In the modern era of technology, a tech person or a general person often faces some confusion in learning the right operating system. Most of them start their journey using Windows because of its user-friendliness. As a system administrator, I also started my journey with Windows. However, Linux is known as a powerful and resourceful platform for network and security engineers.
In this blog, we will be discussing the comparison between the core aspects of these two operating systems. We’ll compare the histories, architectures, user types, file systems, and different types of necessary and key commands.
History
Linux
- 1969: The precursor of Linux was developed which is named UNIX. Thompson and Dennis Ritchie were the main inventors of this platform.
- 1983: Richard Stallman announced the GNU project where they made open-source and free software for the use of all people.
- 1991: Finally, Linus Torvalds introduced Linux which gained the highest popularity among all previous platforms of Linux.
- 2004: The most recent invention was Ubuntu which is one of the most popular and user-friendly distribution.
Windows:
- 1985: In this year Microsoft invented the first version of Windows, which gained popularity due to its GUI user interface for MS-DOS.
- 1995: With a lot of improvement Microsoft introduced the Windows 95 platform which had a new user interface.
- 2001: Windows XP was introduced by Microsoft and this OS became the most popular version of Windows.
- 2015: The first multiple-device type OS was invented by Microsoft, which was supported by desktop computers, and tablets.
System Architecture
Features | Linux | Windows |
Kernel | Manage hardware, processes, drivers and memory | Monolithic kernel managing hardware, processes, memory, and drivers. |
File System Types | ext2, ext3, ext4, xfs, btrfs, jfs. | NTFS, FAT32 |
OS Types | Desktop, Server, IBM PowerPC, Super Computer, LiveOS. | Desktop, Server, Embedded, Mobile. |
OS Architechture | x86 (32-bit) and x86_64 (64-bit). | x86 (32-bit) and x64 (64-bit). |
User Types
Linux
Root User: Administrator right with full system access (#).
System User: Service accounts for mail, FTP, and other services (cannot log in)
Regular User: Limited privileges, same as a standard user ($).
Windows
Administrator: Full access and control over the system.
Standard User: Limited privileges of using different features.
Guest User: Minimal privileges, usually a temporary user.
File Systems and Directories
Linux Directory Structure:
/bin: User binaries.
/dev: Device files.
/sbin: System binaries.
/usr: Third-party software.
/etc: Configuration files.
/home: User home directories.
/root: Root user’s home directory.
/var: Variable data (logs, mail spools).
Drive Letters: SATA (sdx1, sdx2), USB (sdx1), DVD (sr0/dvd), Floppy (fd).
Windows Directory Structure:
C:\: Primary and default partition.
Program Files: Installed software is in this directory.
Users: User profiles and home directories are in this directory.
Windows: All System files are located here.
System32: Core system files and utilities are located here.
Drive Letters: C: to Z: for various drives and partitions.
Command Syntax and Usage
Linux
Basic Commands:
ls: List files and directories.
cd: Change directory.
pwd: Print working directory.
cp: Copy files.
mv: Move or rename files.
rm: Remove files.
Shutdown Commands:
shutdown -h now: Halt the system.
reboot: Restart the system.
User Commands:
whoami: Display current username.
hostname: Show or set the system hostname.
Windows
Basic Commands:
dir: List files and directories.
cd: Change directory.
echo %cd%: Print working directory.
copy: Copy files.
move: Move or rename files.
del: Delete files.
Shutdown Commands:
shutdown /s: Shut down the system.
shutdown /r: Restart the system.
User Commands:
whoami: Display current username.
hostname: Show the system hostname.
Why Choose Linux?
Security: Due to its permission and user role features Linux OS is the most secure platform.
Open Source: Anybody can download and install Linux and use it without any complexity. The source code of these operating systems is openly available.
Performance: Faster and more efficient OS even if you use it in old hardware.
Customization: It has the facility of customizing the features and needs as required.
Community Support: It has the largest community support for the developers.
Why Choose Windows?
User-Friendly GUI: The most popular reason for using Windows is because of its graphical interface.
Software Compatibility: Windows system supports a wide range of software and there are no dependencies required for them to use in this platform.
Gaming: A suitable platform for game lovers because of its extensive driver and gaming capabilities.
Business Use: A most preferred platform for enterprise users because Windows supports the widespread use of applications and software.
Conclusion
Both of the operating systems have their unique features and reason for being favorites to the users. Linux is a secure platform for the IT professional if anyone is concerned about security and has a lot of customization facilities, on the other hand, the GUI interface Windows provides for the end users is very user-friendly. These differences can help you to choose the right operating system for you. In the upcoming blogs, we will be discussing more about Windows and Linux operating systems and their necessary commands to operate effectively and efficiently.