Like everything else Quora, I'm having trouble with the link to this article I found in their latest digest. Thus I'm going to do something I loath doing, i.e., quote the whole article in this thread. OK, not the whole article; I left out the comments. I was impressed with this answer because it's from a professional with tons of Linux experience. You got to put some credibility in a source like that. Then again, Quora considers me an expert too.
Why is the Linux operating system better than any other operating system?
Trausti Thor Johannsson
Trausti Thor Johannsson, Computer programmer
Updated Oct 29
Originally Answered: What makes Linux the best operating system available?
Nothing. Linux is not the best anything. Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge Linux cheerleader. But Linux isn’t best at anything, it is great at many things.
Today nothing beats Linux mostly for the ease of access of tools on the server level, but Solaris and HP/UX are far superior. You know docker ? Solaris has had this built in for at least a decade before and it is still more flexible, powerful and useful.
Like a workstation operating system, Linux is pretty bad. It is still at the same place as Redhat 7.3 was in 2000/2001. You still don’t have good gui apps, you still don’t have a real software landscape. Yes you can easily make it your workstation, I have used this for 20 years, but this is a constant battle, abandoned software you rely on and so on. Mac OS is far superior in almost all aspects.
When it comes a time to setup 5000 machines, share disks, run databases and do whatever else you want, nothing beats Linux, it is great.
But whoever says Linux is the greatest anything just lacks experience and does not know what he/she is talking about honestly.
I'm not sure what you mean by the money comment, but I do agree with it in general. LOL
This Johannsson dude confirms what you like to say, i.e., Linux is great on servers. I'm here to affirm it needs more development for everything else people try to make it do.
The part where he compared Linux to Mac OS.
That's like comparing a pile of free lumber to the finest hardwood from the most expensive mill.
Sure Mac's are great, I owned a few myself. But they were a long cry from free!
I don't see most of the nations top servers running Mac OS-X server. Wonder why not?
Could it be because dollar for dollar Linux does a much better job?
Sure Linux could use a lot more development. But remember it is all done by volunteers for the most part.
Thankfully we have a few companies with money behind it making it better all the time.
You are confusing cost with capability. The article simply points out that Linux isn't the "best" at anything. It has it's niche in the server field, but it's not even the best doing that. Apple OS, like Windows OS, was not designed for server duty. That's the main reason you do not see them dominating that aspect of computing.
Yes, but he also said this too!
"When it comes a time to setup 5000 machines, share disks, run databases and do whatever else you want, nothing beats Linux, it is great."
"...and do whatever else you want, nothing beats Linux, it is great."
Most people don't get paid to work with servers so that the beauty of Linux is wasted on the vast majority of computer users. I recognize that Linux has some benefits, but it will take a long time for them to appeal to the non-server crowd.
Well, when you look at the big picture, nearly everyone makes use of the worlds servers using inferior equipment to do so.
I think Linux should take one day a year off, just so folks really know how intertwined they are with Linux and how much they rely on Linux to keep the world running!
