Linux v Windows head to head
I’ve been using various Linux distributions for over a year now, trying to migrate from Windows with varying levels of success.
I still consider myself a novice user, mainly because the technical language of Linux overwhelms me.
I enjoy the mental arithmetic and logic that’s necessary to get things working; at other times I feel frustrated and disappointed.
This review will focus on the best of Linux, which I’ve experienced from Mepis and Suse (with credits to Conectiva and Puppy). I’ll match their applications up against the best of Windows and give ratings for each.
Office suite
I’m typing the first draft of this article in OpenOffice, which is open source and available in both Linux and Windows. I find that it’s fine for everyday use. I use Word a lot as well, Excel occasionally and Powerpoint infrequently.
I’m giving the nod to Windows here, partly because its dominance has established the various formats as pretty much universal. I know that OpenOffice can save and open doc files, but that can sometimes be a hassle and formatting can change.
Bullet points appear much more neatly in Word, for example. I find it easier to add the sum of columns in Excel.
Textmaker is a good commercial word processing alternative in Linux. But if you’re going to pay for the software you may as well use Word. If you want a good free alternative, then OpenOffice fits the bill. I won’t say anything positive about AbiWord, which is also cross platform, until it automatically prints curly quotes.
Linux 7 Windows 9
Personal Information Manager
Outlook is a tremendous integrated software package. However, it’s been my experience that Outlook crashes more easily and more frequently than any other Microsoft program. It also hangs when trying to shutdown on at least two of my computers.
Windows has many excellent Outlook alternatives, some free and some cross platform.
Linux has the KDE suite, which isn’t bad, and Evolution, which I prefer. Windows offers more choices for those who want them and gets the nod here again.
Linux 7 Windows 9
Web browsing
I’m a Firefox fan, so the points here are shared. I enjoy tabbed browsing and appreciate the extras that you can install optionally with Firefox.
Of course, it works in both Windows and Linux, so I can’t split the difference. Internet Explorer has never appealed to me, but there are some neat tabbed browsing clones, especially Maxthon and Avant Browser. I’m not big wraps on Konqueror, Epiphany or the main Mozilla browser in Linux.
Linux 8 Windows 8
I could have covered this under office suite, but for many people it’s an important standalone feature. Outlook is great, except for the crashing I mentioned earlier.
Outlook Express is fine. Thunderbird works in both. There are some good Windows programs, such as Scribe, and good Linux programs, such as Evolution. The points are even.
Linux 9 Windows 9
Web design
I previously used Dreamweaver for all my standard HTML design work. I’e moved on over the past few years to mainly using PHP content management systems, most of which can be maintained through WYSIWYG editors. Occasionally though, I need to create a page from scratch.
I no longer have Dreamweaver. I do have Adobe GoLive, which to me seems a difficult program to learn. I prefer to use Nvu, which is a native Linux program that also runs in Windows. Again, the points are shared.
For editing PHP files on the server I’m equally happy in Linux with Kate, or in Windows with PSPad.
Linux 8 Windows 8
Accounting
The points here go clearly to Windows. Since I established my business in 1999 I’ve used a commercial program called OwlGST to handle all my bookkeeping. It’s never let me down and transfers easily from an old PC to a new one, with all files intact.
I’ve yet to come across a Linux accounting program. There is some personal financial management software available, but with Internet banking, who needs it, regardless of the system?
Linux 2 Windows 9
Images
I’m a keen amateur photographer and I take a lot of digital photos for my clients as well. I need pictures for the web, brochures and newspaper reproduction.
Both Linux and Windows recognise my digital camera and download easily. Both systems have good editing programs, although Windows offers a wider choice, including some useful freeware options.
For press work I need to convert images to CMYK format, which so far I’ve only been able to do in Adobe Photoshop. Until Gimp offers this feature as standard it will lag behind, in my view.
I like Digikam for album management in Linux, but there are many similar programs in Windows, some of them free, such as Google’s Picasa.
Linux 6 Windows 9
Desktop publishing
My work involves producing press-ready materials such as newspaper pages, color brochures and marketing products.
I was weaned on Pagemaker 5 many years ago and followed Adobe through to its current Creative Suite and InDesign. I taught myself how to create banners, ads and graphics in Illustrator. The Linux alternatives just don’t match up, and my crossover experience with Illustrator just didn’t work.
I’ve been impressed with Inkscape for vector drawing in Linux, but can’t embrace Scribus as a commercial option for page layout at this stage.
Linux 5 Windows 9
Audio
I don’t play CDs much on computers, but when I do I expect them to work. Sound issues frequently occurred for me with various Linux distros, but for the most part they’re now resolved after much research, trial and error.
Having installed Windows ME on a couple of older computers recently I can say the same problems arose there. Windows XP is superb for its hardware and soundcard detection.
Linux 6 Windows 7
Video
I won’t rate this section, simply because I haven’t tried Linux for downloading video from my camera, or editing. I suspect Windows will be stronger though, simply because there is greater choice.
Utilities
I class utilities as gadgets such as rulers, color pickers, calculators, system monitoring devices, etc.
In this regard both Linux and Windows compare favorably. There are good freeware options in Windows, if you know where to look, and many others that say they’re shareware and want money. Linux is free.
Linux 7 Windows 6
Look and feel, hardware
Windows and its software seems to be more polished. Suse and Mandrake do a good job for Linux, but there’s always an underlying feel that something is not quite right.
Hardware detection is great with Windows XP, although some older items (like my Canon scanner) have problems. Linux is getting better and I’m big wraps for Mepis in this regard.
Linux 6 Windows 8
Value for money
Most Linux distributions are free and the commercial ones are much cheaper than Windows, likewise with software. Most people respect the intent of licensing rules for Windows, but I question the fairness of restricting an operating system to one PC, especially when that PC might become redundant or used for another system.
I’ve crossed old systems over to Linux and then wanted to dual boot for the kids’ study and home use. Under the Windows regime the Windows ME CD that I paid for can’t be used again. Who can keep track of what CD was applied on what computer eight or nine years ago?
Linux 9 Windows 3
Total
Linux 79 Windows 96
Summary
I use Linux for 60 percent of my personal computing and 20 percent of my business computing. That equates to about 60-40 overall in favor of Linux. I prefer to use Linux for email, web browsing, web site updates and writing personal letters.
For these functions it can match or exceed Windows, depending on your personal preferences.
I have to use Windows for bookkeeping and desktop publishing, which also causes me to use it for some personal requirements. Most of my business documents are written in Word, although I’m slowly migrating to OpenOffice. I support Linux as a value alternative and want it to succeed. I offer no adverse
criticism here, just my observations.
Search any Linux forum and you will find people who have had problems with modems, audio or something else. It isn’t perfect, but in most cases it’s free or low cost. We should all be grateful for this.
I'm a 41-year-old father of four working as a newspaper editor at Mount Gambier in South Australia.
