Why Ubuntu Is a Good Replacement for Windows

The idea of using a Linux-based operating system instead of Windows is strange to some people. However, I have found that I quite enjoy using Ubuntu as my main operating system. I am going to go over the reasons why you may want to use Ubuntu instead of Windows 10.

There are many great open-source software options to choose from. Open-source software in many cases can be just as good if not better than alternatives.

• VLC is a video player that plays most if not all video files.
• Audacity is a program to record to edit and record audio files.
• LibreOffice is an alternative to Microsoft Office.
• Firefox is an open source web browser.
• QBittorrent is an amazing alternative for uTorrent as a BitTorrent client.
• Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) +is a software to record video and stream to Twitch.
• GIMP is an open-source image editor.

I could keep providing examples, but you get the idea. There are many decent open-source options to use.

The terminal at first is very odd and maybe unknown. You get thrown into a blank screen with a blinking cursor. Without any knowledge of what to do not much will happen. Understanding how the terminal can be helpful requires some research and practice. Once you learn text commands and how to use them the terminal is helpful for certain daily tasks. The terminal is great for moving files and directories (folders) around. You also use the apt-get commands to update and install new software.

1. Use the ls command to see the contents of a directory.
2. Use the mv command to move files and directories around.
3. Use the mv command to rename files and directories.
4. Use the rm command to delete files and directories.
5. Use apt-get to install and update software.
6. Launch programs by name and use optional parameters for specific tasks.

Most people are going to prefer to doing things visually. Ubuntu is also great for providing great looking software and themes. Ubuntu has multiple desktop options. I use Ubuntu MATE myself. With Ubuntu MATE I was able to choose a theme for my desktop and icons. In some cases, Ubuntu has more built-in customization options than Windows does!

I won't say that is impossible for Ubuntu to get infected by malware because this is not true. But the chances of getting infected are lower. The main reason is due to how Ubuntu handles permissions. You need Root/Administrator rights to do anything serious. Without these permissions, viruses and infected software can't do anything. On Ubuntu, using an antivirus software is not needed or recommended. I am much safer browsing online with Ubuntu since most people use Windows. Hackers are going to target the operating system with the larger install base.

There are vulnerabilities in Ubuntu like any other software. If I were to install and use an infected software and give it admin rights, I would be in deep trouble. Thankfully there are many security updates and patches for Ubuntu.

Always be careful when installing new software on any operating system! There is a certain amount of trust you have to put in developers. Open-source software tends to be pretty safe since there is a large number of eyes on it. But there is always a risk with unknown programs or software. Only install software and from trusted sources! The same advice applies to Bash scripts.

There used to be a joke where people would trick others into running a script that would delete the victim's entire hard drive! The evil command is rm -rf /. The rm stands for remove, and this command deletes files. The r stands for recursive. This command means delete everything inside. The f stands for force. The / is the root directory and the beginning of the file system.

Some people have critical software that just doesn't work on Ubuntu. This issue is a huge flaw. If you need certain software for your job or business and it doesn't work then Ubuntu is not helpful. Ubuntu is best used as a personal operating system or for certain specific needs.

I could not end this article without bringing up the gaming problem. Fewer video games run on Ubuntu and other Linux distributions. You can't play many popular online games and AAA titles on Linux distributions. Few people play games on Linux, so few games get ported/made for Linux. This issue is a huge turnoff for many gamers, and I can not blame them for wanting to use Windows because it runs all of their games.

Ubuntu is great for playing smaller indie games. These types of games tend to have Linux support. Steam supports games on Ubuntu, and a few other stores do as well. So it is not that you can't play video games on Ubuntu. Your choices will be limited.

What do you think about Linux and open-source software? Post your thoughts in the comments. I'd love to read and respond to them.