Before beginning with the comparison, let us know about operating systems.
An Operating system is the primary software that manages all the hardware and other software on your computer. The operating system (also called as “OS”) connects to the computer’s hardware and provides services that can be used by applications.
Windows is a series of operating systems developed by Microsoft for personal desktops / devices or computers (PCs). Each operating system comes with a graphical user interface (GUI) with a desktop that allows users to view all files, videos, etc. It is designed to run on x86 hardware (e.g. AMD, Intel processors). Therefore, almost all companies that make PCs or laptops come with Windows OS.
Linux is an open source operating system based on UNIX. This software is located underneath all other software on your computer. Because it is an open source operating system, users can modify existing code and create distributions from it. Linux is primarily used as a server- as most web pages on the Internet are generated from Linux servers.
Below are the comparisons between Linux vs. Windows on the basis of following factors from which we can understand better and thus shall know that which one is better.
1. Access:
• Linux- Users can access the source code of the kernel and change the code as needed. It has its own advantages, such as errors in the operating system are quickly fixed, but the disadvantage is that developers can take advantage of any weaknesses in the operating system after discovering any defects.
• Windows- Everyone cannot access the source code; only members of the selected group can access it.
2. Taste or variety:
• Linux- It comes in various distributions and can be highly customized based on user needs.
• Windows- It has few customization options available.
3. License:
•Linux- In Linux, with a GPL-licensed operating system, users are free to modify the software, reuse it in any number of systems, and even sell modified versions.
•Windows- In Windows, with a Microsoft license, users will not have access to the source code, which means that they cannot modify the software and are based on multiple licenses-we can only install on these number of computers.
4. Command line:
•Linux- The command line is a very useful tool for management and daily tasks, but it doesn’t make much difference to the end user.
•Windows- Here we have the command line but cannot be used as a Linux command line. We need to run and enter cmd, and then the command line will open.
5. Run level:
•Linux-It has built-in features that can be stopped at different run levels, and if someone encounters a problem, we can use the command line and GUI to operate.
- Windows-If we encounter any issues to fix, we need to restart at run level 3 as administrator / root to find and resolve the issue.
6. Availability:
• Linux- Complex installation, but it has the ability to easily complete complex tasks.
• Windows- This provides users with a simple system but takes longer to install.
7. Update:
•Linux- Users have full control over the updates; we can install them when needed, and spend less time without restarting.
•Windows- Updates occur at inconvenient times, for example, if you are printing a printer, but an update pop-up window appears suddenly, this may frustrate you and require more time to install.
8. Security:
•Linux- It is more secure than Windows, because it is difficult for hackers or virus developers to break through Linux.
•Windows- Windows is the main target of virus and malware developers, and it is most vulnerable to attack without antivirus software.
