What are the pros/cons of using Linux over Windows ??

I am currently using windows, and I am wondering if linux would better suite me. what are some common features that linux has and windows doesn't, vice versa as well.

It depends on what you mean by better suited. In my opinion, UNIX/Linux is far better the MSWindows, in any of its forms. UNIX/Linux is a multi tasking, multiuser, and with the right hardware, a multiprocess system. It can take on the identity of virtually anything you might have in mind.

At its heart, it is not a desktop system as in Win95/98/ME/NT/2000. However, it can fulfill that role with the right software, although not as painlessly as MSWindows. With the addition of XFree, the X windowing system and a window manager, such as Gnome or KDE, you can have the look and feel of MSWindows. Along with that, most things you can do in MSWindows, you can do in Linux.

But it can also be a server. What kind? Well what do you want? I can be a mail server, bootp or DHCP server, Domain Name Services(DNS) server, a database server, an application server, a file server, a web server. With SAMBA, it can look like an NT file server.

It can be a development system for programming in C, C++, FORTRAN, cgi, JAVA, PHP, HTML, Ada, and Perl. Or script programming in sh, ksh, csh, bash. (like dos)

Linux can be set up to be a firewall or a router. It can be set up to be any or all of the above. And most, if not all, of the software is free.

However, it does come with a pretty steep price tag for being a free operating system. You have to dedicate your time to learn the OS. If you just want a system to surf the Net or play music or games, you'd probably be best served to stay with MSWindows. If you're tired of MS doing everything for you and stand there scratching your head when MS fails, which it will do at some point or another, then you might be interested in Linux. If you want to learn how networking really works, maybe Linux is for you. If you want to live a life without registry or DLL problems, it could be that Linux might be the ticket.

To get a better feel for what you might be getting yourself into, read the other posts in this forum. What's nice about Linux is that you're not in this by yourself. You have forums like this, every distro has email distributions of that distro's developers. There are HOWTO's on just about every topic or package you might install on your system. Every system comes with manpages for every command you might use on that system.

If you grow beyond just using you system to actually programming enhncements to your system, you can become involved in the future development of Linux. Further, you can use Linux as a starting point for a new career in the computer field, if you are not already in it.

To answer you question, "I am wondering if linux would better suite me." You be the judge. Hope this helps. -mk

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If it ain't broke, fix it till it is.

i guess this is a little vague, but the best part, form my point of view, is stability and resourcefulness.
i have installed linux on a pc that be any chance might be used for anything in the modern world. and that same pc `bleeds` with power while running linux; and at the same time, the machine never, never, crashes.
i`m by no means a linux master, or anything by the sort, but the process of learning to use linux was one the most rewarding experiences, aside from judging what os is better suited for a particular taste or task.

Excellant response Mike!

I totally agree with every point that you make. I've been wanting to dabble with linux for a while now. In December, I made the plunge into it with the current release, Mandrake 7.2.

I admit that it was daunting at first, but now I'm thoroughly enjoying myself. Like you said, there are tons and tons of software out that's available for linux, and everyone that I've downloaded is FREE. How cool is that?!?

I'm nowhere as technical on linux as other users, but I'm working myself up to a respectable level of competency. I enjoy the different desktop interfaces. My current fave is WindowMaker. Now, I'm intrigued by making my system hacker proof (if that can ever be truly accomplished) with the numerous tools and utilities that are out there (which are also free).

For a linux newbie, I would highly recommend Mandrake 7.2. If you ever installed Windows, then you'll have no problem installing this version of Mandrake. Before you do, be sure to print from your Windows control system panel your hardware configurations for reference later. If you're connected to a network, like a LAN, or PPP, then be sure to jot down your network info as well. Should you be willing to make a duel-operating system, go through a hard drive defragmentation first. Installing linux is very cool, because when you get a successful install, it's like a whole new computer/toy again. https://discussions.virtualdr.com/

I would recommend going for the gusto from the start and making your system a duel operating system. At home, I partitioned my 5 gig hard drive in half. One partition is Win95, the other is Linux. It is a three year old system, albiet a bit slow, works great with linux. I've just talked my wife into letting me install linux onto her more powerful, 800Mhz PC. Woo-hoo!

Have fun with linux, and don't get into the frustration that may accompany it. Like Mike said, there is plenty of support out there in message boards like this.

Josh

Hi there. Its chaps like this that make Linux so much fun to learn. I have been using Linux for aabout 7 months now and its been a great fun.. I started with Mandrake and have moved to 7.2 when it came out and have found that to be the easiest of all..

Have fun

Ok one thing that I appreciate (so just add it to the list of things others have written above):
The nice feeling between the users, I'm new at this so I ask a lot of question in forums and get a lot of good, well written answers and not answers from some one with bad temper (ok there are nice Windows-gurus too but it the not so nice one you remember).
But I thing that the ones with bad attitude towards us how asks "simple" questions is in less numbers in the linux community, maybe just because they feel it is needed (and desirable) with more Linux users.

I can find good programs as freeware (well, open source actually but because of that I'm pretty new to Linux I don't have any use of it (yet?)) and not like Windows-downloads where even the smallest utility is shareware which cost a lot of money and is troublesome to pay for. It is one thing that people need (if they do it fulltime) or want (becuase the put in a lot of time in it) money for programs that I can download, but in the windows-world they want much money for the smallest/simplest programs.

This reminds me of the feeling between amiga-users...and make me happy.