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The decision to run Microsoft Windows or GNU/Linux can be a challenge. Are you an end user? Do you do much in the way of computer gaming? Does your workplace/school require the use of Microsoft products? Are you running a web server or filesharing host?

There are advantages and disadvantages to both sides.

Let us assume that you are an avid computer gamer. In this case, it makes little to no sense to run GNU/Linux. Despite the advances that WINE and its derivatives have made, you will still be better off in the long run running Microsoft Windows. Most, if not all, major computer games are released primarily for Microsoft operating systems.

Now, let us assume that you are an end user concerned mostly with internet access and/or office products. Here it becomes a toss-up. If your machine came with Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office, and either Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox pre-installed, you may not wish to go through the hassle of transitioning to Linux. Even so, Open Source options exist for the Windows user-you might opt for OpenOffice.org on a Windows platform. Should, however, you be building a machine from scratch, GNU/Linux is a viable alternative. You can have complete functionality for office and internet work (minus QuickTime and Windows Media browser plugins) for no more than the cost of the media necessary for installation.

Changing gears again, let us assume you are setting up some sort of service provision. It is well known among computer specialists that service machines running Microsoft operating systems require frequent reboots, whereas *ix (Unix, Linux, etc) systems can have uptimes measured in months, if not years. A computer specialist I know once told me of a machine that had been operating continuously for nearly three years-they rebooted it just to ensure that all the hardware was properly detected.

Also measuring into your decision should be the level of computer knowledge you have. If you are intimately familiar with the hardware of your machine, or have the desire to learn more about it, then GNU/Linux may be for you. If, however, you are a layperson or wish the simplicity of plugging it in and running immediately, you should most likely remain with Microsoft Windows.

Overall, the decision is a personal one. Do the research on GNU/Linux. Haunt the message boards. Talk to friends or acquaintances who use either or both platforms. Ask questions. Determine for yourself which will be right for you. As mentioned before, both have their pros and cons. Whatever your decision, however, I wish you the best in your computing endeavors.

Learn more about this author, Henry C. Gernhardt III.
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