Microsoft Windows vs. Ubuntu

The vast majority of business applications require it. There are some equivalents available on Linux for most applications, for example Gimp as an alternative for Photoshop, or thunderbird for Outlook, but some very specific apps require it to run correctly. Wine is difficult to configure and use, and can create instability. As a result, it is pretty much always recommended.

Incentivized

If somebody whishes to be an IT professional, learning the basics of Linux is amust. Ubuntu [Linux] is one of the most beginner-friendly, widely supported, easy-to-use-relative-to-the-fact-that-its-still-linux OS on the market. As somebody who learned the basics of UNIX/LINUX on Ubuntu, it was a very good experience. It is customizable, has a lot of improvements over the years, and live up to be a viable alternative to any modern OS in 2021 as well.

Incentivized

• Great integration with my business accounting software Quickbooks
• Great integration with Microsoft Office 365
• Easy to find files that I haven't used in awhile with search feature
• Simple, easy to find listing of programs available

Incentivized

• PACKAGE MANAGEMENT. You can update everything - OS installed software, you name it with either a few clicks in a GUI or a single command.
• No bloatware.
• No need for antivirus software.
• Certainly the price is right.
• My 83 year old grandmother has been using it - and because of this I rarely need to provide tech support. But I still visit my grandmother.
• You can choose from a variety of user interfaces or rock it in the terminal.
• Generally speaking, Ubuntu is as polished an OS as any you might pay for.

Incentivized

• Forced updates occasionally have bad timing when ignored for too long
• Microsoft Edge Web Browser is a bit clunky
• The 3D desktop still needs some improvement

• The repository system could be a little better, as some of the software needed is not easily available there.
• Ubuntu sometimes does not play nicely or easily with some modern firmwares.
• Some people report slow responses with newer versions of Ubuntu, although we have not experienced any.

Incentivized

Experience with other Distributions.

I would rate the usability very high. Most of the world is familiar with Windows in some way. Most businesses use Windows in some form so even if someone is going from one business to another it can be an easy transition in that sense. Windows is usually compatible with most applications that can be installed to suit many different usage scenarios and needs for businesses.

Incentivized

support remains spotty, researching online articles are a pain

Incentivized

We did not use the managed commercial support, but instead relied on community forums and official documentation. Ubuntu is very well documented across both instructional documentation from the developers themselves as well as informal support forums [ServerFault, YCombinator, Reddit]. It's easy enough to find an answer to any question you may have

Incentivized

MDT helped deploy OS to users machines via PXE boot.

Incentivized

Windows runs literally every piece of software I need to work. Installations are usually quick and uncomplicated, and configuration is usually quite simple, rarely requiring finding config files and editing them manually. I chose Windows only because I had no other choice, given the requirements of my job. Because I am experienced in Linux and am not afraid to dig deep for troubleshooting and configuration, Linux is preferable to me in general. Windows requires frequent updates that also require frequent reboots, and the longer you use it the more bloated it gets. If I were able to convinec my superiors to allow it, I would be running Windows 11 as a VM inside of Linux Mint or Debian.

Incentivized

Windows 10: Expensive, with more security problems, more difficult to keep updated and less variety of free / open source applications. Its use encourages bad information security practices. OpenSuse Linux: A different distribution at source (Suse Linux), use of rpm packages (with fewer repositories and incompatible with Ubuntu Linux dpkg packages), and whose main objective is to be a "testing ground" for its paid version / professional, SUSE enterprise Linux.

Incentivized

• Positively effects our easy of use of other programs
• Take it for granted because it is so transparent in use
• Definitely worth the price.

Incentivized

• Systems administration with Ubuntu is easy with little deep knowledge about it. Docs and community publications are great resources for any task you need to perform on any Ubuntu server and the organization can save several salaries of specialized sys admins in favor of more active roles.
• Having been an Ubuntu user for many years personally, setting up new Ubuntu servers on my organization came with zero cost for me. I just deployed one instance from my hosting/cloud provider and started working right after it was running, no need to ask support or hire new staff for these tasks.
• Replacing paid options with Ubuntu have also saved thousands of dollars on Windows Server licenses. I've migrated Windows/SQL Server based systems to Ubuntu/MySQL/PostgreSQL several times during my career and saved about USD 5000/year in licenses to many of them.

Incentivized