Linux and Windows - Difference

Before we start off with the differences between the following terms, let me try to explain in the simplest words what both these terminologies mean.

Linux - This is a version of the operating system "UNIX" and has gained much popularity because it has proved to be very stable as an operating system in running web servers. This is an open-source software, which means that the source code is free and available on the internet and so you can make any changes to it according to your needs. Since the PC hardware is inexpensive and Linux is essentially free, the combination of the two is considered to be the most practical way of developing inexpensive and reliable HTTP service.

Windows - This is the operating system developed by Microsoft Corporation. There are many versions of this but Windows 95 is currently the world's most prevalent system. Windows NT is a more robust system intended for more demanding users. Windows comes with a graphical user interface, which is proven to be very user-friendly. The Windows source code is proprietary, that is, only Microsoft programmers can see it and work on it. This makes Windows stable and permanent.

Both the systems can be compared on the basis of the following attributes:

1) Ease of Use - Linux is considered to be harder to use than the Windows. This is mainly because of its inherent properties from UNIX, which is widely seen as a complicated system. Windows looks easy to use with all its user-friendly graphical interfaces. To compete with this, LINUX has come up with GUI versions KDE and GNOME. Yet, as days go by, more and more people are surprised by the power of LINUX to accomplish many great things by writing a few shell commands to it. For example, you can send, read emails, listen to MP3s and also burn them to CDs, all at the same time. But it takes more than a graphical user interface to make a computer easy to use - it takes tight integration between software and hardware. It requires an operating system that's graphical "from the ground up," so that users don't have to deal with character-based code.

2) Reliability and security - Both are considered to be equally reliable systems but many tests and researches are now indicating that LINUX components are more stable and reliable and can provide a robust, enterprise level environment for the customer over long periods of time.

3) Speed - There is no real difference in terms of speed between the two platforms. However LINUX is slightly faster in processing basic web page data.

4) Functionality - This is where two platforms differ the most. There isn't much that can be achieved in one platform that can't be on the other. The main difference is how the end is achieved. For example, if you need a database-driven website, you can choose either PHP/MySQL combination under Linux or ASP/MS SQL combination under Windows2000. The trend is for solutions to be supported in both platforms. For example, Microsoft FrontPage, one of the most popular website editors out there, is supported on both Linux and Windows2000.

5) Price - here Linux holds a slight edge due to the fact that most of the software licenses are free and its also easier to maintain Linux servers than Windows2000 servers for the same level of performance.

In an increasingly connected world that is dependent on Internet communications and transactions to conduct business, people are rightly concerned about the privacy of the information they share over the Internet and the 'ruggedness' of operating systems and software like firewalls and anti-virus programs to keep their machines secure against outside attack. Customers will be looking into security features more than anything else. Each of these types of software has its particular features or quality-of-performance preferable to the other. However, everything finally comes down to what the customer wants, so the best software is something that is customised after understanding the importance of hearing and understanding the customers voice.

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