What makes Linux OS so good?

[Seliph]

I'm not saying it is good because in truth I've never tried it. I've been using Windows ever since Windows XP and still use it to this day. I've never switched to Linux or MacOS. I have heard from people that Linux is better than both OSes but I'm not sure why, it looks a bit like a hybrid of the two with the functionality of Windows and the aesthetics of MacOS. Is there any reason I'd want to switch to Linux or is it just a niche for programmers and people who really care about computer specs (or something)?

 

[Deleted User]

Easy to program.
Learn terminal in just 3 days.
Customizable [Every part is changeable, and so far i saw very gorgeous desktops]
And blah blah, open source etc. etc.

Both OSes are good, Windows and Linux are good Dual-boot combo.
But MacOSX is just... eh... not my cup of tea. It's a wanky system restricted only for Apple shit.

 

[Seliph]

Easy to program.
Learn terminal in just 3 days.
Customizable [Every part is changeable, and so far i saw very gorgeous desktops]
And blah blah, open source etc. etc.

Both OSes are good, Windows and Linux are good Dual-boot combo.
But MacOSX is just... eh... not my cup

Alright, that's generally what I gathered. Thanks!

 

[BullyWiiPlaza]

The only good thing is open source and customizability.

However, it's just a niche product hence practically nobody but nerds using it but people on this site praise it as the best thing ever to stare at 5 terminals and error logs at once with cryptic output when you try to do any kind of work on the system with buggy open source terminal-only software because nobody is getting paid to do any fixing or aesthetics since "it's not needed" when you can just work with the terminal, find the bugs yourself and re-compile in case you ran into problems or don't like something. Sadly, nobody has the time to do this if you're trying to do some "real" work instead of ripping your hair out.

 

[Ryccardo]

The biggest appeal to me is exactly the ability to mix and match almost everything -- you're not forced to install, let's say, a specific calculator app or paint program*, despite unfortunately efforts to reduce freedom of choice (proprietary drivers, outright unavailable drivers, and systemd)

* I actually don't know any Paint-class equivalent for non-windows systems, only Gimp which is rather more featured

 

[Deleted User]

The only good thing is open source and customizability.

However, it's just a niche product hence practically nobody but nerds using it but people on this site praise it as the best thing ever to stare at 5 terminals and error logs at once with cryptic output when you try to do any kind of work on the system with buggy open source terminal-only software because nobody is getting paid to do any fixing or aesthetics since "it's not needed" when you can just work with the terminal, find the bugs yourself and re-compile in case you ran into problems or don't like something. Sadly, nobody has the time to do this if you're trying to do some "real" work instead of ripping your hair out.

Gotta love "Invalid directory" errors when directory is right on Linux
But if people want to make their lives harder or just want to screw around with something once in a while, then I guess it's their decision...

 

[GerbilSoft]

* I actually don't know any Paint-class equivalent for non-windows systems, only Gimp which is rather more featured

KolourPaint

The only good thing is open source and customizability.

However, it's just a niche product hence practically nobody but nerds using it but people on this site praise it as the best thing ever to stare at 5 terminals and error logs at once with cryptic output when you try to do any kind of work on the system with buggy open source terminal-only software because nobody is getting paid to do any fixing or aesthetics since "it's not needed" when you can just work with the terminal, find the bugs yourself and re-compile in case you ran into problems or don't like something. Sadly, nobody has the time to do this if you're trying to do some "real" work instead of ripping your hair out.

I use Linux for "real work" and it works much better for me than any Windows system has.

As a sidenote, my ROM Properties Page plugin has significantly more Windows-specific code than Linux-specific. Mind explaining why I have to write so much more code to get the same functionality on Windows, and/or how to "improve" this?

 

[grossaffe]

The only good thing is open source and customizability.

However, it's just a niche product hence practically nobody but nerds using it but people on this site praise it as the best thing ever to stare at 5 terminals and error logs at once with cryptic output when you try to do any kind of work on the system with buggy open source terminal-only software because nobody is getting paid to do any fixing or aesthetics since "it's not needed" when you can just work with the terminal, find the bugs yourself and re-compile in case you ran into problems or don't like something. Sadly, nobody has the time to do this if you're trying to do some "real" work instead of ripping your hair out.

You don't appear to know anything about Linux beyond the axe you apparently have to grind.

 

[BullyWiiPlaza]

You don't appear to know anything about Linux beyond the axe you apparently have to grind.

I clearly do but you know nothing, I use it for University work a lot and sometimes other things. You're some random troll. It's called experience and facts that even other people I know share. It sucks for users period.

I use Linux for "real work" and it works much better for me than any Windows system has.

As a sidenote, my ROM Properties Page plugin has significantly more Windows-specific code than Linux-specific. Mind explaining why I have to write so much more code to get the same functionality on Windows, and/or how to "improve" this?

Real work such as using GDB to debug some broken open source turd or the amazing Libreoffice/non-existent video editing/engineering/whatever software? You obviously didn't listen, it's bad for users, not programmers. The only programmer's thing that is definitely better is C programming but it's a pretty outdated language. What do you not understand in it being the niche product nobody uses because it's just unproductive for 99% of all users?

Discussion over, thanks. No need to start another war. Don't argue against facts.

 

[grossaffe]

I clearly do but you know nothing, I use it for University work a lot and sometimes other things. You're some random troll. It's called experience and facts that even other people I know share. It sucks for users period.

Real work such as using GDB to debug some broken open source turd or the amazing Libreoffice/non-existent video editing/engineering/whatever software? You obviously didn't listen, it's bad for users, not programmers. The only programmer's thing that is definitely better is C programming but it's a pretty outdated language. What do you not understand in it being the niche product nobody uses because it's just unproductive for 99% of all users?

Discussion over, thanks. No need to start another war. Don't argue against facts.

You've not presented a single fact beyond "I use it for University work a lot and sometimes other things". Can't argue against non-existent facts.

 

[TVL]

It's the best... for servers. As for the desktop, just stick with Windows 10, you'd be dual booting it anyways.

 

[Piluvr]

can you both shut up and stop derailing the thread? take it to the PMs if you want to insult eachother. I prefer Linux due to the lightweight uses for old hardware, improving usability on old netbooks, desktops, etc.

 

[grossaffe]

It's the best... for servers. As for the desktop, just stick with Windows 10, you'd be dual booting it anyways.

While I am technically dual-booting on my computer, I've done basically nothing in Windows on this one since I got it a few years ago (when were we still on Haswell?)
Only thing I've really done was test Star Citizen a couple times while waiting the Linux support. Otherwise, I've been quite happy not having to deal with the shit Windows always puts me through.

 

[BullyWiiPlaza]

You've not presented a single fact beyond "I use it for University work a lot and sometimes other things". Can't argue against non-existent facts.

Oh my God. So you can't read that even though you quoted it? Oh well then don't post at all but here's another one for you:
Even GDB had a bug in various distros after 30 years of development by failing to write a file (specifically the --write switch).

 

[grossaffe]

Oh my God. So you can't read that? Oh well then don't post at all.

I can read it perfectly, which is how I was able to discern the complete lack of facts presented therein.

 

[BullyWiiPlaza]

I can read it perfectly, which is how I was able to discern the complete lack of facts presented therein.

Lol? If you can't even see arguments in all the text you quoted you're hopeless but let me try one last time and concretise for you special kind of ignorant person:

• C programs have cryptic output when they fail so it's hard to know what went wrong and almost all Linux software is written in C (this is a fact)
• You need a terminal to do almost anything on the system (again, a fact because you always need to run commands and remember them which sucks and terminals fill up all the screen quickly)
• Open source developers suck because if they weren't they would be getting paid to write code hence most software sucks/produces too many errors (common sense and experience. See below for actual examples)
• Fixing buggy open source programs sucks because GDB is hard to use and it's in assembly language hence tedious to work with and unnecessary if all programs are well-made in the first place
• There is no good office software (Libreoffice can't compete with Microsoft Office which is a fact because it's just weak and buggy in working with Office files)
• There is no good video editing software (Sony Vegas Pro, FInal Cut Pro are Windows and Mac programs but oops, Linux got none in that league. This is a fact)
• Basic applications like GDB reintroduce bugs such as the --write switch causing a segmentation fault even though the application is in development for 30 years and nobody noticed (This is a fact because it happened to 3 people from the course)
• There is no good game cheating software (we used GameConqueror and besides being extremely basic, it bugs when the application it hooked into is closed which again proves the poor Linux program quality). Even I alone can do better than all of Linux developers (with e.g. JGecko U)
• Like someone else mentioned, bad file path errors when they're correct. This is true, it happened to me as well (in a similar way)
• A studying college said Linux is awful for your main OS because it is for all of the mentioned reasons (and more)
• Many more...

Now tell me you picked up on none of that or do you again see "no fact/argument" you troll? Hahaha

There, points proven. GG

 

[sarkwalvein]

Lol? If you can't even see arguments in all the text you quoted you're hopeless but let me try one last time and concretise for you special kind of ignorant person:

• C programs have cryptic output when they fail so it's hard to know what went wrong and almost all Linux software is written in C (this is a fact)
• You need a terminal to do almost anything on the system (again, a fact because you always need to run commands and remember them which sucks and terminals fill up all the screen quickly)
• Open source developers suck because if they weren't they would be getting paid to write code hence most software sucks/produces too many errors (common sense and experience. See below for actual examples)
• Fixing buggy open source programs sucks because GDB is hard to use and it's in assembly language hence tedious to work with and unnecessary if all programs are well-made in the first place
• There is no good office software (Libreoffice can't compete with Microsoft Office)
• There is no good video editing software (Sony Vegas Pro, FInal Cut Pro are Windows and Mac programs but oops, Linux got none in that league)
• Basic applications like GDB reintroduce bugs such as the --write switch causing a segmentation fault even though the application is in development for 30 years and nobody noticed
• There is no good game cheating software (we used GameConqueror and besides being extremely basic, it bugs when the application it hooked into is closed which again proves the poor Linux program quality). Even I alone can do better than all of Linux developers (with e.g. JGecko U)
• Like someone else mentioned, bad file path errors when they're correct. This is true, it happened to me as well
• A studying college said Linux is awful for your main OS because it is for all of the mentioned reasons (and more)
• Many more...

Now tell me you picked up on none of that or do you again see "no argument" you troll? Hahaha

There, points proven.

Kids... I shouldn't reply, it makes my head hurt.
I won't go into detail, no, it don't profit from that in any way.
I will only tell you that you are giving me Fremdscham.
Seriously, get out of the bottle, you don't get one point that makes sense, doesn't contradict itself, or doesn't show plenty ignorance.

 

[BullyWiiPlaza]

Kids... I shouldn't reply, it makes my head hurt.
I won't go into detail, no, it don't profit from that in any way.
I will only tell you that you are giving me Fremdscham.
Seriously, get out of the bottle, you don't get one point that makes sense, doesn't contradict itself, or doesn't show plenty ignorance.

Yet you obviously have zero clue so you can't judge. Sad GBATemp community, nothing but trolls these days. Fremdscham for you
"Everyone else is stupid" but no nothing to argue against it, just wow. Nearly the only good posts were made by me and @Felek666.

 

[sarkwalvein]

Yet you obviously have no clue so you can't say a thing because you know it's right. Sad GBATemp community

Look, I don't want to deal with you, you are the one that is making a joke of yourself.
I only will tell you a couple of things.
Unix, specifically Linux, is used for research all around Germany.
The HPC pools run Linux, centres for big data analysis run Linux.
Most development is done in Linux.
Servers for most of the tools and services used and developed inside Siemens run on Linux.

That said, to your points:

• Windows and OSX are programmed in C mostly, be it C++ or Objective C, that are extensions of C in the end. That said, software in Linux is written in C, C++, Java, .NET, Python, long etc. Don't be ignorant.
• You don't need a terminal, but the same way someone who does real IT work on Windows or programming for real projects, you of course benefit of using a shell, be it PowerShell or a bash derivative.
• Open source developers are paid, what the hell do you think is open source for the sake of god? Open source actually doesn't mean free software, but even in this case when some company develops something that is to be used loyalty free they have business models (e.g. support, consulting, etc.) to make money, don't be ignorant.
• GDB is not the only way to debug, and actually the possibility to use pipes and run servers easily on any Unix based system, specially Linux, but including macOS, make it more suitable for development of software used by big companies across multiple servers.
• I would personally use Microsoft Office over LibreOffice any day, and this is in my view a weakness of Linux (regarding office software). But this is not its main use, and also in the world of research where it is used widely publications are often created using LaTeX, it is the standard for publication in the scientific world.
• I don't really edit video on Windows or OSX (I am a Mac user mostly, but I use Windows and Linux often for work), and even if I don't know very well about this field, I think you are right, Linux is behind regarding video edition.
• Basic applications like GDB reintroduce bugs: this is wrong, I don't want to write further, I used already more energy on you than I was willing, expect short answers from now on.
• There is no good game cheating software: this is not its forte, but I am fighting your ignorance regarding other field, Linux is widely used professionally for WORK and RESEARCH in everyday applications in the world.
• I got tired...

 

[GerbilSoft]

Real work such as using GDB to debug some broken open source turd or the amazing Libreoffice/non-existent video editing/engineering/whatever software? You obviously didn't listen, it's bad for users, not programmers. The only programmer's thing that is definitely better is C programming but it's a pretty outdated language. What do you not understand in it being the niche product nobody uses because it's just unproductive for 99% of all users?

Real work as in writing software that runs on machines that cost over $100,000.

What does C being "outdated" (which it isn't) have anything to do with Linux? C and C++ are both perfectly usable on Windows, and the bulk of the Windows operating system is written in C++. (with C and assembly for some low-level stuff)

Incidentally, since you claim all open-source software "sucks", care to tell me what's wrong with my ROM Properties Page shell extension? (Oh, and it runs on Windows too!)

EDIT: You've apparently published a tool called JGecko U. GitHub is normally supposed to be used for open-source projects, but you appear to have published only a JAR file. Also I like how you think Java of all languages is superior to C, especially since Java is known for having clunky GUIs and using tons of memory for seemingly no reason.