In my May 2021 blog “Operating System Wars” I compared some aspects of Windows to Linux and gave some pros and cons that one would need to consider in evaluating these two Operating Systems. Now over four years later, it's probably time for a review. Since then Linux desktop usage has grown globally by over 33% and is constantly improving and simply far more stable than Windows. Whilst there are still far too many Linux distros out there that make selection confusing for the uninitiated, over time a much smaller selection of distros have become clear standouts for those wishing to take the plunge, and migrate. Certainly, Microsoft by restricting hardware for Windows 11 and no longer providing Windows 10 with security patches, has provided many with an ideal opportunity to do so, and they quickly have realised how fast and efficient Linux is, even on much older hardware.
Currently 100% of the top 500 Supercomputers in the world are running Linux. In the IBM dominated mainframe world, there has been a huge surge in their Z Series running LinuxONE. No matter how one looks at its, Linux is the fastest growing OS segment in the world, running on the vast majority of mobile devices and totally dominating in the Science and Engineering fields. Even NASA migrated the International Space Station over to Linux years ago in an effort to improve stability and efficiency. Simply ignoring Linux comes with risks!
Whilst I intend focusing on the “Desktop” PC here, there are still issues that the average user needs to be aware of:
Basically, because Microsoft is a single business entity, software developers across the globe simply need a single version of their product to be able to sell and provide it for the entire Windows environment. With Linux this is not as easy. With so many distros, few software developers are keen to have to make so many various versions for each different Linux distro. As a result many software vendors simply do not provide Linux versions at all!
It’s the reason that most Linux Distros have their own built-in Software “Store” to make life easier for their users. This does come with benefits though, as it’s much easier to download and install apps directly from the built-in store, and with the knowledge that they have been fully tested, are malware free, and also much easier to uninstall too.
It explains why so many Linux Distros come pre-installed with the Firefox Browser, Thunderbird Email, LibreOffice, VLC Media Player etc.. Out of the box, most users will be up and running almost immediately.
For those who absolutely must run a Microsoft Application, one can still do so using “Wine” which is basically a Linux Windows Emulator that can run thousands of Microsoft Window applications without any issues. It must be noted that by enlarge, Linux is Open Source, so businesses who want to run their systems with Microsoft 365, Teams etc., will probably avoid going the Linux route anyway. The Linux world is all about freedom of choice, and never having to be locked into a single vendor’s product.
Probably the largest single issue that is holding back the majority of computer users who are considering migrating to Linux, is the fear of not having the necessary knowledge or skill to actually install and use it! It certainly is not related to the confidence or belief in the Linux system itself. If one is able and willing to search the thousands of Linux Forums and blogs, solving Linux issues is not going to be a problem though. The Linux community is well known for its many online fourms and user blogs.
In 2025, I now only use a single Windows 11 PC and two Linux Mint ones. The Linux computers are far easier to maintain and I experience far less frustration with them mostly because unlike Microsoft, they don’t force me to use the computer in a specific way, and don’t make updates and patches so painful to download AND install. As for stability, it’s a no contest – Linux wins hands down as I have never experienced a system crash or any other major event that I could not resolve almost immediately!
For some years now I have been using Linux Mint - It was an easy decision to make because it is so stable and easy to use. A more difficult task was to determine which user Interface (GUI) to install because I discovered that I needed more flexibility with the Desktop layout. After much testing, I settled on Xfce and not the more hyped Cinnamon which I found to be sluggish and slowed down by animated icons and other bloatware (fancy Bells & Whistles). I really wanted raw speed, flexibility, efficiency and as I mentioned above, stability, this as Xfce is not using a bleeding edge interface, so requires less updates and patches to keep it running smoothly.
