Reasons Why Linux Is Better Than Windows. Brief Are you wondering if Linux is better than Windows Dont wonder. Linux is better than Windows and in this article, well see the advantages of Linux over Windows. If you are not a power user, it might seem that Windows OS is a better or easier choice when compared to Linux. In either case, if you are not enjoying using a Linux distro then Windows would be your obvious choice. However, in reality, we tend to experience something different, which lets us jump to the conclusion where Linux gets the edge over Windows OS. Advantages of Linux over Windows. In this article, we will take a look at 1. Linux is better than Windows. Some of the points mentioned here are already discussed in our earlier article on why switch to Linux. Open Source Nature. What is it like when you buy a car, but you cannot see whats under the hood Similar is the case with when you use a Windows powered system. However, in contrast, Linux is completely an open source project. Open the Google Home app, hit the Devices button in the top right corner, then tap the three dots next to your Google Home. From there you can select Paired Bluetooth. The beta release for Linux Mint 18. Sonya Cinnamon and MATE came out at the beginning of June. The Mint beta testing interval is usually about a month, and the. The team is proud to announce the release of Linux Mint 18. Sonya Cinnamon Edition. Linux Mint 18. 2 Sonya Cinnamon Edition Linux Mint 18. Bluetooth Driver For Linux Mint' title='Bluetooth Driver For Linux Mint' />You can have a look at the source code of a Linux OS, which is a plus. I know, most people dont care about this openness of Linux, but to me, this is the most important feature of using GNULinux. Secure. Lets face it Windows OS is vulnerable to different types of attacks or hacks. However, Linux is not as vulnerable as Windows. It sure isnt invulnerable, but it is a lot more secure. Although, theres no rocket science in it. It is just the way Linux works that makes it a secure operating system. Overall, the process of package management, the concept of repositories, and a couple more features makes it possible for Linux to be more secure than Windows. When you have Windows installed, you need to downloadpurchase an Antivirus program to keep your computer safe from hackers and malware. However, Linux does not require the use of such Anti Virus programs. Of course, a couple of software tools still exist to help you keep your system free from threats, but it is often unnecessary when you have a Linux system. Being secure by nature would make things easier for you and save money as well because you will not have to get a premium Antivirus software Can revive older computers. As the operating systems evolve, so do their hardware requirements increase exponentially. For instance, if you purchase a genuine copy of Windows 1. Nevertheless, with Linux, you could even utilize one of your oldest computer systems to achieve a task. However, that does not mean that every Linux distribution would work with 2. MB of RAM coupled with an outdated processor. However, there are options which you can install on such low end systems as well such as Puppy Linux. So, being an efficient OS, Linux distributions could be fitted to a range of systems low end or high end. In contrast, Windows operating system has a higher hardware requirement. Overall, even if you compare a high end Linux system and a high end Windows powered system, the Linux distribution would take the edge. Well, that is the reason most of the servers across the world prefer to run on Linux than on a Windows hosting environment. Perfect For Programmers. Linux supports almost all of the major programming languages Python, CC, Java, Perl, Ruby, etc. Moreover, it offers a vast range of applications useful for programming purposes. The Linux terminal is superior to use over Windows command line for developers. You would find many libraries developed natively for Linux. Also, a lot of programmers point out that the package manager on Linux helps them get things done easily. Interestingly, the ability of bash scripting is also one of the most compelling reasons why programmers prefer using Linux OS. Linux also brings in native support for SSH, which would help you manage your servers quickly. You could include things like apt get commands which further makes Linux one of the most popular choices of the programmers. Software Updates. Microsoft pushes a software update when it receives a set of problems or if something major needs to be fixed. On the other hand, you would observe a software update to address a little problem. So, with Linux, you will notice more updates to fix the problems you might be facing. You will not only encounter a larger number of software updates, but you will also observe much faster software updates. Customization. Credit Eye Candy Linux G Community. One major advantage of using Linux instead of Windows is customization. If you like tweaking your systems looks, Linux is just perfect for you. Apart from installing themes, you have tons of beautiful icon themes. In addition to that, you can use Conky to display system information on the desktop in the coolest way possible. Needless to say that you can do a lot around Wallpapers in Linux. Variety Of Distributions. There are no flavors of Windows. Yes, you may have different plans packages which differ in licensing terms, the period of activation, packaged features, and price. In contrast, you will find tons of Linux distribution catered for a different set of needs. So, you can choose to install any of the available Linux distros according to your requirements. For example, there are Linux distributions for hackers, there are Linux distributions for programmers, there are Linux distributions for extremely old computers. There is a Linux for everyone. Free to Use. Linux is accessible to the public for free However, that is not the case with WindowsYou will not have to pay 1. USD to get your hands on a genuine copy of a Linux distro such as Ubuntu, Fedora. So, it is entirely free. If something is free but useful, it is always the best thing one could expect. With the money you just saved, you can consider enhancing your system just saying, you can go to Starbucks as well9. Better Community Support. You do not need to hire an expert to solve a problem you are facing on your Linux system. You just need to search for a similar thread on the web for a solution or post a thread to let others solve the problem. Within minutes of posting a thread on any of the Linux forums, you may expect a reply along with a detailed solution which would finally help resolve your problem at no costThere are a lot of active Linux users who are always ready to respond to a relevant thread one might have created. The number of community users active on such forums is more than the number of active members on any Windows focused forum. However, the community response might vary depending on the Linux distribution being used. Reliability. Windows, as we know it, becomes sluggish day after day. You will want to re install Windows after a while when you encounter crashes or slowdowns on your system. If you are using Linux, you will not have to worry about re installing it just to experience a faster and a smoother system. Linux helps your system run smooth for a longer period in fact, much longer. Also, with Windows, you will have to adapt to a habit where you keep on rebooting the system for just about everything. If you just installed software, reboot If you recently uninstalled software, reboot If you just installed a Windows update, reboot If the system seems to slow down, reboot However, in the case of Linux, you will not have to reboot for the situations mentioned above. You can comfortably continue with your work, and Linux will not bother you. Another fact that proves Linux to be reliable are the web servers. You could observe that most of the Internet giants like Google and Facebook run on Linux. Linux Mint 1. 8. 2 arrives Heres what to look out for. The beta release for Linux Mint 1. Sonya Cinnamon and MATE came out at the beginning of June. The Mint beta testing interval is usually about a month, and the final release has just arrived. The betas for the KDE and Xfce versions showed up only about a week after the Cinnamon and MATE betas, which is pretty unusual because they typically lag a bit more than that. Then the Mint Blog Monthly News for June 2. All four editions passed QA and will be released as stable in a couple of days. That will be particularly good news for those who prefer KDE and Xfce. I have installed each of them on a different laptop, and I have been testing and using them since then. Here is a run down of what I have seen and experienced with each one. Linux Mint 1. 8. 2 Cinnamon. Image J. A. Watson. The Cinnamon version is still considered to be the flagship of the Mint distributions. This release includes Cinnamon 3. I suspect will be very welcome with Mint users, because they have been waiting to get their hands on it since Cinnamon 3. May. Its probably fair to say that Cinnamon 3. Mint 1. 8. 2 release. It includes loads of improvements, new features and bug fixes, both to the desktop itself and to the Cinnamon Spices add ons. Mint Kernel Management Utility. Image J. A. Watson. The Linux kernel in the beta was 4. Mint Update View Linux Kernels, and choose from kernel series 4. The versions of some of the other significant packages and applications included in this release X. X Server 1. 1. 8. Libre. Office 5. 1. Firefox 5. 4. 0. Thunderbird 5. GIMP 2. 8. 1. 6PIX 1. Image viewerbrowserXplayer 1. Media playerRhythmbox 3. I have this version installed on my ASUS R4. S, and it is very pleasing, both visually and functionally. Linux Mint 1. 8. 2 MATE. Image J. A. Watson. Gigabyte Realtek Lan Driver For Windows Xp here. The MATE desktop is the other core Linux Mint distribution. It is based on MATE 1. Linux kernels as the Cinnamon version, and the other packages and applications also the same as listed above for the Cinnamon version. Mint Update Policy. While speaking about kernel and package versions, it is worth mentioning again that the Mint Update Manager lets you choose between three different approaches to updating. They range from very conservative Just keep my computer safe to the radical Always update everything. Most users will want to stay with the default update policy, which selects security updates and any other updates which do not affect important parts of the operating system. Others, such as kernel updates, are displayed in the update manager but must be selected manually for installation if you wantneed them. I have the MATE version installed on my ASUS X5. SA, and it is working just fine including even the pesky clickpad pointing device. Linux Mint 1. 8. 2 KDE. Image J. A. Watson. The KDE desktop version has always been a popular Linux Mint alternative. This release includes KDE Plasma 5. Settlers Iv Demo. Visual Studio Net 2003 Iso. KDE Frameworks 5. KDE Applications 1. The kernel versions available are the same as for the Cinnamon and MATE versions, as are some common applications such as Firefox and Libre. Office, but there are some differences because of the use of KDE applications instead of the Mint x apps X. X Server 1. 1. 8. Libre. Office 5. 1. Firefox 5. 4. 0. KMail rather than ThunderbirdGIMP 2. Gwenview rather than PIXDragon Player rather than XplayerAmarok rather than RhythmboxI was particularly pleased to find that digi. Kam is included in this release. All of the applications which have been replaced by KDE versions are still available in the Mint Software Manager, but you should think carefully before installing them on this distribution. The KDE Applications are better integrated and more consistent with the desktop, and installing the other applications is likely to bring in a lot more support libraries and such which can clutter your installation. Mint Software Manager. The basic Mint system utilities, such as Mint Update and the Mint Software Manager are included with this distribution. The Software Manager lists some 8. KDE purists might not want to use Firefox for their web browser. Not to worry, just enter browser in the Package Manager search box, and you will find Konqueror and Rekonq. If you prefer Google Chrome, there is Chromium. If you want a lightweight browser, there are Midori and Qupzilla. The list makes my head spin. I have Linux Mint KDE installed on my Acer Aspire V, and have had no problems at all with it. Linux Mint 1. 8. 2 Xfce. Image J. A. Watson. The last of the four Linux Mint distributions is the Xfce desktop. This version is popular for older systems with limited CPU power andor memory, but it has also found a lot of favor with users who feel that the other modern desktops are too complex or tedious, or have moved too far away from the traditional desktop GUI design. Linux Mint Xfce is built on Xfce 4. Linux kernels as the other Mint 1. Xfce is a rather minimal desktop system, which includes just a few common utilities such as the Thunar file manager, and leaves most applications to be selected by the system developers. Mint Xfce includes exactly the same selection of applications as the Cinnamon version Firefox, Thunderbird, Libre. Office, GIMP, Rhythm. Box and the x apps PIX, Xplayer, Xed, Xviewer and Xreader. Linux Mint Welcome Screen. All of the Mint distributions include the Welcome Screen, which has buttons for easy access to the Mint documentation, administration utilities such as the Software Manager, Driver Manager and Codec installer, and the Mint Forums and Chat Room. This kind of easy access can be very useful to new Mint users. Finally, it is important to remember that although only these four desktop versions are official Linux Mint distributions, any of them could be used as a base for another desktop of your choice. The Package Manager includes meta targets for most of the common desktops LXDE, LXQt, Enlightenment, i. Starting from the Xfce distribution I installed i. I could then select the session before logging in again so that I got the i. Linux Mint 1. 8. 2 with i. Desktop. Image J. A. Watson. Woo. Hoo Now that is really nice. I had to add the i. I think dmenu is still missing, but I will find that, and complete my preferred i. The Xfce and now i. Mint is installed on my Samsung N1. Plus. I had no trouble with the installation, but it is obviously running at the limit of its capacity with either of these there is a significant lag when typing, and applications take quite a long time to start. So thats the summary of what arrives with Linux Mint 1. All of these systems were installed from scratch, but the beta release announcement says that there will also be a reasonable upgrade possibility from existing Mint 1. Read more about Linux.