| Many of you who are reading this article are using | | | | interpreters. There are, however differences |
| Windows as most of the other internet users do. | | | | between a Windows 9x command interpreter and |
| There is a huge difference between the number of | | | | one in an NT class flavor of Windows. Linux, like all |
| users of LINUX and Windows. Some say Windows is | | | | versions of UNIX, supports multiple command |
| much better than LINUX because it gives you an | | | | interpreters, but it usually uses one called BASH |
| easy handling of the hardware and software. Some | | | | (Bourne Again Shell). Others are the Korn shell, the |
| say LINUX is much better because it started as Open | | | | Bourne shell, ash and the C shell (pun, no doubt, |
| Source software and that's why it is much more | | | | intended). |
| flexible than Windows. Then why there is a huge | | | | The costs are amazingly different. While you have to |
| market difference between these operating | | | | pay some hundred dollars for a new version of |
| systems? | | | | Windows, you can simply go and download Linux. As |
| The answer to this question is quite easy. Since 1985, | | | | it comes from the nature of Linux, there are no |
| computer users and programmers became so | | | | manuals or simple installers for the free version, |
| accustomed to using Windows, even for the | | | | however. You really have to know what you are |
| changing capabilities and the appearances of the | | | | doing while using this free package. There are also |
| graphical interface of the versions, therefore it | | | | some easy automated packages of Linux for low |
| always stayed as the product of Microsoft. On the | | | | prices, as well. |
| other hand, LINUX has so many different versions | | | | The security issues with Windows, as most of you |
| from a variety of companies some of which are | | | | already know, are the biggest cons of Microsoft. |
| namely Lycoris, Red Hat, SuSE, Mandrake, Knoppix, | | | | Most of the malicious files, spyware, adware |
| Slackware, Lindows. These companies release their | | | | programs deal with Windows. You generally do not |
| own versions of the operating systems with slight | | | | deal with these kinds of unwanted circumstances |
| changes, and yet always with the same kernel. This | | | | unless you are working with Windows. The user-id |
| variety and the fact that none of these companies | | | | and password protection for Windows can also be |
| are even close to competing with Windows, mostly | | | | easily bypassed, whereas Linux offers a strong |
| causes the difference in the market. Nevertheless, | | | | protection. |
| this reality might drastically change after Novell's | | | | The only area that Windows beats Linux in this |
| purchase of SuSE. | | | | "competition" is the software availability. As it was |
| Linux and Windows differ in many aspects. First of all, | | | | mentioned above, most of the software releases are |
| the Linux GUI is optional while the Windows GUI is an | | | | configured for Windows. If you are using Linux, you |
| integral component of the OS; speed, efficiency and | | | | have to emulate Windows with a special software |
| reliability are all increased by running a server instance | | | | and then you can use your windows based programs. |
| of Linux without a GUI, something that server | | | | Another option can be to install Windows as a |
| versions of Windows can not do. The detached | | | | subsystem to Linux which takes all administrative |
| nature of the Linux GUI makes remote control and | | | | abilities of Windows and gives them to Linux. |
| remote administration of a Linux computer simpler | | | | After mentioning some of the different aspects of |
| and more natural than a Windows computer. | | | | these operating systems, it can be said that all Linux |
| Secondly the command prompts of these operating | | | | needs to compete with Windows is some user |
| systems are quite different. In general, the command | | | | friendly interface and a strong company support |
| interpreters in the Windows 9x series are very similar | | | | which can provide the users with technical |
| to each other and the NT class versions of Windows | | | | information and user manuals. |
| (NT, 2000, XP) also have similar command | | | | |