The Linux versus Windows debate has supporters on both sides, though I tend to see (granted everyone is entitled to their opinion, of course) people being very basis one way or the other. My goal here is to of course state my opinion, though I would also like to bring up those biases and how you should look at the issue from both sites. I have seen too many Pro-Microsft folks go "Linux is the Devil" and I have seen Linux-only users (remember you can dualboot if you want both .. you DONT have to choose) go "NOTHING Microsoft does is ever good" ... not true ... granted Microsoft seems to be "shooting themselves in the foot" repeatedly, I am not saying I dont also use Microsoft products.

This is just one video I know of, though its REALLY well done and as far as what Matthew Moore brings up ... I honestly (off the top of my head anyway), can NOT think of anything that he did not cover. The video does bring up what I want to bring up in text form, on this page, what he has also brought up in the video

Linux versus Windows Video by Matthew Moore

I (at the risk of sounding like I am kissing up) do tend to take the same view Matt does ... I use both Microsoft Windows AND Linux, though I tend to favor the Linux side. The fact for that is that (again I am not saying "anything Microsoft does is junk") I have found myself fixing things in Windows (many of which I feel should not be broken in the FIRST PLACE) ...

Microsoft Windows does have Pros, and even heavily favoring (many different distros on a number of computers .... see my other sections for more on that) Linux lately, I still think there is a need for Windows out there.

Here are some quick bullet-points of Pros and Cons (that I do plan on going into more details on in the future) of Windows and Linux

Windows

Pros

• Better Overall Hardware support -
• This is not to say Linux stinks in this area, though as Matt said in his video, if you go out and buy ...say a Printer... .there is a 50/50 chance it may work in Linux or not work at all ... it may also depend on which distribution of Linux you choose
• Granted that manufacturers assume your running a modern Operaring System... There may not be a guarantee that that shiney new printer will work with that older WindowsXP machine you have running, but typically (at the time I am typing this) it would work fine in Windows Vista through Windows 8.1 (again ... "typically")
• Gaming
• Windows (** please note, I do not game, myself ***) seems to be better for gaming and mainly due to many developers PROGRAMMING the game to work in Windows.
• This is not to say Linux doesn't have games, or is gaining ground fast, as some developers decide to code in a multi-platform way that allows them to release games on Windows AND many popular distributions of Linux as well
• Familiarity
• (Opinion) Part of this I think is force of habit, and with Windows 8, this has changed a bit, though ... People are familiar with Windows... not counting a few start menu changes, Windows 95 (@1995) to Windows 7 (released late 2009) rougly looks the same ... I could also put this same exact point in "Linux Pros" (for reasons I will get to there), but people are not "blindsided by" radically different chances to how they use their computer.

Cons

• Maintence
• This includes Defragmenting, Registry Cleaning and Pruning, Disk Cleanning (see my "Windows website" at http://xmetalfanx.x10.mx showing many of these tasks are not that bad... but just make a point ... not counting Disk Cleaning here (removing temp files, browser files...etc) ... these sorts of things are really "non-issues" in Linux
• Security
• Malware, Trojans, Worms, and Viruses (while still a concern when dealing with the Micsoft side) are a major security problem and users constantly have to update and scan and be aware of the dangers
• In Linux ... these (not counting dealing with files to MS users ... and then its not a "major concern" though it is a thought) are "non-issues" ... There are antiviruses FOR LINUX... though I have only installed one (ClamAV) to see what it was like ... I am fully comfortable not running any antivirus on Linux (Too many reasons to go into ... I'd just be rambling on to include that information here)

Linux

Advantages to Linux

• You are not limited to having to use Microsoft's Operating System and all of it's flaws, including Spyware/Malware, Registry Problems, Viruses and Trojans, ...etc
• (Most) Linux's are 100% free... at least they are suppose to be (for Home users).... the ones that cost money are for for enterprise/business use anyway
• Not counting a “base system”, you install (or have installed by default) what you want
• Granted that everyone uses different software]
  • Many programs are exactly (different installers, but same program) as in Windows. If you are very familiar with any of these programs, then you will be glad to know they are the same in Linux and its sense of something familiar when you try Linux.
    • Examples:
      • Pidgin
      • Firefox
      • Chromium (The open source browser, Google customizes and calls it's own)
      • VLC Media Player
      • Clementine Media Player
      • Open Office
      • Libre Office

• System Recovery
  • All of the “System Recovery” Cds/DVDs I have seen ARE Linux. I have to say that I have seen many users not even able to get into Safe Mode in Windows, and they think everything is lost. I have them boot Linux (any of these recovery discs OR any live distribution for that matter), and they can get to ALL of their files and backup no problem.
  • Live Media
    • In the case of many new Live distribution's (whatever version of Linux it is), you can even play videos and audio files right away... no need to install ANYTHING. This can be a savior for people that need to get to a certain file or anything of that nature and Windows is not working correctly.

Despite what some Linux enthusiasts say, Linux is not perfect... not yet.

There are drawbacks to Linux, which include

• Gambling with Hardware.
  • While hardware support is improving, if you run linux, there is a chance that say your printer goes out and you need to go to the store and buy a new one .. there is a 50% chance the new printer you choose will work just fine with Linux (some may work with some distibutions, but not with others).... there is also a 50% chance that, that printer will not work with the distribution of Linux you have installed
    • A) Will not work = "for now ... there may be an update evetually
    • B) This is one reason to dualboot or at least if your like me and use Linux most of the time and you run into an issue like this, you can also boot into Windows and do what you need to do (print, for example), then reboot into Linux again.
• NOT ALL SOFTWARE you know and love works in Linux
  • Even if you count "WINE" which is really finicky with some bigger software packages, and while in alot of cases, there are Linux alternatives, this may not always be the best option for some people
    • You can try Windows in a virtual machine OR ....(yet again) another reason to dualboot, keeping Windows installed... getting your "feet wet" with Linux, though keeping Microsoft Windows around for those " Must have" programs, that do not work well in Linux
• There is a learning curve
  • Alot of "how much of a curve" depends on a number of factors, including
    • What distro you choose, What desktop (aka "DE") you choose, how much time you are willing to at least read up on a few things that differ from MS Windows