Why Run Linux for Windows

Last Modified:October 17, 2023

Ok, you have come to this site because you may be curious. You are probably running a version of windows already. Now you ask yourself, "Why would I want to run Linux for Windows. You have a PC or laptop with Windows already installed. What does linux offer that windows doesn't? Well, why not? There are countless reasons why you would want to install linux or linux tools under windows. Here is a brief listing of some of those reasons.

Work PC or Home PC is Already Running Windows

When someone buys a PC or laptop, it generally comes with a version of Windows already pre-installed. The license is already bundled with the computer. Why waste it? If it is a work PC, then chances are it is a Windows based PC as well. The corporation you work for already has a licensing agreement with Microsoft for the Operating Systems on their PC's as well as their bundled software (MS Office for example). They probably also offer employee discounts for purchasing these bundles for home use. So, for the vast majority of people, they are already running Windows. So for these people, the only way to get Linux on these systems is to use a solution which allows for Linux to run under windows.

Geeky and Development

Command Prompts. Utilities with switches. No GUI's. What can be more geeky than that? Computer nerds (and in a non-insulting statement, because I am one of those nerds) enjoy geeky stuff. Linux provides an environment which is common amongst computer nerds. Linux is Open-Source. It has been developed and maintained by computer people. And linux is a common development platform. It has all the compiling tools for linux environments (gcc, cc, cplus, etc) plus also libraries and cross-compile tools to develop for other platforms (Linux, Windows, Android for example). It also has common repository retrieval systems (git). Running Linux for windows allows developers to have both a windows environment (native) and a linux environment on the same system.

Free

That's right, Linux is free. Not just the operating system, but many of the programs and utilities you add afterwards are also free.

Command Prompts

Both Windows and Linux have a command prompt. The Windows version is called the Command Prompt or the Powershell. Linux's user interface, by default, is a command prompt, or shell. But Linux has many different shells. There is the Bourne Shell, Tcsh/Csh, ksh (Korn Shell), Zsh, Fish, Bash (Bourne Again SHell). When linux is installed, it is normally running the bash shell by default.

Utilities

Both windows and linux have a set of utilities. Many are similar, but some are not. For example, to search the contents of a file, in windows, you can use the utilities find or findstr. In Linux, there are commands like grep or egrep. There is also a find. There are more command line utilities in linux. The only was to get to these on a windows systems is to install a linux for windows solutions.

Sandboxing

A sandbox is a term used to describe a play area, which is separate from the main area. Anything which happens in the sandbox is limited to the sandbox area.

Diversity - With Multiple Instances

Installing Linux for Windows does not necessarily mean only installing one distribution of Linux. It could mean installing many distributions. If you are familiar with Ubuntu for example, and want to dive into another flavor of Linux, just install another instance and start to experience the difference with a hands on approach.

That one Particular Program

There are some programs which were made which runs only under Linux. Running a Windows for Linux solution can get you running a linux only program under your Windows environment.

For Fun and Knowledge

Linux fun? It sure is. Once you dive into the command prompt, or shell, there is no turning back. It provides full control over specific tasks. And why not be "bilingual" in the 2 major operating systems in the world, Windows and Linux.

Experimentation

Experiments are usually run by scientists, but have you ever heard of Computer Science? Universities offer computer science programs, and sometimes the courses they offer need to run under a different operating system.

Cost

It is definitely cheaper to run a virtual instance of an operating system than going out and purchasing another computer to try out the alternative OS.

Ease

Some solutions we have listed on our pages are just a matter of a few clicks or downloads, and before you know it, you are running a different operating system.

Reviews

If you are interesting in writing a review about a product or an Operating system, it would be advisable to actually have some first hand experience with that operating system. What better way to get experience than to dive knee deep into the system itself.

More Ideas?

If you have more unique ideas, let us know, and we will add them to this page