Advantages and disadvantages of using Linux in your company

What is Linux

Linux is an operating system, like Windows or Mac OS. It is free software and is not owned by any company, so you do not have to pay a license fee to use it.

There are quite a few Linux distributions: Ubuntu, Debian, etc. Each of them has its advantages and disadvantages, so before choosing Linux, you should look for the distribution or version that best suits your company's needs. In any case, at our  IT maintenance company in Barcelona  we will look at the main advantages and disadvantages that Linux offers compared to other operating systems in the business environment.

Advantages of Linux for companies

Price 

Being an open-source operating system, its cost is 0 € or much lower than commercial operating systems. In addition, security and performance updates are free. On the other hand, there are very useful programs for the business environment, also freely distributed, such as OpenOffice, which is similar to Microsoft Office, but free for your company. 

Available applications

There are a multitude of very efficient and specific applications for many business software needs. This is one of the advantages of open source. The quality varies, as with commercial applications, but as a rule, their ability to improve version after version is much faster.

Security

Most IT experts and professionals agree that Linux is more secure against viruses and hackers than commercial operating systems. 

Performance

Operating systems are layers that allow computers and human users to interact. The heavier that human-computer interface is, the more resources it will consume. Linux is less heavy than Windows, which increases the computer's performance.

Disadvantages

Not the majority in the business world

Perhaps this is the main disadvantage. Today, most companies still use Windows as their operating system. The IT compatibility of your work with other companies may be an issue.

Less intuitive

Although today there are very user-friendly graphical interfaces for Linux, it is true that for some tasks, Linux is less intuitive than other operating systems, such as Windows.

Configuration

The large number of aspects you can configure gives you advantages, but it is a double-edged sword, since configuration can be a complex task. 

Issues with peripherals

Some peripherals that are easy to install under Windows may be more difficult to install in Linux. Although there are many online solutions.

Conclusion

Linux has its strengths and weaknesses compared to commercial operating systems. Each company must analyze whether it is convenient to install it or not. There is also the possibility that several operating systems coexist in the same company, each one oriented and implemented in the area where it brings the most advantages.