Choosing an operating system (OS) for your PC is a very important step in the process of building your computer. The operating system you decide upon is one that will likely last well into the lifetime of your PC. This is why it is important to be well-informed about the options available to you. There is a lot of information out there on this topic and it can be easy to get lost. So, to assist you in alleviating this issue, I offer to you a straight forward comparison between two of the most popular operating systems for a PC, Microsoft Windows 7 and Linux.
Before we get started I would like to mention that both operating systems have numerous versions of software available (a fact I address further down). Much of the following article, unless otherwise noted, deals with features that are universal for the given OS. Since many differences between versions of an OS tend to be minor, they fail to add much to today's broader discussion. Without further delay, let’s get into it!
Providing facts and leaving opinions at the door
Both Windows 7 and Linux have strong followings that have many devotees that will defend their OS of choice to the bitter end. They will do everything in their power to persuade you that their operating system is far superior to whatever the “competition” has to offer. This makes those looking for unbiased information on the topic somewhat difficult at times. Therefore, my goal here is to offer just that: a factual look at what both operating systems have to offer to users. We will start our comparison with an element that is sure to be towards the top of anyone’s list of important features: price.
Price, or why pay for what you can get for free?
Right off the bat we can see Linux offers a deal that Microsoft simply cannot match: The Linux operating system is 100% free. There is absolutely no personal information needed - not even a credit card - to access the files for installing many versions of Linux on your PC. Though the proper files can take some searching to find because there are so many versions of Linux available (a factor we will get to in a moment). It is worth mentioning that there are several variants of Linux that require purchase. Although the consensus is that paying for the software is only to support Linux developers and the additional charge does not yield many more features.
Microsoft, on the other hand, charges for full usage of their Windows 7 software. There are several versions of Windows 7 available, and the price ranges from about 100 to 120 dollars for the basic, “Home Premium” edition all the way up to around 180 to 200 dollars for the “Ultimate Edition” (Prices taken from Amazon marketplace).
Security: What to do when viruses are out to get you?
Throughout the years Windows has been notorious for being vulnerable to malware and viruses. But, the security available for the OS has been improving by leaps and bounds with the latest iteration, Windows 7. There are a plethora of paid and free security options that provide excellent security for a Windows 7 machine. While this doesn’t make the Windows environment anything close to virus free, you can remain well protected by taking proper precautions. However, Windows 7 cannot ever hope to beat the integrated security of the Linux OS.
There are a couple factors that explain Linux’s superior security. First, many of the applications can be downloaded through an official source that guarantees authenticity of your files. Secondly, the Linux user base is considerably smaller than the Windows 7 user base. This leads to malicious intent being targeted to Windows, and Linux remaining a much smaller target for virus creators. Finally, there are several organizations making use of Linux’s open source nature to constantly check and recheck the integrity of available OS files in order to reduce the chance of users downloading a virus riddled copy of Linux. Now, none of this is to say Linux is a completely virus free OS, it merely has far fewer viruses than Windows 7.
Open source or commercial? How much customization do you want in your life?
Linux is an open source operating system. This basically means anyone (including you!) can download the Linux source code and modify it as they see fit to create their very own version of Linux (the most popular of which being Ubuntu). There are entire websites dedicated to just keeping track of the different versions available. Though despite their best efforts, these sites can’t possibly manage a fully inclusive list as there are just far too many versions of Linux to track such as those that only a couple of users make use of.
Windows 7 is very close to the complete opposite end of the version spectrum. Being a commercial product, with six primary editions, Windows 7 has far fewer options of operating system customization. Although, discerning between different available OS’s can be made simpler in this way. You’ll find that as you work your way up the available upgrades for Windows 7 (from Starter to Ultimate), the additional features you receive for upgrading become less relevant to the average user. The outlier to this is the Starter edition which is extremely limited. Every version beyond that (starting with Home Basic) contains a similar core Microsoft Windows experience, but Ultimate (the top tier) contains every bell and whistle Microsoft has to offer. To discuss every difference between every available option for both Windows 7 and Linux would require a whole mountain of articles in itself and does not lend itself to our overview.
Software Support: What do you spend your time doing?
When it comes to sheer numbers, Microsoft’s operating system has far more software available for its operating system than Linux. Plus, due to the substantial lead Windows 7 has over Linux in number of users, you are more likely to find support for a given Windows application when things go wrong. You can even call Microsoft for OS support and talk directly to an agent who will assist in remedying your issue. Coupled with a large online crowd-sourced support database, help is within reach for many issues with Windows 7. That being said, if you are the do-it-yourself type, Linux offers a wide variety of customization if you are looking to modify software to fit your specific needs. In addition, there is also many references and reading material available to help troubleshoot issues.
Hardware Support: What are you hooking up to your PC?
If you are on a Windows 7 PC, there is usually very little reason to worry about hardware such as keyboards, mice, graphics cards, etc. not being able to talk to and play nice with your operating system. This is because such hardware is engineered with the assumption at least someone will want to use the product on a Windows machine. The same generalization cannot be made for Linux users. Due to the small number of Linux users in comparison to the rest of the available personal computer market, it is common to see business decisions made that forego testing a product on Linux machines.
The Choice is Yours
I hope this article can help you more clearly see the benefits and drawbacks of the Linux and Windows operating systems. They both offer great solutions to your operating system needs and there is simply no clear cut “winner.” Whether its price, customization, security, or compatibility, your operating system decision hinges on what you are looking for from your PC experience.
That being said, this is by no means a comprehensive run down of both operating systems. There is much more to be learned about the ins and outs of Linux and Windows 7. For more easily digestible PC info and additional information on topics just like this OS comparison, I highly recommend you check out this blog. It’s always updating with new information that is written in such a way that it can be understood by anyone with even a passing interest in PCs. You can also find more information on comparing PCs and PC parts here. There is a lot of information out there and this site is working to make that information a whole lot easier to comprehend.
This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters recommends:
- Massacres That Matter - Part 1 - 'Responsibility To Protect' In Egypt, Libya And Syria
- Massacres That Matter - Part 2 - The Media Response On Egypt, Libya And Syria
- National demonstration: No attack on Syria - Saturday 31 August, 12 noon, Temple Place, London, UK