Advantages of linux!!
 

I am new to linux and am really wondering what advantages it has to windows. I am a going to school for computer science and am c++ programer. I have the mandrake 10.0 distro now and have been playing with it for about two weeks, and I really don't understand what all the fuss is about. So before I give up please somebody tell me why is Linux so much better than windows(especially from a programmers point of view.).


thanx to all that reply.

Here are some great reasons:
http://www.reichel.net/opensource/linuxtop10.html

May as well check this one out too: http://www.michaelhorowitz.com/Linux.vs.Windows.html

I can think of a few....
Any device is a filesystem. I can read / write from a tape drive as easily as reading / writing from a text file. I use a peice of hardware that requires reading data from a tape drive in 1MB blocks. In linux all I had to due was modify a header file and recompile the kernel. With windows I had to find a SCSI card that was capable of reading the big blocks. At the tiime there was only a couple manufactures. Network programming is much easier. One can write a simple socket CLI program in very short order.

I don't see any viruses or spyware over here :-)

In a programmers view, linux is heaven. All your compilers are free and everything is open source so you CAN CHANGE IT ALL YOU WANT!

also, as a side benefit, all software is free, there's not nearly as much linux viruses/spyware/adware (like 3 major viruses in its entire existance), is fast and plus, you can look l337 to your friends if your like that. Personally, I like the programs on linux a lot more too. Major learning experience too.

I like bash scripting any day over batch scripting.

You find more and more things you like about as you go.

umm? total customization ? (ok, maybe not total, but nearly, way more then in windows)

and from a programmers point of view, there no hidden API's since the source codes are open source (for the major programs linux uses), so all you have to do is look at the source codes and see for yourself what there is in a particular library, or whatever

from my point of view, CUSTOMIZATION! (i don't want bloated software, so i don't have it :), and i get things to look the way i want it to)

ya and I can play ALL MY music CD's without winblooze media player nagging me about idiotic updates/security enhancements.(IE......M$ Nonsense)

As a C++ programmer you should try kdevelop 3.0 ... Great development tool.
Many has come with other good reasons - but my main reason is

If everyone use MS there will be no/little innovation. (Why should anything get better as long as M$ gets their money) Also very important. Lots of linux-stuff is free. You don't have to pay or be a thief to use it.

:)

Advantage: Knowing more than one system will make you more valuable to an employer.


Besides, a couple of weeks messing around with a new OS is hardly time to decide wether or not you like it or not. Give it some time.