Linux vs Windows

HappyNerd · #1 (**permalink**) 02-10-09, 23:48

What is the difference between a linux server and a windows server? Is one easier to handle then the other? Are there certain scripts, or software that would work on one type but not the other?

carl · #2 (**permalink**) 02-11-09, 11:14

Linux is an open source, free under GNU and for Windows OS we have to pay licensing fees.

BodShane · #3 (**permalink**) 02-11-09, 17:51

Basically the Operating System is what we consider here along with applications / software that runs on it. Now, for instance, windows is a licensed product of Microsoft and each server is installed with this licensed product where as linux is Open Source which means it can easily be downloaded and installed on the server and will be able to run all softwares / applications that are supported with linux.

Regards,

Shane Phillips

bluetrance05 · #4 (**permalink**) 02-15-09, 03:52

Both are different computer operating systems. Linux server has productivity tools and CSS is capable of adding engineering software package when available while Windows server are used for word processing, database hosting, web, email and more.

carl owen · #5 (**permalink**) 02-15-09, 15:28

According to me, you should choose Windows only if you wish to have technology or applications of Microsoft Windows. If the applications you wish to run do not belong to Windows but they integrate with Windows very well then too you can choose Windows. Mostly Windows is used as people have used it on there desktop machines and they are quite comfortable with the same but I would surely suggest anyone to go for Linux as it has many advantages over Windows.

bloggerbee · #6 (**permalink**) 02-16-09, 12:42

I was reading about this in another section and it seems that Linux tends to be more secure, as well. We all know how Windows software tends to be very vulnerable to exploitation - that's why they have updates all the time.

carl owen · #7 (**permalink**) 02-16-09, 14:52

Windows has been used for quite a long time now and many of the people are aware of the drawbacks i.e. threats of Windows. Also, there are many viruses which affects Windows severely and this is not the problem with Linux. Linux is also updated regularly but it is not updated as regularly as Windows is.

tigress · #8 (**permalink**) 07-02-09, 22:34

Can you have Linux on any brand of computer? When we buy computers here in the Philippines, the operating system installed in any brand is always windows (except with apple computers).

Windac · #9 (**permalink**) 07-03-09, 12:01

The main idea is that Linux is an open-source server and its relativly easy to get. Windows servers would obviously cost more money. From personal experiences, Godaddy's windows hosting is very bad for php but linux and php works well.

DavidJ · #10 (**permalink**) 11-27-09, 03:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by carl owen

Windows has been used for quite a long time now and many of the people are aware of the drawbacks i.e. threats of Windows. Also, there are many viruses which affects Windows severely and this is not the problem with Linux. Linux is also updated regularly but it is not updated as regularly as Windows is.

Now this really attracted my attention with all the replies being made. Why is it that Windows OS's are more vulnerable to viruses compare to Linux OS's? Does this mean that makers of virus are only targeting Windows platform? And also does this mean that Linux platform are invincible from viruses?

Fletcher · #11 (**permalink**) 11-27-09, 08:40

We can't say that it is invisible to the viruses. You cannot enter the virus where you don't have Loop holes Fire1 . Linux is focused on its Security and its robustness. So you will rarely find any instances where virus hits Linux

Andreas · #12 (**permalink**) 11-27-09, 13:33

Though Linux is supposed to be more secure than Windows,still,we cannot say that Linux is invulnerable to viruses and attacks.
Security is a process and not an operating system or a product. It's just that when using Linux, today and tomorrow, it needs to stay ahead of the game.

DavidJ · #13 (**permalink**) 11-29-09, 07:41

Thanks for the answers!

So you mean, Microsoft is not really doing something about its security features because there are many loop holes that viruses can get into. Or I had a wild idea that they really don't fix those loop holes in order for the anti-virus companies to have some income from their programs.

mander · #14 (**permalink**) 11-30-09, 14:57

I honestly do not think you can say either are invulnerable to viruses and attacks, as we all know as soon as there is a new security person doing something or another, there are 20 bad guys looking for ways to break in. As long as there are honest people there will be dishonest just the same, and those who look for ways out too.

RichardM · #15 (**permalink**) 05-01-10, 09:17

Windows server systems share many of the same vulnerabilities as desktop versions of Windows, which in turn carried over many of these vulnerabilities from earlier versions of Windows because MS wants to maintain backward compatibility.

By the same token, MS wants to have application compatibility between desktop Windows versions and Windows Server, which also means migrating the bugs and vulnerabilities.

Unless you need some proprietary Microsoft functionality on your server, I suggest using Linux or some other Unix. These systems were designed from the ground up as server systems. Although there are desktop Unix versions (especially in the Debian Linux line, such as Ubuntu, Knoppix, Mepis, etc.), the core code was built for servers. This is the opposite of Microsoft's history.

carl owen · #16 (**permalink**) 05-01-10, 17:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidJ

Thanks for the answers!

So you mean, Microsoft is not really doing something about its security features because there are many loop holes that viruses can get into. Or I had a wild idea that they really don't fix those loop holes in order for the anti-virus companies to have some income from their programs.

Microsoft always tries to make Windows operating system better in terms of features as well as security factors with the new versions, however, as Richard explained, there are improvements done in the existing operating system due to which the bugs etc. are carried over to the newer versions as well :(

Also, there are many computer experts constantly working to get some sort of success in penetrating the security of the operating system and sometimes they are fortunate enough :(