Can Linux be used for everyday purpose?
“In real open source, you have the right to control your own destiny.”
-Linus Torvalds
About a month ago I decided to dual boot Linux and use it for my everyday purposes. In this article I would like to share my review of Linux compared to Windows. Windows and Linux are two very popular operating systems used today and my aim here is not to prove that Windows is a bad OS and Linux is a good OS. In this article I would just like to give my personal review of what I felt better in Linux as compared to Windows.
Installation woes..
A lot of times people think that installing Linux is a very tough job and they might end up messing it up. To be honest when I first installed Linux I faced a few issues as well and couldn’t install it properly. But to be honest, this was not a problem with Linux but a problem with me. I was choosing an option incorrectly while installing and ending up not getting Boot Loader. So, I think an important take away here is that many problems in Linux arise if user doesn’t know properly what he/she is doing. I think installing Linux is not very complicated if one follows instructions properly.I even faced an issue when I entered a command and it made it impossible for me to install anything. To not end up having such issues one must not use root user as a beginner and should never enter any command without proper knowledge of what it does and rest all is not so bad. But always follow instructions properly.
But looking at a positive side I found it really helpful sometimes when I entered a wrong command as in Windows I never knew what was happening in the background but now whenever I make a mistake it’s a chance to learn what I did wrong.
WHAT’S GOOD?
So, now that we have installed Linux, it’s time to use it. I installed Kali Linux in my system as I had already used it on VM before. Many people say that this OS should not be used for daily use and it’s just because it’s made for hacking purposes primarily and it’s assumed that normal users don’t use it. So, sometimes it can be a bit difficult to get solutions for issues you face. But as a beginner you may use Ubuntu or Linux mint. Ubuntu is a debian based Linux distribution and it has a really good community support. You are very likely to find solutions for any issues you face. Even in Kali Linux if I face any issue I look for answers in Ubuntu community as both distributions are debian based and have a lot in common. But let’s discuss how I felt using Kali Linux for normal uses.
1. Performance -
I had a lot of performance issues with my windows as time passed. It kept freezing and was very slow. However, this may not be an issue in every system but I think Linux is really better in this aspect being a light weight OS. Since I installed Linux, I have experienced really smooth performance. All my applications run really faster be it browsers, IDEs, or any other stuff you may want. This for me has been the biggest plus point of using Linux. The same stuff that took really long time for launching in Windows just opens up so quickly here. Also this problem of slow performance was in shutting down and turning on my system as well. Sometimes, it felt like I just wanted to avoid using my PC for a job if it could be done from my mobile just ’cause it will take ages to switch on my PC. But now my PC opens and shuts down really quickly. Now, my thought is to use PC for whatever I can.
2.Updates-
Now this is also a really big issue. I personally hate updating my system and really delayed updates till I was forced by Windows to download a very big update. Personally, my biggest problem was that I could not use my system while it was updating but in Linux you can just continue using your system while it is updating. You can easily watch a movie or any web series while you system is updating rather than waiting for your system to allow you access.
3.Free stuff-
Who doesn’t like free stuff? In Windows you are asked to pay for a lot of software but in Linux you will find equally useful software available for free. Many people tend to use pirated software to avoid paying for it but why not use a free alternative that’s equally good and avoid promoting piracy. And talking about free I just can’t miss out the point that Linux in itself is free and open source. This means you don’t need to pay for either using Linux or installing any software in it.
4.But Linux will not provide good interface….
Many people think that Linux is all about command line interface and ordinary users can’t use it. But I really think Linux has a really good GUI as well. You can easily manage all the software you are running. I am currently using Kali Linux and I think that after latest update is feeling really nice. I will even say that I am feeling that it’s even better than Windows. I can easily manage all the tabs and windows that I am working on plus I get really beautiful wallpapers and themes.
Also, talking about CLI, it’s not that bad and after some practice it’s not that difficult to do basic stuff with CLI. Also, you will have a huge community support if you get stuck anywhere. It’s also good to know how everything happens in the background. And, I think if you want it that way you can do most of the basic stuff using just GUI but I recommend using CLI and you will like it once you start using it.
CONCLUSION
So, I would just like to conclude by saying that I can do all my basic stuff like browsing, watching movies, programming, accessing online classes, and so much more in Linux with really good performance and no irritating updates and a really good interface. So, until I face any issue I can’t resolve, I am staying here. Are you going to try Linux?(You might end up staying as well!)
