When comparing GNU+Linux vs Microsoft Windows Desktop, the Slant community recommends Microsoft Windows Desktop for most people. In the question“What are the best Operating Systems for x86 PCs?” Microsoft Windows Desktop is ranked 3rd while GNU+Linux is ranked 17th. The most important reason people chose Microsoft Windows Desktop is:
Since Windows runs on the majority of PCs it supports almost any hardware you can find.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Unix-like
It is a Unix clone.
Pro Many different desktops to choose
Just use whatever you want. Some are lightweight, others are full of extravagant features. There is a flavor for each taste.
Pro GNU-userland
Uses the same userland as other GNU variants.
Pro Free
You don't have to pay anything.
Pro Best universal Hardware support
Since Windows runs on the majority of PCs it supports almost any hardware you can find.
Pro Cheap
You can buy a legal key for ~$15.
Pro Best Software support
The majority of software is available for Windows. You can find a software for any task.
Pro Backwards compatibility
It can even run software that was made over 20 years ago.
Pro Basic Linux support
With a growing subsystem in active development and a stated goal of eventual full cross compatibility.
Cons
Con GNU Copyleft
The coplyleft in the GNU licenses make it unattractive to many developers. It s also impossible to port GPLed Linux improvements to other more open operating systems like BSD or Haiku.
Con Frankenstein OS
The whole OS is mixed together with software from different sources.
Con Many distributions
There are just too many of them to know.
Con No interface Guidelines
Since there are plenty of X11-Desktop environments and two big Widget Toolkits, every app works and feels differently.
Con Most Distributions are not LSB-conform
The most Distributions don't follow the Linux Standard Base which results in different package formates, package management tools, bootloaders, init-systems or even filesystem hierarchy standards.
Con Often limited by decisions of the Kernel developers
Support for the latest features in Linux is often limited by their kernel developers, for example, Nvidia once had added patches to support Optimus on Linux, however, the kernel developers rejected those patches resulting in still no official Optimus support for Linux.
Con Most 3D drivers are not as fast as their Windows counterparts
The only display driver that comes close to their Windows counterpart is the nvidia driver. Both AMD and Intel drivers miss a Control Panel on Linux to adjust more settings than just your resolution they also usually much slower than their Windows counterparts.
Con Unix-like
It's only a clone and some things work differently.
Con A big mess
10-15 years ago I had everything working on my linux system bluetooth, graphic driver desktop etc.
Nowadays it is just a big mess: Distributions force me to use systemd a system I don't like since it is terrible to debug, KDE and GNOME(and its siblings) have moved even further away from each other no unlike years ago when they used freedesktop to unify things. There are now dozens of different GUI toolkits o choose every one with they own themes and usability(not to mention all the different minor versions like gtk2, 3,4 whatever that look and work all differently). in 2005 i could use bluetooth audio with alsa and no issues on every DE or WM nowadays you need pulseaudio to get it working some applications even need it to play audio. All distributions use different packaging formates (but they do and work all the same). You have now traditional apps and flatpaks, snaps and appimages. There are desktops/distributions that come with wayland preinstalled and the majority still uses X.org.
Con No graphical user-interface
As the most unix systems this also comes without a graphical user interface by default.
Con Not secure
Linux is actually the least secure OS and it is a security nightmare. Windows, MacOS, and ChromeOS are all far more secure.
Con Data collection
Per default Microsoft is collecting many data on newer Windows versions, and it is very unconfortable to turn them just off(eg you have to do it for every service seperately...)
Con Vulnerable
Due its high distribution and the use of many third party code(eg: software/drivers) it is more vulnerable than any other OS.
Con Not free/open source
Con Tied to Microsoft
Windows suggests the use of Microsoft services (however, it does not force it like Apple does)
Con Terrible and inconsistent UI/UX
Con Not modular/Big fat package
Due all the included drivers, 32bit compatiblty packages and Applications/utilities Windows 10 64Bit needs ~20 gb of hard disk space.
Con Poor performance
Windows is slower than Linux in many cases.
Con Low current cross compatibility
Unix support requires many tweaks and installations of secondary software. No MacOS support and few choices for Apple’s olderOSX and System software. All via third party.