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RSSTen reasons why Ubuntu is better than Windows.
Oct 14
Editorial 14 Comments
3d, 7, boot, desktop effects, floss, linux, operating system, reliability, service pack, speed, time, ubuntu, vista, windows
Approximate reading time is
- Reliability.
Of course Ubuntu can go wrong but only when I mess with it. Meanwhile, Windows seems to go wrong all on its own with no help from me! - Settings are easier to find.
Everything you could need to alter is either available through the “System” menu, or right clicking a particular object. Windows requires you to drill through multiple layers of menus. - Boot speed.
Compared to Windows, the boot time of Ubuntu is stunning. See for yourself. - Disk space.
Ubuntu takes at most a quarter of the disk space that Vista and Windows 7 takes. That means you have more drive space to use for your own files. - Operation speed.
Windows soon slows down, Ubuntu doesn’t seem to ever slow down. Everything works as quickly as it did yesterday. - Applications are easier to install.
In Ubuntu, you have the “Synaptic Package Manager” which gives you a point and click interface to choose applications to install – think of it like an App Store. Unlike Windows, where you have to hunt the internet for a .exe to download, then run it yourself. In Ubuntu, it’s an all in one operation. 
Desktop effects.
Thanks to a system called Compiz, Ubuntu has more snazzy desktop effects than Windows or Mac OSX have ever had. You can set up the combination that is perfectly useful to you.- Regular releases.
With Ubuntu, you have the equivalent of a service pack every six months. Between those releases, on average, you’ll get bug and security fixes every week. - The command line.
This is a controversial one as I wouldn’t suggest novice users jump right into using the command line (but I would encourage you to learn!). Although, I like how I can achieve – with a single line of code – something that would take a few minutes of point and click work. Windows has a command line, but it’s just not as useful. - No DRM, i.e. no Windows Genuine Advantage.
Because Ubuntu is free there’s no nasty DRM to get in your way when you’re installing the system, either on your own computer, or taking your Ubuntu CD to your friend’s computer.
Software Review: Ubuntu 9.04
People can’t tell the difference between Windows 7 and KDE
Tip of the week – 3rd July 2009
Oct 14, 2009 @ 13:20:48
You forgot an important point of comparison: Windows exists to get you to part with as much money as possible in return for the minimum possible value. Linux strives to give you as much value as possible for the least cost possible.
Oct 14, 2009 @ 15:10:44
ok so if it’s all that good can things like photo shop be run on an ubuntu or linux which ever way round it goes ????
from a techno phoebe
Oct 14, 2009 @ 15:17:12
Hi Paul,
Well, Windows and Linux (Ubuntu is one flavour of Linux) are like the old days of Spectrums and Commodores, software for one won’t run on the other. However, Linux has a program called WINE which allows you run a lot of Windows programs in Linux.
Having said all that, Ubuntu comes pre-installed with an alternative to Photoshop called GIMP, which will do everything you’d probably want to do with Photoshop. I’ve been using it exclusively for years, including all the artwork I make for this blog.
Oct 14, 2009 @ 18:08:56
Does it have a fast browser yet? How about flash support? Or an office suite with a working spellcheck?
Canonical needs to work on issues that people actually care about before adding shit like desktop effects.
Oct 14, 2009 @ 21:37:31
It sounds like you haven’t tried Ubuntu for a really long time.
Ubuntu 9.10 (out in a few days from now) will have Firefox 3.5 which is fast, and if you just don’t want to use Firefox, then you can use Opera, or webkit.
Flash support is fantastic, I’m using the Adobe plugin and have no complaints.
An Office Suite with a working spell check you say? Sure thing, OpenOffice comes pre-installed and works great. I actually wrote my MSc thesis with it, so see if you can spot any spelling mistakes there
Surely reliability, boot time, regular updates and the up-coming application store are things people are about too though?
Jan 04, 2010 @ 07:16:54
If you want faster browser, you can also use Google Chrome or Chromium open source browser. Both are fastest available which I have seen.
Oct 14, 2009 @ 22:01:08
You know, there is a smugness of reading articles like this Ubuntu
Anyway, pretty much agree with your list. Why do people always quote Photoshop? It is not the only photo manipulation program out there and why the hell do people insist on having it for the home when most people don’t use it to more than 3% of its potential? Unless you work in the media, you don’t need such an over weight program for touching up your family pics
Oct 14, 2009 @ 23:20:20
Hi Alan,
I think it’s because the people who wouldn’t use Photoshop to it’s full potential don’t know what its full potential (and how over kill for them it is).
You can’t blame any non-techy people for it because Photoshop is so popular its name is now even a mainstream verb. And, GIMP is rather unfortunately named.
Oct 16, 2009 @ 20:41:24
Well, I “tend” to agree, but I have made aweful experiences with the latest releases of Ubuntu, namely 9.04 and now 9.10… When I did a FRESH install of 9.04 on my laptop, after the first reboot it suggested to intall the 3rd party vga drivers for ATI… I thought well, why not, done and voila, Ubuntu destroyed itself to not being able to boot into gnome anymore, regardless of my 2-day effort to fix it…
9.10… (fresh install), on my hardware (which worked fine and stable for with earlier versions) is NOT stable at all.. failing too boot sometimes, crashing and firefox 3.5.3 that is preinstalled crashed ON THE SPOT one its very first virgin launch lol… so what is going on ?
Oct 16, 2009 @ 22:27:26
Doesn’t sound good, but with 9.10 still being in beta, it’s a bit early to say what the problem is there. I suggest that you see if you can replicate these problems with 9.10 in a virtual machine install. I’ve been meaning to review 9.10 (by means of a VM) myself, but haven’t had time yet.
As for 9.04, I haven’t any experience of the ATi drivers, but I do know that ATi isn’t as well supported in Linux, and my laptop has a nVidia card.
Oct 17, 2009 @ 17:27:12
Let me know how you getting on with 9.10
Btw, testing it in a VM is not the most representative way of testing 
But its ok.
Oct 17, 2009 @ 17:52:02
Indeed. Although it will do for me, as I’m just going to be reviewing features, not performance.
Oct 28, 2009 @ 09:07:19
osx <3
Nov 06, 2009 @ 13:05:43
Don’t forget the following reasons why Ubuntu is better than Windows:
- No disk fragmentation
- Faster file system (EXT4)
- No viruses, no malware
- No annoying pop-ups telling you that an upgrade is available. Ubuntu updates all installed software in one single action.
- Stable stand-by mode
- Fun to use
- Loads of excellent free software available.
- Continues to work great even on older hardware
- Excellent support through the Ubuntu user community
- Network friendly
- Ubuntu is free !