the linux machines that used NVIDIA graphics drivers. Nothing is so fail-proof , even the hardware a machine could attach might be the exploit point to the OS.

no matter what , linux rocks , in the sense , if there are bugs , bug fixes come up so collaboratively in hours being an "open-source" platform , and not like M$ where , we have to rely on their team to come up with security patches and fixes .

yup, I have a linux box at my home whose uptime is 521 days and is still running.

Linux Vs Windows?

Well depends on who you are asking. Lets talk about a Car, it depends on if you ask a traveler or a mechanic. Windows is ready out of the box so good for a traveler. Just start the car and drive. Linux is good for mechanic, he will tell you what engine can do, what the horse power its got and all that.

Well the last time I ran into Linux was Redhat 10 and black screen was what I can recall. I could run all ther servers I required, program a few 'shells' and all that. After that its been Windows for me for bout 6 years. I have never come across linux in my life. Lets say I would rather travel places rather than know what the car has. Of cours I always have to compromise a few things but hey seeing places is my priority, car I can always switch. I dont care for how long the car runs, its where I can take it.

To all the Lixux 'Wiz kids' good luck on all your ventures in knowing your car, mechanics this traveller wishes you all the best.