Advantages of Linux?

I've been advised to switch from windows to linux but I'm a bit wary until I learn more about this operating system. I am glad to hear that you can actually try Linux out without installing it. Thanks for sharing that.

 

Yes, of course, you can try Linux without installing it. In fact, you can use Linux without installing it. There is a very lightweight version called Puppy Linux which can run from a USB stick. Fully. All the time. Just boot up from the USB drive and you are using Linux, without any problems. There are also other lightweight Linux versions or distros, as we Linux users call them, but I am only familiar with Puppy Linux, which is why I recommend using it.

 

My son like Linux. He works in the computer field though so he knows what he is doing. He thinks it has sevral advantages over windows. I would try a light version first before I ever attempted to get into it as a replacement for windows. It just makes sense to do. I think it would be a good thing.

 

You don't have to work in the computer field to enjoy the benefits of using Linux. Let's look at some of the benefits. What do you want your computer to do? To surf the Web? No problem. To write emails? No problem. To watch movies? No problem. To listen to songs and music? No problem. Wait, you can do all that with Windows, right? Yes, of course. However, can you use Windows without paying for it? Why not? Just get a pirated copy? Is that a good idea? That's for you to decide. To use Linux, you can get a fully legitimate copy without paying a cent. That's right. Not a cent. Totally and absolutely free. Is that a benefit? That's for you to decide.

 

Well most computers have windows as their default system unless you have a mac. I mean what are the advantages of LInux? Does it make your surfing downloading etc. faster? I mean why would someone want this in place of windows? I am just playing devils advocate here. Those of you who like Linux, what do you like about it?

 

Let me see if I can answer your question, @Karen Gordon . Right now, I have a laptop with an i3 processor and 4Gb RAM, plus Windows 10 pre-installed. I find this sufficient for my needs. However, when I open too many tabs, I find that things get a bit laggy. So what can I do? Add more RAM? No, that's not possible because all the slots are full.

What's the alternative?

I can use Linux. I can put Puppy Linux on a USB drive, then boot my laptop from the USB drive. What's the advantage? Well, Puppy Linux works with just 256Mb RAM, so 4Gb of RAM is ample. On top of that, Puppy LInux loads up totally into RAM. Everything is done in RAM. That basically means it's like having an SSD instead of a HDD. Is that fast? Sure, that's fast. Is that good? You decide.

 

I think that it's an excellent idea. My dads computer came with windows but after developing some issues, I decided to install a Linux distro along side windows. He adapted to it in no time at all and now never use windows. the computer runs faster and hassle free.

 

Good to know that you are able to introduce your father to Linux. Myself, I didn't have that chance at all. That's because my father is totally not into computers. My mother may get into computers but it will take some time. Right now, she is still struggling with making calls on the mobile phone.

 

The main reason he picked it up is because he found things of interest that he wouldn't get anywhere else. He basically only navigates the net, if it wasn't for this he probably would never pick it up.

 

Good to know that. Say, what kind of things did your father find interesting which he couldn't get anywhere else? This might help some of us who are trying to get our friends to use Linux.

 

My dad likes football but sometimes they don't give the games on TV and even though he does have 70 channels or so but he doesn't have SportTV. So I should him how he could stream the videos from online and see the games without having to sign up for the extra channel. Another thing that helped, was showing him how to use google. Since he has a garden he likes to know when he can plant and how to control pests, and finally my dad also likes to look at soap operas but sometimes he would miss an episode, and I showed him how to find those as well. I don't have to do much now, he pretty much knows what he wants and how to get there. If I said that he knows hoe to use the terminal, I would be lying but just as long as he knows how to navigate the web and save the videos and pages he wants, I think it's not too bad.

 

It is my understanding that Linux can be installed alongside Chrome OS on a Chromebox.This would be fabulous, as I could then run my programs on my Chromebox with Wine, eliminating the need for a Windows laptop altogether. I do wonder if the Linux installation would slow down the Chromebox and particularly the Chrome browser, which at this time, loads almost instantaneously. This would make a great, low cost set-up!!

 

Why do you want to install Linux alongside your Chrome OS? If you want to use Linux, you don't even have to install it. Just run it from the USB drive. Use Puppy Linux. It's designed to work from the USB drive. You don't have to install it into your hard drive.

 

There are some minor privacy concerns depending on the distribution you choose. Linux is more secure in regards to root file access but contrary to popular belief it isn't immune to malware or attack