Windows Vs Linux A Brief Comparison

Windows and Linux are both operating systems that have been developed to allow the utilization of computer resources . These two systems have a number of differences and require different things from users for proper operation of the system. Among the major differences is that  


"Windows is a commercial operating system, while Linux is an open source operating system."
                       
                                 Windows is the widest used PC operating system today. It’s graphical user interface allows users with no programming experience or knowledge to navigate the system and complete the tasks. Some users have experienced stability problems, but with typical individual use the system has proven to be stable enough to prevent a massive shift. Windows OS has different versions that are tailored for various needs. 
  
Linux is an open source operating system. It is renowned among users as being far more stable than the Windows system. Some network administrators and programmers prefer the system, but for a number of reasons the system has not gained the level of market penetration that Windows or MacOS have reached. Little support by software makers has been among the problems. Though, with some knowledge, it is possible to run most Windows versions of programs on Linux systems. Also, while the system offers a graphical interface, there remains a bit of coding involved in the implementation of some programs. This can prove difficult for some users.

• Price: The majority of Linux variants are available for free or at a much lower price than Microsoft Windows.
  Microsoft Windows can run between $50.00 - $150.00 US dollars per each license copy.
• Ease: Although the majority Linux variants have improved dramatically in ease of use, Windows is still much easier to use for new computer users.     Microsoft has made several advancements and changes that have made it a much easier to use operating system, and although arguably it may not be the easiest operating system, it is still Easier than Linux.
• Reliability: The majority of Linux variants and versions are notoriously reliable and can often run for months and years without needing to be rebooted.Although Microsoft Windows has made great improvements in reliability over the last few versions of Windows, it still cannot match the reliability of Linux.
• Software: Linux has a large variety of available software programs, utilities, and games. However, Windows has a much larger selection of available software. Because of the large amount of Microsoft Windows users, there is a much larger selection of available software programs, utilities, and games for Windows.
• Software Cost: Many of the available software programs, utilities, and games available on Linux are freeware or open source. Even such complex programs such as Gimp, OpenOffice, StarOffice, and wine are available for free or at a low cost.    
  Although Windows does have software  programs, utilities, and games for free, the majority of the programs will cost anywhere between $20.00 - $200.00+ US dollars per copy.
• Hardware: Linux companies and hardware  manufacturers have made great advancements in hardware support for Linux and today Linux will support most hardware devices. However, many companies still do not offer drivers or support for their hardware in Linux.    
  Because of the amount of Microsoft Windows users and the broader driver support, Windows has a much larger support for hardware devices and a good majority of hardware manufacturers will support their products in Microsoft Windows.
• Security: Linux is and has always been a very secure operating system. Although it still can be attacked when compared to Windows, it much more secure.Although Microsoft has made great improvements over the years with security on their operating system, their operating system continues to be the most vulnerable to viruses and other attacks.
• Open Source: Many of the Linux variants and many Linux programs are open source and enable users to customize or modify the code however they wish to.Microsoft Windows is not open source and the majority of Windows programs are not open source.
• Support: Although it may be more difficult to find users familiar with all Linux variants, there are vast amounts of available online documentation and help, available books, and support available for Linux.Microsoft Windows includes its own help section, has vast amount of available online documentation and help, as well as books on each of the versions of Windows.