Dual-booting is great. You can use multiple operating systems without having to use a different computer. I dual-boot Windows 8 and Ubuntu 13.04. However, I rarely log into my Windows 8 partition for many reasons.
Ubuntu Has The Apps I Need
People may say that Windows has more applications available. While that may be true, nearly every app I need is available on Ubuntu. For example, Spotify and Skype both have a Linux version of their application. There are a few programs that don’t have dedicated Linux versions, like Finale. For those apps, I can just install them using WINE. Besides, Windows may have more apps, but not all of them are quality.
Speed Speed Speed
Windows 8 is faster than Windows 7, but it’s not nearly as fast as Ubuntu. Windows uses a lot more resources than Ubuntu. It lags constantly when I’m doing simple tasks like checking emails or browsing Alpha Efficiency (which if you aren’t reading it, you really should!). When I’m using Ubuntu, it’s rare that anything lags because of resources. Also, Ubuntu boots up quicker than Windows.
Windows Isn’t Pretty
This might just be my opinion, but I personally don’t think that windows is that attractive. I’m not a big fan of the metro interface because it isn’t asthetically pleasing. Ubuntu wins out over Windows because it is a lot more customizable when it comes to modifying the interface. If you don’t like how something looks, you can just switch desktop environments or window managers. Windows locks you into a certain set up and only let’s you change the color scheme.
Updates On Windows Are A Hassle
Windows 8 finally gave its users an app store. However, it doesn’t make updates easier. The app store only gives updates to metro apps. It doesn’t provide the system updates, and it doesn’t update non-metro apps. With Ubuntu, there is a Software Updater application that updates all of your apps and system patches. Windows needs to combine the Windows Store and the Windows Update applications. Having a central place for updates simplifies the user experience and makes things easier for everybody.
Ubuntu Provides Free Upgrades For Life
Microsoft may have lowered the price to upgrade to Windows 8 for a period of time, but it doesn’t beat the price of free. With Windows Blue coming around the corner, it seems like Microsoft will make you pay for expensive upgrades every year if you want the latest Windows operating system. Because of Ubuntu’s Linux roots, all upgrades are free for life. You never have to pay to have the latest Ubuntu operating system. Microsoft should either give free upgrades for a few years, or at least give it away at a severely lower price after the initial purchase of Windows.
Ubuntu Is More Secure Than Windows
Over the years, Windows has gotten a lot of crap over viruses and other vulnerabilities. Windows HAS gotten better than before. However, it isn’t nearly as secure as Ubuntu. Ubuntu isn’t virus free, but there are far less viruses made for Ubuntu. There really isn’t any question about it; Ubuntu is a lot more secure than Windows.
Ubuntu is Open Sourced
This isn’t such a big deal to a lot of people, but I prefer open source over closed source any day of the week. I personally think that open source software is superior because it revolves around the people and what they want, not what companies want to give their users. 99% of the time, I will use an open-source program over a closed source program if I have the chance.
Okay, Okay, Windows Isn’t All Bad
Over the years, Windows has improved drastically. There are a good chunk of programs that work well in windows that won’t run on Linux, even with WINE (curse you iTunes!). Also, a lot more places use Windows, so it will be easier for most people to go from one computer to another without having to learn a new operating system. I don’t mind using Windows that much (as long as it is at least 7), I just prefer to use something else.
Of course this is just my opinion about what’s better. It all boils down to the users needs. Not everybody is going to have the same opinion and not everybody is going to agree with me. That’s fine. I’m not trying to force Ubuntu on anybody, I’m just stating what I’ve noticed about it and why I prefer it over Windows.
Do you dual-boot Windows and Ubuntu? Tell us about it in the comments below!
The Boardman Perspective 
I really appreciate this post since it talks about various advantages when running Linux. I really don’t use Windows on my laptop much anymore. In fact, I would have to say I use Linux more than 90 % of the time and it works just fine for me. I have also noticed the speed and the ability to change desktops whenever I feel like, in fact i discuss those things on my blog. As well as security. Not bad for an operating system that I paid absolutely nothing for monetarily
I agree with you. I think it’s kind of funny that a free operating system that is maintained by the community is better than a paid operating system being worked on by trained professionals that get paid to do it. :-) Anyways, I’m glad that you enjoyed the post.
Frankly, I think it’s a shame that such is indeed the case. As long as Windows has been around one would think they would have gotten their act together by now.
Reblogged this on anthonyvenable110 and commented:
awesome points about Linux
Thanks for mentioning AlphaEfficiency ! Feels great to be featured on your blog! You rock! See you on App.net.
Anytime! AlphaEfficiency is one of my favourite sites.
I dual-boot Windows 7 and Ubuntu 12.04 LTS on my laptop, run Windows 8 on a new computer (have yet to install Ubuntu), and an older desktop running Ubuntu 13.04. Windows 8 is no where near customizable as Ubuntu. HOWEVER, it is incredibly easy to make life easier if you can’t stand Metro or just need time to get used to it. After first booting into that computer I immediately looked up ways to revive the start menu, my old pal. Stardock’s Start8 is a perfect solution. It creates a start menu just like Windows 7 and allows you to choose Windows 8, 7 and other icons for the start menu button and select classic or 8 style for the menu itself. When it installed, it prompted me to also install ModernMix, which allows all Metro apps to open up in the desktop and be pinned to the taskbar. So, at least for thirty days, I have a perfect solution. With some coupons online, Start8 is only $3.99 so it isn’t a really pricy solution (and technically, you could unadvisably torrent it). I’ve done a lot of customization on Ubuntu, so I was pretty surprised there was such a simple solution for Windows 8, but it is true. Most of the hotspots are disabled since I disabled them in Start8, but sliding the mouse across the right side of the screen opens the normal side bar. You can also choose what the start key (keyboard) opens. I choose to have the start key open the Start8 menu and have Ctrl+Windows to open Metro. So, the easily modified interface is perfect and still allows easy access to Metro. Metro, in and of itself, is no reason to recommend Ubuntu, while I would certainly agree Ubuntu is a superior operating system as far as performance is concerned. I do love Photoshop and managed to make Photoshop CS6 run with Wine, but Adobe CS is known to have issues. There are, in fact, many Windows applications that simply won’t run or won’t run properly. Still, Wine is amazing and even runs some older applications better than Windows 7/8 running in compatibility mode. Lastly, I do use VMWare to run Windows and Mac OS X. If needed, incompatible software can be run inside a virtual machine with Unity Mode enabled so the applications will appear in standard application windows, albeit with far reduced performance and speed, perhaps even graphics lag. So in the end, I would definitely agree with your conclusion that Ubuntu is a superior operating system and my preferred system of choice, but Windows does have its own advantages. Hence, I still keep my dual boot setup and will likely update Windows in the future. While I would love to discuss more about Ubuntu and Windows, don’t want to make this comment any longer. Thanks for the article.
Thanks for the post. Great information. I have years of both Windows and Linux/Unix. When comes to getting real work done in a dev environment Linux beats Windows hands down. BTW, what laptop do you have. Looking for a new development laptop.