10 Things You Can Do on Linux but Not on Windows

MakeUseOf ^ | 15 March 2022 | Ali Arslan

[minnesota_bound]

In Windows 10 you have to restart after you change the font.... You now need 3rd party tools to do what you used to do easily in earlier versions of Windows.

In Windows 7 you can make several changes under Personalize> Windows Color without restarting the computer.
I do not know why the change.

[wally_bert]

If and when me and the spouse go anywhere with it, she gets lost in Linux.

There are a couple of old games that run in W7, at least sort of that I like. 10 wouldn’t run them.

[minnesota_bound]

Also an annoyance with Windows 7 and earlier is it does not have a network driver when you first install so you cannot get on the internet.

I have my cd with the motherboard network driver on it handy but if I lost it then what do you do? I do have another pc to get online and find the driver to put on a usb drive then install on the other pc but not everyone does.

[rarestia]

Quite literally the first search result from Bing:

https://www.xda-developers.com/windows-11-microsoft-local-account/

[Openurmind]

Mind PMing me with what those game titles are?

As far getting lost, it is the same with any new OS. Just like going from Win 7 to Win 10. You have to spend some time and poke around, and do web-searches. But all the answers are out there for free. :)

[Paal Gulli]

"1. Test a Distro Through Live Boot"

There are a few based on the Windows pre-boot environment (often called "rescued disks) that will let you test dive certain light-weight versions of Windows (Bob.Omb’s Modified Win10PEx64, Trinity Rescue Kit, Gandalf’s Windows 10 PE, Hiren's Boot CD, et Al).

"2. Choose From So Many Distros and Flavors"

Altogether there are 600-ish Linux distros, 400-ish of which are actively maintained. Most noobs are bewildered by the scope of selection so I would hardly consider this an advantage.

And worse, this also means dozens of different desktops. An impossibly large number of desktops is also a hindrance to Linux's popularity and market penetration.

"3. Use the OS for Free Forever"

I have two boxes running WinxpSP3 that still see occasional use. And I have occasion to run Windows 3.1 and MS-DOS 6.22 in virtual environments.

"4. Create Your Own Operating System"

I could build my own car, too, but I can't say that idea appeals to me much either.

"5. Use the OS Without Needing an Antivirus"

If you have a mixed network, Linux needs an antivirus, otherwise it might be "a carrier."

"7. Use Lightweight Distros to Resurrect Old PCs and Laptops"

I'm guessing you've never heard of Windows XP For Legacy PCs or (Win7-based) Window Thin PC, both official MS-releases, or enthusiast created light-weight distros, such as Windows 10 Ameliorated.

[NetAddicted]

Rd later.

[daniel1212]

Note: I am not against Linux, but oppose the promotion of it as superior to Windows, at least for those who us a PC for more than email and the Internet and word processesing. My old PC (yet good specs, thank God) is used daily for the former 2, but while I ran some memory tests for new ram on the main PC, I just spent a few days on an older rig with Linux that I installed, trying to accomplish on it what I can do quickly on Windows (20 years intensive use, no virus in years, thank God, and only 3 all told). So I replaced Kubuntu with Mint and still had issues and lack of equivalent functionality. Thus I wiped the SSD drive (with Gparted via a Mint live USB) and copied my W/7 partition (from a HDD) over to it for greater stability and functionality. So here are my 10 things you can easily do on Windows that you cannot on Linux distros I know of:

1. Easily find a wealth of safe freeware to enhance functionality without faulty installations (could not get WINE to work 2 day ago due to such) and or that lack in equivalent functionality. Including 200 tweaks available in in Ultimate Windows Tweaker 4 for Windows 10 From the Windows club. Add to this Winaero features of the Winaero Tweaker

2. Install programs not listed in Synaptics or equivalent without having to find the right script and running a terminal (if you even know what that is).

3. By default have a device manager like Windows default.

4. Right click on icons in the start menu (equivalent) and find the actual location of the file and or rename them, rather than no options.

5. Replace the start menu with one that you can quickly see the wealth of programs power users want to employ.

6. Easily make hot keys for programs, folders, or remap keys via AutoHotkey

7. Characteristically run programs without errors.

8. Easily create custom menus via Right-Click Extender (add items to many right click menus) on the desktop, computer, folders, to quickly access what you want.

9. Edit files without needing to run a terminal to obtain rights, versus simply clicking on a dialog box.

10. Have less problems relative to user base (on desktops: two percent of desktop PCs and laptops use Linux) and find solutions to problems much easier than with Linux, and usually without needing to learn what scripts to run (some distro-specific).

As your list:

1. Test a Distro Through Live Boot

Wrong. How to Test Drive Windows 11 Without Installing Anything

2. Choose From So Many Distros and Flavors

Without one able to obtain even 1-2 % of the desktop market. I believe one could be created that would be The Distro, but it would need to become more like the best of enhanced Windows, by default (from a better clock and file manager to software base).

3. Use the OS for Free Forever

True, else I would not have tried it or used it. Thank God for what it (and the PC) does, which is very substantial. However, since W/8, MS offered free upgrades to 3 versions.

4. Create Your Own Operating System

Hardly applicable, while one can engage in substantial enhancements of Windows for free.

5. Use the OS Without Needing an Antivirus... The Linux system has a protective layer over core OS files, which doesn't allow anyone except superusers to access root files.

Likewise with Windows. The most I have used since 9x is Windows defender. Pray and press, and do not visit porn or gambling sites, at the least.

6. Don't Need to Restart the PC at Each Step

And also with Windows 10 pro. Delay up to 35 days and again, or turn of updates.

7. Use Lightweight Distros to Resurrect Old PCs and Laptops

True, though cleaning up and editing start ups in Windows will usually fix it.

8. Customize Almost Any Component of the OS

Far easier in Windows.

9. Create a Folder Named CON

Seriously?

10. Use Multiple Desktop Environments Simultaneously

Well, there is How to Use Multiple Desktops in Windows 11

[daniel1212]

"11. Create a whole independent portable self contained Operating System with full customization and storage capabilities on a USB stick that you can plug in and run on any computer that will boot from USB. A whole separate computer on a stick, just borrow the hardware."

Yes, the closest in Windows is How to Get Windows To Go Windows 11

[daniel1212]

"he 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. A"

Thanks for the info. Not that i needed that folder! Now since you are in the know, where is the equiv. Linux list of canonical names as with Windows (like control.exe /name Microsoft.DeviceManager)?

[daniel1212]

" 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."

Unless you are on the retail channel, in which case if you can you have a Windows 10 Retail license, you can transfer it to another computer, as long as you deactivate the old device. There is no limit on hardware. And how is here.

Years ago, the Lord enabled me to purchase a Win/ 8 upgrade from XP for $29 with the rebate (took months!) and then 8.1 was a free upgrade, and then I transferred it to a new homebuilt and installed W/10 on it (free download from MS) and since either XP or the upgrade was retail then I just needed to (prayerfully!) get on the phone with MS and find the license key and activate it. Now I may upgrade to W/11. Thank God for good deals for be used for good.

[hope_dies_last]

Bkmk

[minnesota_bound]

How to Install Windows 11 with Local Account
https://winaero.com/how-to-install-windows-11-with-local-account/

Here’s how you can install Windows 11 with a Local Account and omit the Microsoft Account requirement. It forces the latter by default if you have connected your device to the Internet. However, if it is not your plan, you can bypass the enforcement and set up Windows 11 with a traditional account type.

[Bob434]

thanks, yeah- i shoudl just ignore the updates- every day there seems to be new updates- none of which i even need- likely-

[TianaHighrider]

Bookmark

[Bob434]

Back when I had windows 98, I woild download game demos, even ful, games over dialup, and have a ton of fun playing them. The graphics weren’t the greatest, but the games were fun, and the demos would be very lightweight (but still take a ton of time on dialup lol). I was a demo junkie back in the day, till demos started getting larger and larger, but adding nothing really except eye candy. Now I have a 1 terabyte drive, and only a few games on it, and it’s nearly full (but I do dual boot, but still, Linux only takes up like 30,gig)

I actually miss the old games and how little space they too, up. I don’t care much for all the eye candy and ‘realism in today’s games. There were some really,spooky alien games out years ago that were a ton of fun to play.

[Bob434]

[[Likewise with Windows. The most I have used since 9x is Windows defender. Pray and press, and do not visit porn or gambling sites, at the least))

But even when you are super cautious, there are times when redirects push you to,those sites before you even realize ehat happened. A few years ago, it was constantly happening (thankfully I had Rollback RX installed and could do system reverts). Then it calmed down for awhile, but happened again. It was like being on the defensive all the time. Now,I don’t worry about it, and just take the usual precautions to avoid sketchy sites. Windows today is pretty good at stopping the redirects now, but who knows whe it won’t work so well again.

That constant redirecting and the lousy windows updates screwing everything up, and then the harassment to upgrade to windows 10, and constsntly having to be cautious about everything really i order to tey to avoid viruses was what finally drove me to linux..

I dual boot now, as. I need windows 7 for games and photoshop and photo programs, but my everyday of is now Linux. There really is a lot of peace of mind now with it.

[Bob434]

[[And also with Windows 10 pro. Delay up to 35 days and again, or turn of updates. ]]

Yeah but with windows 7 you weren’t forced to either delay or turn off updates, and you could get,only,the ones you wanted (like if you learned one update messed something up, you could avoid that one till the fixed it). Windows 10,took a lot of individual control away, and now gives you only 2 options, delay for a month, or turn off the updates and become vulnerable.

[CodeToad]

Or why grandma needs to learn all kinds of convoluted console commands.

[Openurmind]

“Back when I had windows 98, I would download game demos, even full, games over dialup, and have a ton of fun playing them. The graphics weren’t the greatest, but the games were fun, and the demos would be very lightweight”

Same here, I did the same back when. I spent months in a row playing the simple but challenging “blockman” game. And that is one thing I do enjoy about Linux, a LOT of the games available are older retro simple graphics style lightweight games like that. Games that will still scream on only 1 gig of ram. Quite a few retro 3D dungeon style games with simple blocky graphics, arcade style games, and 2D side scrolling games. So for those who like retro games Linux has a ton of similar available. :)