Posted on 03/17/2022 10:38:46 AM PDT by ShadowAce
For some users, Linux is far better than other OSes. There are a whole lot of things you can do with Linux that are not possible on Windows.
Linux has gained significant popularity in the last decade or so. Despite having a relatively low market share compared to Windows, it is well-adapted to the evolving user requirements through its constant development.
Linux has some state-of-the-art features that other operating systems lack for now. Such features, along with its solid support, are continuously growing within its community.
So, let's take a look at 10 things you can do on Linux that you can't do on Windows.
Linux has various distributions that offer tons of unique features. The great thing is that distros let you test the environment first using a live boot feature.
If you are thinking about shifting to Linux, there is no need to delete your current OS. The live boot feature enables you to run any Linux distro in real-time through a USB drive. So, you can evaluate a distro while keeping your current operating system intact.
This feature is not just limited to testing, however. It also allows you to keep Linux portable on a USB drive. You can start using any Linux distro without configuring your PC's hard drive partition and other settings.
Live boot is safe for your system as it mostly runs on RAM. But first, you'll have to create a bootable USB drive using the distro's ISO image.
As you may know, Linux has several distributions and flavors. You can find distros that are suitable for a specific audience like gamers, novice users, system developers, ethical hackers, network engineers, and more.
Each distro has some unique features and optimizations for particular types of users and systems. The competition between distros improves the quality of the Linux ecosystem as a whole. You can even use a particular distro for personal use and another for work.
This variety helps provide you with a personalized experience. You can get a targeted Linux distro if you want to use the OS for specific tasks.
With so many distros and their flavors, Linux offers you choices that you don't get on Windows—you get just one flagship OS from Microsoft.
Linux is open-source, and you can install it for free, unlike Windows, which comes at a rather hefty price. Linux creator developed this OS because he wanted a free operating system to use. So, you can select any Linux distro and install it without worrying about spending a dime.
Moreover, most applications that come with Linux, such as LibreOffice, Firefox, GIMP, and a lot more, are also free, unlike the costly Microsoft Office subscriptions. This freedom is one of the main highlights behind the success story of Linux.
Relating to the point above, as Linux is open-source, it means anyone can use, edit, and distribute its source code. You have access to the complete code, and you can modify it or even add custom features to it.
This step is considered pretty innovative, and it is one of the reasons behind its popularity. Imagine the features you always wanted—now you can add them yourself and develop a customized operating system.
The open-source nature of Linux has helped in growing its community support. You can easily get solutions and fixes for any problem you face through discussions on forums. It's all because of the open-source code.
Clearly, you can't do such things on Windows due to the unavailability of source code. Microsoft prefers to keep Windows closed-source.
Antivirus and virus and malware threats
Another perk of using Linux is that Linux-based systems don't need antivirus software. This is because most viruses and malware target Windows PCs.
The Linux system has a protective layer over core OS files, which doesn't allow anyone except superusers to access root files. That is why virus attacks on Linux are rare. So, you don't need to buy costly antivirus software for your system every year as you do with Windows.
Reboot after each system update or a software uninstall is a pretty annoying thing on Windows. It is usually not the case with Linux, as installations don't require the system to reboot at each step.
Windows systems require a reboot after a change in any of their configurations, for example, configuring the speakers, webcam, and more. Linux is smooth in this respect—it barely asks you to restart the system after a change in settings.
However, Linux does need to restart at times, but only after updates in the Linux kernel. So, all in all, the experience is pretty smooth, not requiring long hours of waiting for a system to reboot and configure after an update.
OS support for old systems is continuously discontinuing. This is mainly because of the rapid improvement in hardware technology.
Recently Windows, with Windows 11, has discontinued its support for various older PCs. However, Linux provides solutions to address this issue.
You can resurrect your older laptops and PCs by installing Linux distros suitable for your device specifications. You can easily find the right one that supports low-end and old systems as there are plenty of lightweight distros on offer, specially made for this purpose.
Not only distros, but you also get lightweight applications that run seamlessly on old hardware, without bogging down the system.
Again, as Linux is open-source, it means anyone can use, modify, and test its code. This feature allows you to add custom features and improvements to your system.
Even if you are not a developer and don't want to play with the source code, Linux lets you customize almost every aspect from within the settings and through the terminal.
You can customize things like themes, metrics, filing systems, and much more. You can even change the default file manager, desktop environment, and other primary components of your OS.
Don't believe us? Try it yourself. Windows forbids creating a folder named CON. This is because CON is reserved to use for specific system tasks.
Linux allows you to create a CON folder, however. In fact, there is no restriction in naming folders and files. This feature is something you can't have on Windows.
Desktop environments like GNOME, KDE, XFCE, and more are the beauty of Linux. You can go a step further and install multiple DEs on the same Linux distro. This ability lets you taste different flavors of the same distro simultaneously.
Some Linux distros come pre-installed with multiple desktop environments, while in others you've to install and configure desktops manually. You won't find this functionality on Windows altogether as there's only a single Windows desktop you're bound to use.
Linux is an innovative operating system backed by an enormous community that continuously expands its feature set. It is growing in terms of features, performance, and stability.
As listed above, Linux provides various unique features missing from other proprietary OSes like Windows. If you are looking for any of these features in your operating system, feel free to switch to Linux. It's free, and you can test it through a live boot with just a USB drive.
Sure--right after you explain to her why she needs to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11.
My grandmother’s Lenox china has a usb port in the base of each piece.
“Try explaining to grandma, who only wants to turn on the computer and see Pictures of her grandkids, why she needs to switch the latest ‘distro’.”
But she doesn’t. Install a good one that is easy to use and leave it alone, no need to switch anything after. It will run and run and run without any problems. Unlike windows that breaks every other update. I think Gradma would appreciate not having to take it to the PC store every other month because she doesn’t know how to fix Windows either. The stability of Linux is ten fold over Windows.
The biggest put down of Linux is “hardware support”. It is a misconception and myth. Maybe a long time ago but it is now pretty rare. Not even Windows will support all hardware out of the box. Just like ALL operating systems, you occasionally still have to go and download drivers from the hardware manufacturers. And now days very few do not have Linux drivers for their hardware. Only those who are sentimental about 30 year old obsolete hardware might have trouble finding Linux drivers. Let it go, just get a new printer... It is only a matter of time before it dies anyhow. They all do...
I apologize... I misunderstood what you were sharing with this. I get it and agree, The file system is ready for anything you throw at it. :)
BKMRK.
Yeah but can Linux take 45 minutes to power-up and update? Don’t think so...
I’ve put Mint on a couple of laptops here beside windows.
Ubuntu was one I used a lot but I tried Mint on a box after Ubuntu simply failed to install, even on a fresh hdd.
Mint was no problem.
Want to know how to cure that? Quit updating it... lol :)
No seriously, once everything works correctly no need to update anything. I just shut my update off. I have my first Linux install, 18.3 that is almost 6 years old and I never updated it once. Still runs like it was installed yesterday. All I ever do is use the terminal to check for updates of a particular app when I know they have an update and that is it.
system settings/startup applications/update manager/toggle off.
lol, well done. But I miss not having enough time to go and grab another cup of coffee... not...
Mint is the Win 7 of the Linux world. :)
For what little it will be used for, plenty.
Mostly as something to take on any travel with nothing of much value on it.
Once you open that door it will grow on you. :)
Windows for some specific things but Linux is for something reliable and trustworthy.
“10 Things You Can Do on Linux but Not on Windows”
One thing you can much easier do on windows but very difficult to do on Linux: Hack it!
kind of a silly article. The following isn’t really addressed to you, Shadowace, but is more a general comment one one of the things the article referenced.
In the administrivia department, the reason you can’t create a directory or file called ‘con’, is because that is the reserved word for the console itself. You used to be able to see this by copying a file to ‘con’ and see the contents scroll on your screen. Also, if you did a “dir con” you would see a ‘con’ directory no matter what directory you were in. There are other reserved words, like ‘prn’ for the printer port, ‘nul’ for the null device, and some others that I can’t recall anymore.
Linux has some similar mechanisms but they are in a fixed location on the file system, i.e. /dev/null. Linux actually takes the entire concept of ‘everything is a file’ to an almost absurd level. You can treat your sound device as a file, and even your cdrom and any hard drives can be referenced as a file, and you can use that to your advantage.
I once virtualized a computer by basically copying an existing raw hard drive device using ‘dd’ through the ‘nc’ command on a local system through nc on a remote vm that had been booted from a CD-ROM ISO, and used dd on that remote to create an image of the hard drive in a vm all the way across the country. Once the dd command finished on the local, I had the tech shut down the remote vm, and then restart it. It was amazing tech at the time held together with spit, glue, and duct tape, but it worked.
False: you can still create and use a local account. You do not need a Microsoft account to use Windows 11.
~~~
That’s news to me.
Most of the computers I set up are for domain networking. Occasionally I would find laptops with exact same hardware profiles but where well more than the $99 cheaper when they had windows xx home, so I would buy those and get the pro upgrade for $99, then run the domain setup. Well with windows11 home, you cannot set it up without a microsoft login (unless you’re using deployed installation/drive images). It wont let you get past the initial setup. Back in windows 10 home, you just booted without internet and it let you bypass the microsoft login. Windows 11 pro actually let’s you get past this because they know organizations are just going to domain join with one of their domain users.
No on one google had a way to get past this, so if you know the sequence, go ahead and post it somewhere. You’ll probably get some good hits.
Yep, absolutely. Fortunately for what I do I have been able to find a Linux app that replaces everything windows based. they were no more work than needing to learn any other new program. Time time and effort was extremely well worth it. :)
Linux is open-source, and you can install it for free, unlike Windows, which comes at a rather hefty price 'For One Computer'.
With Linux you can duplicate the hard drive an put it in another computer and it will find all the hardware, even if different and just work. A spare duplicated hard drive is the ultimate backup of a computer system.
Good Hunting... from Varmint Al
Yep, and once you make that installation stick, you can use that same stick to install to as many boxes as you like.
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