What is the difference between linux and windows, which is better?
Some dell computers are loaded with ubuntu linux as an operating system. I've heard that its more efficient than windows and crashes less. What are its advantages? If i were to get a dell laptop with unbuntu loaded on it would I have a tough time figuring out how to use it?
Hello Bruce,
Ubuntu is an operating system that has been developed as one of the many alternatives to Windows based and Apple's Operating systems.
The crucial difference is that Ubuntu and related Linux-type operating systems are open-source, which means that a lot of software programmers around the world have worked on it and have the logic behind it accessible to all. The windows and apple family of operating systems are closed source, meaning that those system's logic is a closely guarded secret.
Therefore, Dell computer with Ubuntu installed will probably cost you less ( I hope) compared to one with Microsoft Windows based operating system.
If you plan to use your computer for something as simple as surfing the internet, chatting with your friends and watching movies and stuff, you might be fine with an Ubuntu-installed Dell computer, because of the following reasons:
1) Less number of viruses and worms (because Ubuntu is not as widespread as Microsoft windows based operating systems).
2) Lesser cost, since essentially the operating system is free whereas, a windows based Dell computer will have the cost of the operating system factored into the final price.
3) Relatively faster start-up time based on your hardware.
3) The user interface for Ubuntu is relatively easy to learn and there will be countless resources online to help you out apart from Dell's help desk.
The following reason's go against buying an Ubuntu-based Dell computer:
1) A lot of printers, cameras, web cameras still may not work, if the drivers for those devices do not exist. Most device manufacturers will give you CDs with all your devices which generally support Windows based operating systems or Apple's operating systems.
2) Some of the software may not exist for Ubuntu computers since they are still relatively few. According to one estimate, 90% of the world's computers run on Windows based systems. So it will take some time for Ubuntu like systems.
3) You may have a hard time learning the technicalities of a new operating system and it may take a bit of technical know-how and patience to solve the problems.
These are my 2 cents (it looks more than that 
)
Thanks,
Manan
What is the best Linux operating system to use if you are getting started?
I am a Computer Science student looking into developing a stronger Linux background. I plan to buy a new harddrive and install a partition to it.
Ubuntu is highly regarded as a starter edition. they even have a "live cd" you can burn so you can try before you make any changes to your system.
Just download the .iso file, burn it to a cd, and then boot to it. No changes are made until you run the "Install" file on the desktop. Everything else seems to be fully functional.
What does everyone think about linux hitting the desktop industry?
So far this year, the buzz about Linux in enterprise networks has focused on servers and embedded systems, with the growth of Linux severs being most heralded. According to IDC, a research firm based in Framingham, Mass., Linux was the fastest-growing server operating system last year, with a 93% growth rate over the year before. Linux was the second most-shipped operating system in 1999 after Windows NT, capturing 24% of new licenses shipped.
It’s great. We need more variety in the market! Besides, Linux is infinitely better than any other operating system and hopefully if it becomes more “main-stream” so that more people will see the light.
How to count the connections per second made to a linux box?
Hi i have a linux box and my custom HTTP server. I want to know how many connections per second are made to the server without writing any code. Is there some comamndon linux which can give me the connections per second made to the linux box.
netstat
How do I convert a Unix timestamp into a date?
I used the fstat function to get information about the modification date of a file and it returned a very large number (a unix timestamp). What function converts this into a date?
I am using C
and the bash shell
"ctime" is one reasonable choice.
It takes a "time_t" structure as input and creates
an ascii string of the date.
Consider the following program:
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <fcntl.h>
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <sys/stat.h>
int
main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
struct stat buff;
int fd = -1;
if (argc<2 || ((fd = open(argv[1], O_RDONLY)) < 0))
exit(-1);
if (fstat(fd, &buff) < 0)
perror("fstat"), exit(-1);
printf("File '%s', mod time is %s\n",
argv[1],
ctime(&buff.st_mtime));
return 0;
}
This is what it generates:
$ cc s.c
$ a.out /etc/passwd
File '/etc/passwd', mod time is Wed Feb 21 13:28:38 2007
What are some of the advantages of Unix/Linux over windows?
I have to debate why Unix/Linux is better/ more secure than Windows. Any ideas?
This is for my computer security class. We split up into two groups, and my group has to show some of the reasons that Unix based OS's are more secure than Windows.
I disagree that Linux isn't safer than Windows. Windows has a very long history of having HUNDREDS of vulnerabilities every year. It really opened my eyes when I started manualy approving all updates for Windows on my network at work.
Yes Linux has the same problems, but far fewer and are usually fixed FAR more quickly. There are also far more people working on these problems and on feature upgrades.
The question regarding viruses is pretty much the same, as Linux is more hardened against viruses overall. There is something to say though that there would be more rootkits for Linux out there if the average joe/jane use Linux more often.
As far as usability, Ubuntu has gone a long way to making it user friendly. It is also one of the easiest to install, making it a snap to install Ubuntu on your Windows system and letting both Windows and Ubuntu work. You just pick which one you want when you turn on the PC.
I suggest giving it a try. Feel free to message me if you have any Linux questions down the road.
How to improve performance of a Hashtable used in multi threaded Java application running in HP-unix box?
In my multi threaded Java application running in HP-Unix, i have a hastable. The size of the hashtable is not constant. It is populated from oracle DB using a select query once when the application is loaded.Then i parse this hashtable and process for each entry in it. Now, when i have close to 15K entries in this hashtable, the get() is very slow. How to improve this get() functionality.
I don't know what version of Java you are running, but consider ConcurrentHashMap. It was added in Java 1.5, or for older versions of Java, there is a library that contains it. http://gee.cs.oswego.edu/dl/classes/EDU/oswego/cs/dl/util/concurrent/intro.html
Also I _highly_ recommend this book: http://www.amazon.com/Java-Concurrency-Practice-Brian-Goetz/dp/0321349601
ConcurrentHashMap allows multiple threads to read simultaneously without blocking which will greatly improve the speed. Older stuff like Hashtable has synchronized on every method, so only a single thread can read at a time. I'm not exactly sure about Hashtable's synchronized implementation, but I believe that is true.
Browse around at the IBM developerworks site I'm including the link to and you'll find some great articles on this topic.
Whats the difference between 'Windows XP' and Unix as far as an ordinary home user is concerned?
Why do they say Unix is better than windows? What do they mean when they say 'its more stable'?
the above answers tut tut you have not got a clue what your talking about.. if you don't know the proper answer then don't answer questions. you give the wrong answer by doing so… my advice is do your research before answering…
Microsoft Windows any version is proprietor software that is designed by MS it will not communicate with other operating systems or software … you have to pay for MS operating systems and application software. and once you are running windows your stuck with Microsoft and all their software at a high price
on the other hand Linux and Solaris unix are free with all free application software.. it is just the same as windows, point and click but with indifferent file names it is more secure, and faster, and far superior
What do I need to do to run Unix or Linux from an external hard drive?
I've just started a computer course and have been told to get Linux or, even better, Unix on my computer. I've got some advice and decided to install it onto my external hard drive. However, I'm pants with computers and have no idea how to do this. How is it possible to save an OS to an external hard drive? How does it boot? Will it run if Vista is on my computer's hard disk? Will the programs I've got on Vista be available in Linux/Unix? Could doing this screw up my computer? I hope this gets across how clueless I am. Could someone answer these questions and give me some step by step instructions for how to install it please? Would be appreciated! Cheers.
i use linux, the cd's are called distro's… (distributions) theres dozens of em, all free and all slightly different…
if your new to this try linspire xp2007, its dead easy to use… set your PC to boot from the CD, and thats it…
looks like xp, behaves like XP but it doesnt crash… and all the associated software is free
How long does it take to become a Linux or Unix Administrator?
Was wondering how long does it take to become an entry level Linux or Unix administrator? I mean what is the minimum time required to be able to seek for a job at an entry level.
Thanks for your time.
Normally employers require minimum of 3-5 years, but recently I saw one employer require one year experiences. Most small size company or a department of a big company need one Linux/Unix administrator, but if you find a company requires more than one person, then you have a change to work as assistant and also and a admin. People step up that way because there is not any company hires an entry level with no experiences to control the whole system (even the system has only 1-2 unix servers).