this post was submitted on 19 Sep 2023
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Linux

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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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edit: hey guys, 60+ comments, can't reply from now on, but know that I am grateful for your comments, keep the convo going. Thank you to the y'all people who gave unbiased answers and thanks also to those who told me about Waydroid and Docker

edit: Well, now that's sobering, apparently I can do most of these things on Windows with ease too. I won't be switching back to Windows anytime soon, but it appears that my friend was right. I am getting FOMO Fear of missing out right now.

I do need these apps right now, but there are some apps on Windows for which we don't have a great replacement

  1. Adobe
  2. MS word (yeah, I don't like Libre and most of Libre Suit) it's not as good as MS suite, of c, but it's really bad.
  3. Games ( a big one although steam is helping bridge the gap)
  4. Many torrented apps, most of these are Windows specific and thus I won't have any luck installing them on Linux.
  5. Apparently windows is allowing their users to use some Android apps?

Torrented apps would be my biggest concern, I mean, these are Windows specific, how can I run them on Linux? Seriously, I want to know how. Can wine run most of the apps without error? I am thinking of torrenting some educational software made for Windows.



Let me list the customizations I have done with my xfce desktop and you tell me if I can do that on Windows.

I told my friend that I can't leave linux because of all the customization I have done and he said, you just don't like to accept that Windows can do that too. Yeah, because I think it can't do some of it (and I like Linux better)

But yeah, let's give the devil it's due, can I do these things on Windows?

  1. I have applications which launch from terminal eg: vlc would open vlc (no questions asked, no other stuff needed, just type vlc)
  2. Bash scripts which updates my system (not completely, snaps and flatpaks seem to be immune to this). I am pretty sure you can't do this on Windows.
  3. I can basically automate most of my tasks and it has a good integration with my apps.
  4. I can create desktop launchers.
  5. Not update my system, I love to update because my updates aren't usually 4 freaking GB and the largest update I have seen has been 200-300 mbs, probably less but yeah, I was free to not update my PC if I so choose. Can you do this on Windows? And also, Linux updates fail less often, I mean, it might break your system, but the thing won't stop in the middle and say "Bye Bye, updates failed" and now you have to waste 4GB again to download the update. PS: You should always keep your apps upto date mostly for security reasons, but Linux won't force it on you and ruin your workflow.
  6. Create custom panel plugin.

  1. My understanding is that the Windows terminal sucks? I don't know why, it just looks bad.

I am sure as hell there are more but this is at the top of my mind rn, can I do this on Windows. Also, give me something that you personally do on Linux but can't do it on Windows.

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[–] const_void@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Use the command line to do everything instead of using mouse clicks for everything. It's so annoying how much mousing you have to do on Windows even for stuff only admins/programmers would touch.

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[–] offspec@lemmy.nicknakin.com 6 points 1 year ago

Pulseaudio's networked audio devices are sick, and similarly getting your computer's headphones/mic on your phone by just connecting your phone to your computer over bluetooth is fantastic.

[–] fratermus@lemmy.sdf.org 6 points 1 year ago

Install quickly and without license hoopjumping.

[–] yote_zip@pawb.social 5 points 1 year ago

Flatpaks can be updated via shell scripts with something like flatpak update -y - what trouble are you having?

As for things that Linux can do that Windows can't the list is literally endless. I think the biggest one for me is that the system does what I tell it to do. I'm not begging my computer to do things, I am commanding it. I don't want my OS to think for itself and second-guess me, and I don't want my computer to tell me "no". Also, being able to use a filesystem made within the last 30 years could be considered useful depending on if you value your data. ZRAM is another neat trick that seems obvious in hindsight. Linux has all the cool experimental technology first, and it takes a long time to end up on Windows, if ever.

[–] EccTM@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 year ago (3 children)
  1. You can start applications from windows command line. Depending on the program you might need to provide the full path to the executable though. Eg: Start chrome.exe
  2. Windows has a (preinstalled in Window 11, optional in Windows 10) software called WinGet that will update all recognized applications via command line. Covers stuff from Windows Store, and most popular software installers. Basically acts as a Windows package manager.
  3. batch files, software like autohotkey... automation can definitely be done in Windows too.
  4. You mean shortcuts?
  5. Pretty certain you can defer updates until the time suits, but Windows is definitely more forceful in pushing updates than Linux. There are ways of turning off updates too, but probably not without third party software or digging in regedit blindly.
  6. Rainmeter could provide something similar.
  7. Do you mean Command Prompt, or Windows Terminal? Terminal is actually pretty nice, and very customizable, both in terms of theme and functionality.

I run Arch Linux (btw) and have a very neglected Windows 11 partition.

I have a command set up in linux using ddcutil that allows me to tell my second monitor to swap source from HDMI (Chromecast) to DisplayPort (PC) and back as desired. No clue how I'd do that in Windows.

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[–] Granixo@feddit.cl 5 points 1 year ago (3 children)

With Linux you can save money by going 1 tier lower on the CPU (AKA buy a Ryzen 3 instead of a Ryzen 5, and so on) than you would go on Windows, at the same performance.

And of course, you can invest that money on other components or other stuff in general. 💵

[–] cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.de 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

You take the money you saved on the windows license and use it to buy a better CPU or GPU.

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[–] Subject6051@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I don't understand the downvotes, I guess for some tasks you need almost equal CPU but you are right, as in, if your computing power isnt' being sucked by power hungry and resource hungry machine, you can do more with less.

Haha... that should be the logo of Linux, do more will less

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[–] glue_snorter@lemmy.sdfeu.org 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

My understanding is that the Windows terminal sucks? I don't know why, it just looks bad.

Your understanding is wrong. I've tried 8 different terminals on mac, arch and kubuntu, and I miss Windows Terminal every day. It looks good and the config is a pleasure. I don't expect Linux to look pretty, but MacOS had fucking awful font rendering and it's supposed to be this upmarket OS for moneyed pricks in black turtlenecks. Was everyone in unixland busy doing drugs while Microsoft was implementing anti-aliasing? Is clear legible type for losers?

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[–] Blizzard@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)
  1. Not update my system

You can't do that on Windows, the updates are forced on you.

[–] Treeniks@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago (3 children)

You definitely can with Group Policies.

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[–] feanpoli@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago

You can be root on GNU/Linux, you cannot on Windows or any other nasty proprietary OS.

[–] mfat@lemdro.id 4 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Plug in every USB i find on the ground without fear.

[–] Magnetar@feddit.de 5 points 1 year ago

There are USB-killers, which produce voltage spikes to fry your mainboard, or just the USB part of it, if you're lucky.

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[–] 18107@aussie.zone 3 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Customise the displayed clock. I have 3 monitors, a taskbar on each, and at least one clock on each. From left to right my clocks show:

Unix time (1695110535)
Full datetime (2023-09-19T17:32:15 +0930)
12 hour time (5:32)
Abbreviated datetime (Tuesday, 2023-09-19, 17:32).

If I wanted to, I could display the datetime as YYYY-hh-MM, ss:DD:mm. I'm fairly sure this is not possible on windows.

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[–] somenonewho@feddit.de 3 points 1 year ago

Nothing. Also everything.

You can probably do most of not all of the things I do on Linux on a regular basis on windows just as well. But at this point I feel like I have a reverse "Windows is the default" effect going on since for me Linux has been and is the default for over 10 years.

When I start work in the morning I turn on my Linux laptop to ssh into some Linux servers (and RDP to the occasional windows servers/desktops).

After work I play games on my Linux handheld or do some work on my Linux desktop. Maybe move some files on my Linux Nas.

Like I said I could probably do all of this on windows. It would be a major change and in would have to relearn some things in addition to figuring out how to do some stuff on windows that I just never do. But at this point why even bother. There are a lot of ideological reasons to move to Linux there might be some technical reasons on either side but I just don't have any pull to use windows unless I need to (some special program/firmware updater whatever) for which I do have an install hanging around, which I boot once in 6months or so

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