Windows vs Linux

Introduction:

Comparisons between the Microsoft Windows and Linux computer operating systems are a long-running discussion topic within the personal computer industry. Throughout the entire period of the Windows 9x systems through the introduction of Windows 7, Windows has retained an extremely large retail sales majority among operating systems for personal desktop use, while Linux has sustained its status as the most prominent free software operating system. After their initial clash, both operating systems moved beyond the user base of the personal computer market and share a rivalry on a variety of other devices, with offerings for the server and embedded systems markets, and mobile internet access.

Linux and Microsoft Windows differ in philosophy, cost, versatility and stability, with each seeking to improve in their perceived weaker areas. Comparisons of the two operating systems tend to reflect their origins, historic user bases and distribution models. Typical perceived weaknesses regularly cited have often included poor consumer familiarity with Linux, and Microsoft Windows ' susceptibility to viruses and malware.

Proponents of free software argue that the key strength of Linux is the degree of freedom allowed to the users, as embodied in The Free Software Definition: "the freedom to run the program to study and change it. The freedom to redistribute copies, improves the program, and release your improvements. " Some fear that this "freedom of choice" primarily offers choices that are not pertinent to the mainstream majority of computer users.

Linux the notion of an administrative (root) user that maintains and operates the system, and desktop users who only run the software on the system, is completely ingrained in most Linux distributions. Now it’s true that many Linux users ignore these features and run all their software from a root-level account anyway, but that’s a choice that they’ve made. The system defaults to protecting the operating system components from its user’s actions (intentional or otherwise). That feature alone must account in large degree for the dearth of viruses and other malicious vermin on Linux and UNIX platforms. Windows, on the other hand, started life as a single user system, with that single user being all-powerful. Although that’s no longer the case, the general attitude can still be found in many Windows-based software products – many of which just can’t be installed and/or run properly without desktop administrator privileges. This is all changing for the better, but it took Microsoft far too long to adopt this default-secure configuration practice.

According to the survey by the Red Hat Linux windows share a market share of the 20.36% actual web servers and that of Linux shares a market share of 74.29%. Coming down to the officially registered versions it is vice-versa where windows share 73.9% and Linux shares 21.2% of officially registered.

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References:

Introduction and comparison about operating systems retrieved on 1st October 2010 from http://www.michaelhorowitz.com/Linux.vs.Windows.html

References: Introduction and comparison about operating systems retrieved on 1st October 2010 from http://www.michaelhorowitz.com/Linux.vs.Windows.html