hi guys, i'm a computer science student, and i need to make a presentation about linux advantages over windows, i've searched google and didn't find any big article which summarizes all the advantages, only small articles saying there a many many advantages... and writing just about two..

guys, i need help finding a good reliable article!

thanks in advance,
erik.

p.s - sorry for the bad english...

The very first google result for "linux vs. windows" is http://www.michaelhorowitz.com/Linux.vs.Windows.html, which seems to be pretty much what you're looking for.

You will not find one concise article that answers this--nor will you find any two people who agree on what the answer might be.

I take it that you are doing a school research project. I don't know the depth that you need, but start simply by Googling with phrases like:
Linux advantages
Linux benefits
Linux Windows tradeoffs
Why Linux

etc.

My input, for what it is worth: Linux is attractive because:
It does not come from Microsoft (yet.... )
It is often free of cost--at least starting out
It offers freedom of choice in OS configuration
It has powerful and easily accessible utilities at the command line

A server builder or HPC cluster designer will give you different answers

Hey there, I'll tell you all the advantages I know about:

1) SECURITY: Linux is hardly attacked by viruses, spyware, malware, etc.. I can testify to this from one year of constant Linux usage without a firewall/anti-virus.
There are currently about 70'000 Windows viruses, a few hundred of them are considered dangerous and became widespread enough to cause significant damage. There are maybe 20-40 Linux viruses, none of them are widespread and most of them were created for testing purposes only.
Even if one virus was created to cause damage, it won't become widespread because the way Linux is built is very virus-unfriendly. Setting a virus loose on Linux is like throwing the poor thing out into the desert. Linux has a very sturdy system of granting access and privileges to files: There's the so-called superuser account (aka. root) that can access and modify all files of all sort. That account is only to be used for system adminstration and should never be used for everyday use. For that you have a normal user account that has access to almost everything on the system, but is only allowed to modify it's own home folder. So if your surfing the net with the user account and the extremely unlikely event occurs that you get a Linux virus (Windows viruses won't work in the first place), the only thing that'll be wiped out are the personal documents and vacation pics. The system remains untouched. Even if we assume that a Linux virus spreads from one PC to the next, it'll stop very soon because every Linux system is different from the other. One PC can be affected by an attack whereas the next remains safe from it.
2) STABILITY: Windows is built upon many smaller kernels, each one responsible for a different thing (sound, graphics, etc..). This means that you can install a driver without having to recompile all the kernels, but these many kernels have a much higher risk of getting into conflicts with one another, leading to system instability and/or crashing. In Linux, if you impliment a new driver you'll have to recompile the whole kernel, but it remains stable the whole time. (In this one year my system never crashed. Ever.). Linux servers are very well known for their stability and long running times without any performance loss. Some servers can keep running for over a year without a reboot.
3) OPEN SOURCE: The open-source movement is a main advantage of Linux and Linux apps. You can obtain most distributions and programs for free, which is a great economic advantage for companies and institutions running Linux computers. Windows costs over $100 for each computer, which can be very expensive for larger companies.
Not only do you get practically everything for free, you can access the source code and change it as much as you like to meet your needs. The GNU General Public License allows access to the source code under the condition that the user provides his source code to others if they request it.
In the development process of a distribution/program, this can be very useful when it comes to searching for bugs. Not only the software vendor can search for and eliminate bugs, the freelancing developers and users are also capable of this. That way, troubleshooting and enhancing of software is far more effective.
Imagine if a software vendor releases a program for Beta-testing without providing the source code. Testers will be able to state what the bug is, but not how to fix it. In the open source world, the bug is found, reported and corrected. Suggestions for better code can also be provided.
4) VERSATILITY: Linux is capable of everything Windows is capable of. Not only that, the Linux system is extremely customizable to meet the user's needs. It can be built to be extremely user-friendly for the average user, it can also be a great platform for developers and programmers. That is why there are many different distributions available. Each one has its advantages, some are more user-friendly than the other, some are multimedia-oriented, some are built for power users..
The Linux kernel can also be tailored down to support only the hardware of the PC, thus being lightweight and fast.


Phew.. That's all I can think of at the moment. I'm pretty sure there are some other advantages..

-A

I have no sympathy at all with Windows, but a good presentation should not limit itself to one side's advantages and include both products strenghts and weaknesses.
An even better presentation should consider other open source and closed source contenders.

Also, I disagree about the requirement to recompile device drivers to be one of reasons explaining Linux stability, which itself I don't contest.

On the opposite, having to recompile drivers is just exhibiting Linux kernel interfaces instability from one version to another, or better expressed, the lack of a kernel DDI.

Just found this today.

Wow---REALLY good stuff

Glad you liked it

Thanks Dngrsone. What a find!

In a presentation, I would start with 21, with emphasis on the part about democracy and all citizens having access to data without having to purchase expensive software.

Then, when finished with all the technical items, wrap it up with 17, linking the violations comments back to democracy and access to data.

There is also an interesting article at the same web site about Monopoly Predatory Tactics. Could be that it wouldn't go over big with a Computer Science instructor though.

Erik, I hated presentations in school. It gets a lot easier at work. Good Luck!

Hmm, novell have some interesting stuff

http://www.novell.com/linux/truth