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by simbalion 3560 days ago
The year of linux is behind us.

Today in 2016, Linux is the superior platform for both user-friendliness and stability. It is easier to use and install on a wider variety of hardware. The old belief that Windows is "easier" is deprecated, and it is time to change the conversation to reflect that truth.
1 comments
Normal_gaussian 3560 days ago
From my experience supporting my colleagues, no.

Linux does not exceed windows at user friendliness.

Stability completely depends on your hardware, distro, and use case.

It has made great strides, and windows is regressing, but it's not done yet.

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eth0up 3560 days ago
I think it should be considered that the vast majority of Windows systems are pre-installed and pre-configured out of the box. If this were the case with Linux, there might be an argument. Most Windows users couldn't easily install, configure and use, e.g. Server Enterprise Edition. Likewise, I doubt Gentoo would be a common candidate for ease of use. The various *buntus have really come a long way in regard to user friendliness, maybe far enough.
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simbalion 3559 days ago
That was part of my reasoning. Installing Windows is a huge pain in the ass compared to installing Linux. If you need a service pack you have to go to their website, the download links are always difficult to find and buried under walls of text that nobody cares to read. And there's always a chance that the download link simply won't work for some stupid bureaucratic reason, such as "Use Windows Update". And if Windows Update fails, you're really SOL.

In Linux, if you're missing something it's a simple matter of "apt-get install something" and it almost always works. The rate of failure for Windows updates and installing proper drivers and software in windows is much higher.

And Linux is far more likely to work out of the box on most hardware. Windows installs never have more drivers available than what ships on the CD/DVD. With Linux Net Installs, as long as your Ethernet is supported, and it probably is supported, the rest of the system will be up-to-date.

I have recently installed Windows 7, Windows 10, and Linux, I've used each for a number of months. Linux was the easiest and friendliest. I've been using Windows for years so I'm not a newbie, it's a terrible operating system.

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