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18Jan/088

What you can do in Linux that you can’t in Windows or Mac

I have decided to put together here a list of things you can do in Linux that you can't in Windows or Mac, all these entries are taken from this thread at ubuntuforums.org

(p.s. Some readers have correctly stated that I am obviously not a Mac user. Apparently some, or many, of these points apply to Mac as well. If any readers would like to make corrections I would be glad to edit this list appropriately. I have also cleaned up the list.)

  • Linux doesn't need defraging
  • Upgrade to the newest version legally and without paying money
  • Have the latest version of the OS run faster than the previous version on the same hardware
  • Easily install and run different graphical interfaces
  • Install twenty programs with one command
  • Have the system automatically update all installed programs
  • Highlight to copy & middle click to paste
  • Alt+click to drag windows
  • Infinitely customize the looks... without paying for a 3rd party app like window blinds
  • Run a viable operating system that doesn't corrupt files, crash constantly and fall victim to a virus every 30 seconds
  • Being able to install/uninstall everything, even if it comes embedded in the system
  • Fix bugs, add/ change features beyond the capabilities offered by the original writers
  • As soon as you log on, you have an update manager that tells you about updates to all packages, which then, upon downloading and updating gives you better functionality and exciting new features at no additional cost on an INTEGRATED OS - not just security updates for an OS that has more security holes than swiss cheese
  • Recompile the system for speed
  • Update the system software without having to restart
  • Run without a GUI
  • See what programs and libraries are installed, and see exactly which ones have updates
  • Open downloaded files with less fear of compromise to your system
  • Ease of having virtual desktops to prevent clutter with minimal hardware resources
  • Try out software, uninstall them and they are totally uninstalled from your system
  • Allows for ease of dual-booting other operating systems and distros
  • Customise your PC, completely destroy it, click a few buttons and be back to where you started
  • Being able to change the system configuration with nothing but a text editor, and not having to reboot to make the changes effective
  • Have a fully functional system after a 35 minutes initial setup
  • sudo apt-get install
  • Fit an entire OS, GUI, GIMP, and Office Suite onto a single CD which you can give away to someone else after you have installed it
  • installation of updates and progs without constant reboots
  • Being able to split windows
  • Not wasting so much time on virus/spyware scans
  • The gnome clock integrates with Evolution, and it shows a calendar when you click on it
  • Have the Trash applet on the panel
  • Have stuff going on in the background terminal (like downloading) without it taking up any room on the gui where you do most of your computer use
  • Do everything faster and better than in Windows without seeing twenty blue screens because M$ doesn't like you copying more than four files at a time
  • Bash commands
  • Open/edit files that are in the trash, without having to restore them first
  • Tweak anything
  • Package management (safe, easy, doesn't waste space with the same version of libraries loaded more than once)
  • No licensing issues
  • Change music volume in a background player without refocusing, as long as you can see part of the player
  • Can scroll one pane in Nautilus while the other is focused. Can't do that in Explorer. Makes it so much easier to use quickly
  • It will work almost on any given computer. Intel, AMD or Mac machine depending on what hardware your using at the time. In 32 bit and 64 bit.
  • The coolest thing you can do with Linux that you can't do with Mac or Windows is make a derivative distro (legally)
  • Not having to care in the slightest about driver / software updates
  • A disk I/O system that doesn't use all of the system's resources (try doing anything on WinXP while doing a search)
  • Resize a partition without having to delete it first and lose data
  • Freedom
  • No typing in a 25-digit product key to realize your dog scratched off the last digit
  • Install a top notch operating system on all computers in the house for the cost of one cd-r
  • Use cp -a to copy, backup, replicate entire OSs
  • The ability of get the source of anything and see how things are done
  • Linux can natively mount disc images
  • It doesn´t get slow without any reason
  • A centralised warehouse (repository) of software
  • Package management
  • Don't have to worry about a closed-source OS grabbing every keystroke and sending it back to some huge database
  • Can run a LiveCD on a machine that only has 128 megabytes of ram and no hard drive
  • Logging in as a normal user (without root privileges), can't mess up the system
  • Boot in less than a minute
  • Create listing of all files in a folder on a spreadsheet, by simply opening the folder choosing select all and then copy, followed by pasting it onto a blank spreadsheet
  • Downgrade
  • Move a file while its being used by another program
  • Different language desktops for different users
  • Linux distros can read and write more filesystem types than any windows OS
  • Faulty and unreadable fat32 and ntfs filesystems can be fully readable and will not blue screen a linux system
  • Zip files with folder structures open and display with the folder structure fully intact
  • A single Linux system can have its components spread over multiple drives or partitions seamlessly
  • KDE based distros can have tabbed file browsing instead of multiple versions of the file browser open

If you can think of more, please share them and Ill add them to the list.

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Comments (8) Trackbacks (3)
  1. KDE based distros can have tabbed file browsing instead of multiple versions of the file browser open – maybe nautilus can do the same?
    Try that on a pos windows system

    Linux distros can read and write more filesystem types than any filthy windows OS

    Faulty and unreadable fat32 and ntfs filesystems can be fully readable and will not blue screen a linux system

    Zip files with folder structures open and display with the folder structure fully intact.

    Symlinks are superior to anything MS has ever produced.

    A single Linux system can have its components spread over multiple drives or partitions seamlessly.

  2. Linux can delete windows files or folders that windows cannot delete without the need for 3rd party applications.

  3. Awesome list! I love it :D

  4. You clearly aren’t a Mac user are you. Loads of things on this list are things which Macs do also.

    Because of this the article is pretty inaccurate.

  5. Jimbo:

    That is correct, I am not a Mac user. I will gladly edit the list if any corrections are submitted.

    Thanks.

  6. I’m not sure if you can run conky on Windows/Mac either…you might be able to on a Mac

  7. Microsoft Windows – is anyone out there still stupid enough to still be using that merde?

  8. Ok. I might be wrong about OSX
    * turn off computer, move system hard disc to your brand new compiter, boot up and everything works. No need to reinstall, possibly a kernel upgrade, but that’s easily done using synaptic.
    * displays Nikon NEF files as thumbnails in nautilus.
    * install a complete system on a Compact Flash and use dd command for replication. Nerdy but unreplaceable for QM control.


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