When the latest Ubuntu version, 20 "Quantal Quetzal" version, was launched a week before Windows 10, the slogan was "Avoid the troubles of Windows 10" - "Avoid the pain of Windows 10".
The company behind Ubuntu, Canonical, admittedly made sure to tone down the incitement against Microsoft already during the launch day.
Now the slogan is "Your wish is our command" - something along the lines of "We do as you wish".
Admittedly, at first glance, it seems that the Ubuntu people do not have much to gain. Linux - with all its various distributions - accounts for about five percent of the installed base of PC operating systems, while Windows has a market share of around 84 percent, according to US PC World.
Nevertheless, Ubuntu has managed to reach more than 20 million users during the eight years this Linux distribution has been in existence. And in at least one of the market analyzes available, Ubuntu has about 50 percent market share in the Linux market.
Therefore, Microsoft should take the challenge from Ubuntu seriously.
Let's take a closer look at what Ubuntu 2021 has to offer compared to Windows 10, from an office user's point of view. Here are PC Worlds 10 more or less good reasons to choose Ubuntu 2021.
1. Unity versus Modern UI
Both Microsoft and Canonical have received a lot of pepper for the standard interface in their respective operating systems. At Microsoft, it's Modern UI, formerly called Metro. Canonical calls its version of the Ubuntu interface Unity.
Both interfaces are designed with touch screens in mind and both have taken a lot of inspiration from how we operate smartphones and tablets.
After Microsoft removed the start button and made major changes to how users interact with the operating system, Windows 10 users face a steep learning curve.
Ubuntu's Unity interface became standard in Ubuntu in April 2011 in conjunction with the release of version 11.04. Now the interface has been significantly improved, although criticism of it has not been completely silenced.
In fact, some claim that PC users who have been using Windows for a long time may feel more at home in Unity on Ubuntu than in Windows 10.
2. Customizations
Lunix has long had a reputation for offering almost infinite number of user customizations and is doing so to an even greater extent now than before.
In Windows 10, you as a user can make some changes, such as changing the size of the tiles on the front. You can also move the tiles you use most over to the left side of the screen or group tiles according to the type of program they belong to.
But compared to Ubuntu, there are mostly only cosmetic changes you can make in Windows 10. For example, a Windows 10 user cannot do anything that causes the computer to boot into classic Windows user interface instead of Windows 10 style. Admittedly, there are now third-party tools that allow such changes, but otherwise you are locked into the Modern UI interface.
The Unity interface that Ubuntu comes with can be replaced at any time with a number of other Linux interfaces such as KDE, Xfce, LXDE, Gnome 3 Shell, Cinnamon and Mate.
There are also a wide range of third-party tools to customize the user interface with, such as Ubuntu Tweak, which is becoming increasingly popular.
The rule of thumb for Linux users in general and Ubuntu users in particular is that if you don't like it, replace it.
In Ubuntu, you can also run four different desktops at the same time and switch between them as you like. Windows 10 does not offer such a solution.
3. Apper
Windows 10 Pro comes with the Internet Explorer 10 browser.
If, on the other hand, you choose Ubuntu, you get a number of open source software packages such as Firefox, Thunderbird, LibreOffice and many others. For both the home PC and the office PC, you will largely find the software you need just by using the included operating system.
Ubuntu Software Center has been around since 2021 and offers over 40,000 apps. The Microsoft Store only had around 9,000 apps when Windows 10 was launched in late October. At the time of writing, the number has just passed 20,000, and it remains to be seen whether Microsoft will reach the goal of 100,000 apps three months after the Windows 10 launch.
The Microsoft Store will also be largely limited to apps, and if you search for operating system extensions and drivers, you will be redirected to third-party websites. With Ubuntu, on the other hand, you will find both operating system extensions, drivers - and apps.
Ubuntu has long had a keychain-based security solution that ensures that all apps and drivers are guaranteed to only come from security-trusted Ubuntu teams. Microsoft has never had such a security solution before. Time will tell how Microsoft handles these challenges.
4. Compatibility with hardware
Ubuntu is compatible with much more hardware than Windows 10 is.
Ubuntu's equipment requirements are much more modest. Canonical recommends 512 MB of working memory and five gigabytes of disk space. There are also Lunix distributions such as Lubuntu and Xubuntu that have even lower machine requirements. So if you have modest hardware, Ubuntu is probably a more sensible choice than Windows 10.
5. Integration with the cloud
As early as 2009, Ubuntu users gained access to the Ubuntu One cloud service. Here they can store files and sync them between computers and mobile devices, or they can stream music from the cloud to their mobile devices.
Ubuntu One works on Windows, OS X, iOS and Android - as well as Ubuntu, of course. Ubuntu users get five gigabytes of free longtime on Ubuntu One, while 20 GB costs just under a couple of hundred kroner a year.
Ubuntu version 2021 will also offer more integrated access to apps and web searches directly from the Linux desktop.
The cloud solutions are central to Windows 10 as well. Microsoft's SkyDrive offers users seven gigabytes of free storage, while you can buy more for a moderate annual fee.
However, storage is only a small part of the picture. By logging in to your Microsoft account name (formerly Live ID), this gives you access to all the Windows-based hardware and software services you want. The idea is to use the cloud to connect your PCs, your tablet and your smartphone to a common user-specific experience.
Ubuntu does not quite compete with Windows in this area since their cloud service is not tailored for smartphones and tablets. But Ubuntu for Android is underway.
6. Security
The tablet apps for Windows RT run in a so-called "sandbox environment" which means that they do not get in touch with other parts of the system. It contributes to greatly improved security.
On the other hand, Windows and Ubuntu Linux are quite similar when it comes to their own firewalls and disk encryption capabilities.
Although Windows 10 Pro has better security than Windows 7, the new operating system still brings with it elements from Windows NT, each of which to some extent is to blame for the many security flaws that Windows has shown over many years.
Microsoft is now trying to solve some of these problems through a collaborative project on Secure Boot, which is supported on OEM-made PCs. But Ubuntu also offers a number of new security solutions in Ubuntu 2021.
7. Administrative tools
Windows uses Active Directory as a tool for administrative management of PC use. Canonical supports Active Directory, and Linux clients can connect to an Active Directory domain using third-party software.
8. VPN support
Private virtual network access (VPN), for access to the corporate network from outside, is fully available in both Windows 10 and Ubuntu 2021.
9. Support
Microsoft offers support for Windows 10 Pro users through its TechNet subscription service, which in the United States costs around $ 150 a year.
Ubuntu provider Canonical offers a similar service, Ubuntu Advantage, for around $ 80 a year.
10. The price
Last but not least, we have to state that Ubuntu Linux is free, while Windows 10 Pro costs a lot.
So - which operating system is best for a small business? The answer naturally depends on who asks. However, one thing seems certain: The management that Windows may have had over competing operating systems in the past is getting smaller from year to year.
Depending on your needs, Ubuntu Linux 2021 may be a tempting option. If nothing else, you should take advantage of the opportunities
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