About Linux: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux
Linux is an operating system, like Windows is an operating system, but they are not the same.
- Windows is a for-profit product of Microsoft
- Linux is Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) https://itsfoss.com/what-is-foss which is available for download at no cost. However, people and companies can and do charge for support contracts and other services, for those who feel they need it.
- Windows is proprietary. The code/programming used to create it is (by and large) a closely guarded secret, and even if it did get out, it’s protected by copyright/patents/other legal guards.
- Linux is open-source, which means that the code for it can be examined by anyone. This has a number of implications. Linux is known not to contain nefarious phone-home, tattle on the user, security-challenged features, because anyone can take it apart line-by-line and determine exactly what each line of code does.
- Windows is known to “phone home” and report on what you’re doing, etc.
- Windows, starting with Windows 10, forces users to accept all updates from Microsoft, even if it breaks things.
- Linux leaves updates and version upgrades to the user, though performing them is very easy.
- Windows requires an ever-increasing amount of hardware horsepower to run.
- Linux makes excellent use of high-powered CPUs, memory, and other components, but also runs well on lower-powered equipment. It can often breath new life into older PCs and laptops that would otherwise hit the scrap heap.
Stay tuned for future posts on Linux and other FOSS technology.