You have guessed it, if you don't use Linux by 2016, then you are begging to be hacked. You know if you are in the cryptocurrency space and do have some coins on your computer, then using Windows or Mac is a pretty poor decision.
Even if you hold your coins safely, in a hardware wallet or in an offline PC, you should still not use closed-source OS's like Windows and Mac. You do use services where you have to login from a browser and for that such decisions could be catastrophic.
I can't see why people still don't use Linux, it's easy to install, easy to use, it's free, it's safe and it has a whole lot of softwares tied to it that are also free, safe and open source. The only possible reason why people still use Windows is for gaming, but that can be done in Linux too via VM's, although less performant, that is true.
Comparison
| Characteristic | Windows | Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 129$ | FREE |
| Code | Closed-Source | Open-Source |
| Usual Softwares | Pay | Free |
| Security | Low | High |
| Ease of Use | Hard | Medium |
| OS Encryption | No | Yes |
| Basic Photo Editor | MS Paint: Free but basic | GIMP: Free and advanced |
| Basic Office Package | MS Office: 80$ | Libre Office: Free |
| Basic Audio Edit | Only 3rd party for pay | Audacity: Free |
| Browser | Internet Explorer: Closed Source | Firefox: Open Source |
| Programming | C++/C# for pay | Python for Free |
| Encryption Tools | No | Many & Safe |
| Privacy Friendly | Hell No | Yes |
So as you can see, if you do work with money online or have high valuable online accounts, you certainly don't want them to get hacked via some browser exploit, that closed source browsers could have. They are not transparent, and who knows whats inside them, lack of transparency is very bad.
Windows is poorly designed and it get's infected with malware constantly, and then you need to spend money for additional anti-viruses, which are just to make you feel good but I doubt their effectiveness. On linux there are no viruses, well certainly not the common ones.
A linux OS works in a very organized way, you have a master password, and a virus is ineffective if it can't get a hold of that password, since without that, it doesn't have root access to the system's files. All you need to do is just login as non-administrator for your casual computer activity, and if you suspect a virus was downloaded, just wipe that account and create new one. I can't believe people still fall for these anti-virus scams. A virus should not penetrate the OS in the first place, then you don't need "anti-viruses".
Although this is only for trojan type viruses, a browser exploit could still be worrysome, but then you just select what addons and extensions you add to your browsers. Just use common sense and don't install suspicious things.
So just give a try to Linux, you won't go back to Windows after you have tried it, I promise you. I have been using Linux since I got into the crypto space in 2013, and never gone back to Windows, I even throwed away my original licensed install CD's as a vow.
Upvote, ReSteem & 
not sure how you can say that when recently across all linux distros they discovered a password hack that had existed for nearly a decade, basically existed for NINE years - A nine-year-old critical vulnerability has been discovered in virtually all versions of the Linux operating system and is actively being exploited in the wild - the dirty cow kernal flaw... i respect what your saying, i think it comes down to the way you use an OS, you have to keep on top of security patches, but responsibly when browsers websites and downloadings things..
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No operating system can be perfect as they are incredibly complex. The open source nature of Linux means that anyone can check the code, but that doesn't mean they will. Crooks can check it too. That said, I love Linux and have used it for years. I want an OS that doesn't keep trying to stop me doing things. The creativity of the community is amazing.
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right, i need a platform that makes me productivity. if you want any kind of longevity with your OS of choice you need to have some level of security knowledge to maintain it. plan for the day the backup dies and things get hacked because they eventually do!
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The key is that it "was discovered", on Windows they will never be discovered since the code is not public.
Yes now the linux devs will be more careful, no problem, this just forces people to adapt to the situation and be more careful. While Windows and others promise false sense of security.
If it took 9 years for an open community to find this, then how much time will it take for a handful of programmers at MS to discover critical bugs?
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ok, so really the piece was about your distain for windows. i respect that, i hate windows too - also 'Yes now the linux devs will be more careful' is not really an answer is it? :) - i still enjoyed your post as i think it brings value and awareness to the problem! :)
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More like my distain for non-transparent projects. People deserve the right to know what softwares they have on their PC, just as you deserve to know the ingredients of the food that you buy at the grocery store.
It matters if the food contains chemicals and additives or not, just as it matters if your software contains backdoors and bugs or not.
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ok. thanks.
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Agreed, I've been using linux for about 20 years now and it's evolved dramatically over the years.
These days with distros like ubuntu & mint its getting pretty easy for the windows refugees to make the switch.
If you're an experienced linux user looking for the ultimate in control/security and privacy then I can't recommend QubesOS enough !
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Indeed, I use both with customized themes, and I love the graphics of it more then Windows.
I have tried out Qubes once for Bitcoins, but found it hard to use and setup, so I have settled at the former.
I had difficulty first with the terminals because I was used to the GUI installs that happened in Windows, but it is easy to learn the commands or just search them up.
I love the fact that the files are organized, and you can pretty much find everything in the home directory, whereas in Windows everything was installed in different places like Program Files, Program filex x86, Program Data, Application data, etc.. tons of hidden files and folders, and you could barely find or delete unused items that were not in the Control Panel uninstall. This is obviously advantages for viruses, because you can never get rid of them if they hide themselves in obscure places.
But in Linux you can just wipe your home folder, and if the main password is not exposed, the virus will be cleaned and wont infect anything actually. It is a very organized and elegant architecture.
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Exactly, it just feels far more logical then windows in a lot of ways..
It's a thing of beauty being able to back up your home folder and configs (or better yet, have them in a separate partition to your main system) and then drop your configs into a new system install and continue where you left off :)
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Yes, create an encrypted partition, and put your stuff there, or put it in a USB for backup.
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i think tat yo are more likely to use kali ;)
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Aha I used to use Kali a bit but once they moved their base system to ubuntu I started just adding in their custom repositories to my ubuntu template inside QubesOS. Now I have the best of both worlds ! :)
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Excellent information! Thanks for the heads up. Tweeted, FB, resteemed.
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Every time I use Linux, going back to Windows is always a pleasant feeling. I particularly find Windows 10 the most modern and connected to cloud services among the desktop OSes. (Yes, you give up privacy for convenience, but I'll happily take that compromise) More importantly, the software I need for work and pleasure is simply not available on Linux. Apart from that, frankly there's little to choose between a modern Linux distro, Windows 10 and macOS Sierra. They are all solid operating systems.
Of course, you're spot on - for mission critical applications and developers, Linux is the way to go. But I'm just someone who uses their computer to get work done and for entertainment. Windows 10 is the best choice for me and many an average Joe.
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Ok I can accept that, although I would not comprimize the privacy, especially in this day and age of cyber hacks and cyber warfare. Identity theft and other horrible things are the norm now.
For average Joe, maybe, but if people hold money on their PC or deal with money, then I would certainly not settle for a weak non-secure OS.
Linux can run Windows apps too, but maybe that feature should be more user friendly.
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The regular Joe doesn't give a shit about privacy anymore. Today, vast majority of computing is in fact done on Android, which generates all its revenue from breaching your privacy. Unlike Windows you don't even have the options to shut off stuff that blatantly compromises your privacy. You could of course argue that that's terrible, but that's just how the tech world is today. I have just accepted it and moved on.
I have used Wine but the performance and usability is just nowhere near a native Windows install. Particularly stuff that uses the GPU. I'm sure there are others, but it's not worth it, for me.
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Yeah but big investors are not your average Joe. Yes maybe a young guy with no money doesn't care, but someone with a big wealth does.
It depends how much money you can lose by not caring.
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Shame on you windows love, i learned computing on windows, but at the end, like profitgenerator, i fell in love of linux, it is so easy to use, there are so much help on the web.
Windows is just a big piece of shit who continiously serves your data to everybody like a bitch would do with customers ! plus it is full of bugs, sefeless, it casts blue screen of death at every single attempt to have a stable os, no sorry but me, i am definitly unhappy when i have to switch from my lovelu xerus to the ugly windows 10
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