Some say Linux is old, unfashionable and difficult to use. Well, some maybe true but there is actually more going on than what you think it is. Check out the following reasons why you should try Linux distros and why it can surpass Windows and macOS all at once.
1. Linux distros are free
This is why thousands of developers, users and businesses use Linux distros. It is free of cost, unlike the expensive macOS and paid Windows OS. There are some factors that purchasing other proprietary OSes is still worth it. But, who doesn’t like free things?
Linux will continue to be FREE in the near future so there is a higher chance many more users will try out a Linux distro.
2. They are customizable and great at multitasking
If you are like personalization and designing your computer looks, then Linux is the best for you. There are a lot of customization tools available on any Linux distro from icon themes to wallpapers, and logon screens to animations.
Also, if you’re a speed user who always want the fastest loading and runtime, Linux gets the top rank. Apart from the suspicious speed problems and unlikely death screens from Windows, distros like Ubuntu, Mint doesn’t experience these issues at all. Well, almost all OS, free and paid, are good multitaskers. But since Linux distros are built with the lowest specification in mind, it can easily outrun others.
3. More secure than Windows and macOS
macOS is notoriously the most secure, but the problem is it’s too closed, you’re constrained only in Apple’s hands. While Windows can be a better option, lots of consumers report of hacks and virus infections within their OS. This makes Linux distros a smart contender. Though open source and free, we may judge it if it’s really safe. Well, to give you a head start, no OS is perfect. It’s just that some are better in this or not.
Linux somehow stays in the mid-level, staying secure while also being user-friendly and speedy. Nevertheless, installing an antivirus in your system, whether Linux, Mac or Windows, is always necessary.
4. It runs on any computer configuration
Planning to sell your old PC for a new one? or maybe replacing your old Celeron for the newest AMD processors in the market? Look no further.
Linux distros are built to run for old and new specs. For example, Ubuntu’s latest version, 18.04 LTS can run on any computer with at least 2GHz dual processor, 2GB of RAM and 25GB of free hard drive space. Of course, not to mention, that there are Linux distros that can be installed on a USB flash drive!
5. Open source and has lots of community support
Since it’s free, it’s also open source meaning anyone can access or modify the source code. This is why there are many distributions around the computing world. You can even create one if you have time! Plus, there is a huge community of Linux pros and amateurs so having a problem solved is an easy feat.
6. Reliability at the peak
Using Linux can be very intimidating for Windows and Mac users. But the experience you get from is rewarding. It just takes some practice and a few shell codes. This is also why large companies use Linux for administration and server like Facebook. Linux distros are ultimately reliable, from being free and supported to being fast and secure.
7. Many, different distros to choose from
Different flavors, different choices. These distros have specific areas where they do well. For enterprise and business applications, Red Hat Enterprise and Suse Linux Enterprise are good options. For general use, Ubuntu, Fedora, openSUSE, Debian, Gentoo and Linux Mint are some of them. Lightweight distros are also getting much love such as Manjaro, Arch Linux, Bodhi and Linux Lite. For security purposes, Qubes and Kali Linux are very popular.
8. The best OS in programming, devops and server admin [for IT]
I love it. You love it. We all love Linux. Programmers definitely ship with Linux. Not only because it gives a geeky aura, Linux distros offer maximized performance and saves time which is important for them. DevOps experts and server techies are familiar with Linux also. There are times that Windows and macOS can be a competition but knowing that a free, fast and secure option is available, then why not?
9. It can also support embedded systems and IoT projects [for hardware techies and innovators]
Last but not the least, no way. Did you know that you can create mini projects using Linux-based OS? Raspberry Pi is a popular development board for learning hardware, electronics and prototyping. Electronic enthusiasts and embedded engineers prefer using Linux as it easily ports the code to be run using a Linux distro like Raspbian. Also, the tweaking capabilities of Linux allows developers to further open more learning areas in their field.
Of course, it boils down to you. Choosing an OS is hard and tedious. But it all depends on what your choice is and make sure that you don’t regret it.
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