Why You Should Switch to Linux

Linux is the most secure, and customizable operating system around.  With many different distributions you are destined to find one for you.  It is more secure, and great for developers.  If it were up to me, I would use Linux as my primary operating system, the only downside is there are some programs only available on Windows that I cannot live without as a student.

Privacy

Have you ever noticed the amount of information that Windows and MacOS collects for “privacy” purposes.

Hackers are less likely to hack Linux systems.  Since there are significantly fewer users on Linux, it is less prone to attacks.  Hackers are going to be much more interested in Windows or MacOS users because there are more users with more information.  Furthermore, the system is harder to hack because Linux does not automatically grant administrator access to all files.  Unlike Windows, files are not ran through a .exe file, therefore, unwanted malware cannot be installed unless given permission by the user.

According to Ray Yeargin in “The short life and hard times of a Linux virus”

Not only is the lack of root access proficient, but Linux has fast and frequent updates.  It is recommended to run “apt-get upgrade” once a week for security patches.  Although this sounds like a hassle, you are getting better privacy and Linux updates can run in the background.

If Malware does find its way onto your system, then it is easier to remove on Linux.  Unless it is installed on the “root” account, or system administrator, then it is easier to just compromise a user account.

All in all, Linux systems are less likely to be infected because there are fewer users, less administrator access, and frequent security updates.  In the low chance Malware does find its way onto your system, it is very easy to remove.

Great for Developers

It is much more convenient for developers to program on Linux than on Windows.  One significant feature is the use of package managers.  The command line on Linux systems make it very easy to install packages for programming.  For example, if  I wanted to install Tkinter for Python all I would type in is apt-get install python-tk into the command line.  For programmers, this simplicity makes it very easy to install anything they need to complete their projects.

Additionally, the customizability of Linux makes it very easy for programmers to create a setup to their personal liking.  Many distributions will allow for a customizable Desktop Environment, where you can setup any widgets or apps you need right on the home screen.  Furthermore, many tweaks allow you to setup personal key binds and shortcuts unavailable on the default operating system.  Since Linux is open-source, there are no limits to its customizability and developers can do whatever they please.

Finding a Distribution

Linux Distributions are setup through the Linux Kernel with certain tools and features suitable to ones need.  If you are interested in using Linux you will need to find a distro suitable for you.

Linux Ubuntu and PopOS are my recommendations for causal and everyday use.  They are both extremely simple to setup and provide a visual style very similar to Windows.  Pop OS was my first Linux Distro and I never had any problems setting everything up to my liking.

If you are interested in developing a career in the hacking industry, then ParrotOS or Kali are the best distros for you.  They are very useful for penetration testing; mastering either is essential for a career in cybersecurity.  They are pre-installed with hacking tools as the industry standard.  If I had to choose one I would prefer Kali because it is used more often and easier to understand.

Finally, Manjaro and Arch Linux are the best for developers.  It is important to note that both Distributions are incredible difficult to setup, so I would not recommend them to beginners.  Arch is entirely setup through the terminal, so it will take a lot of  background research and understanding to use.  However, it is the most customizable distro on this list.

The Downside of Linux

Although Linux is very secure and customizable, there is one significant downside to using it; this is the reason I have Windows on my main device.  It cannot run a vast amount of programs not developed for Linux.  Although programs like Wine were created to run .exe files on Linux, many still do not work.  For gamers, I would never recommend a different operating system than Windows because most games are not available on other operating systems.

To counteract this problem, I would research the programs and applications you use everyday and find out if they are useable on Linux.  If not, it might not be possible to make the change.

Conclusion

In essence, I believe developers and Computer Science guroos should switch to Linux.  It is more secure, customizable, and great for developers.  Try to find alternatives to your favorite Windows applications, but if nothing is available.  I am sure updates will come eventually so you can make the change.  If you do not plan to switch to Linux, I hope this articles could help you know a little bit more about the vastly growing operating system.