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Nathaniel Beaver
2014-09-15 18:53:15 -05:00
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why-linux-is-better.txt
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@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@ https://github.com/joyent/node/issues/6960
-- Ease of bug reporting and logging. -- Ease of bug reporting and logging.
On Windows, you can (sometimes) use Ctrl-C when an error window pops up to copy the error message. On Windows, you can (sometimes) use Ctrl-C when an error window pops up to copy the error message.
On Linux, you can attach gdb to a running process, start a logfile that catches all output to stderr, and run a backtrace when the program fails. On Linux, you can attach gdb to a running process, start a logfile that catches all output to stderr, and run a backtrace when the program fails.
Or you can attach strace and see what system calls it makes.
There are similar programs for Windows,
but both strace and gdb come with a standard Linux install,
so you can rely on being able to use them on any Linux box you use.
-- NTFS on Windows cannot be case sensitive because Windows is not case sensitive, though it is case-preserving -- NTFS on Windows cannot be case sensitive because Windows is not case sensitive, though it is case-preserving
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/100625 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/100625
@@ -26,6 +31,10 @@ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Case_preservation
-- Windows applications lock files they use by default, so misbehaving applications can be a serious unintentional nuisance. -- Windows applications lock files they use by default, so misbehaving applications can be a serious unintentional nuisance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_locking#In_Microsoft_Windows https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_locking#In_Microsoft_Windows
-- Window manager and kernel are welded together.
In Linux, the X server and kernel are separate,
so the window manager can be restarted if necessary without a reboot.
Configuration deficiencies Configuration deficiencies
-------------------------- --------------------------
@@ -34,8 +43,23 @@ Most of the things that users care about -- not losing configuration between ins
On Linux, system level configuration is stored in /etc/ and user level configuration is stored in dotfiles (hidden folders) in the home directory. On Linux, system level configuration is stored in /etc/ and user level configuration is stored in dotfiles (hidden folders) in the home directory.
-- Package manager with signed binaries and easy backup/reinstall. -- Package manager with signed binaries and easy backup/reinstall.
There are many Linux packaging systems, including Fedora's rpm-based yum package manager,
Debian's apt and dpkg,
Arch Linux's pacman,
and so on.
This is has tangible benefits such as avoiding DLL hell,
avoiding duplication of libraries,
verifying that there are no backdoors in the coe,
and upgrading all software at once with a single command.
It also makes distributing programs with library dependencies much easier.
For example, installing python and matplotlib is simple on Linux,
but a pain in the neck on windows.
People have been working on fixing this, but it's far from comprehensive.
http://chocolatey.org/
-- Fixing configuration problems with commands instead of GUIs. -- Fixing configuration problems with commands instead of GUIs.
GUIs are good for some applications. They are clumsy and error-prone for fixing configuration problems. GUIs are good for some applications. They are clumsy and error-prone for fixing configuration problems.
Many Linux config problems can be fixed by a simple script that can be pasted into a terminal. Many Linux config problems can be fixed by a simple script that can be pasted into a terminal.
Windows requires navigating deeply nested GUIs and ticking various checkboxes. Windows generally requires navigating deeply nested GUIs and ticking various checkboxes.
This has the same security problems as blindly running commands in a terminal,
but is much less efficient.