The answer seems simple and straight forward, but it is actually not that simple to answer. The main reason is, because Windows and Linux are quite different and the answer depends on the user.
Windows has been released first in a time when there has been no Internet for home users, no wireless LAN and so forth. It’s a proprietary operating system with the home user in mind.
Linux on the other isn’t even an operating system. It’s an operating system kernel with a modular build of tools around it. The idea of Linux has been born after the use of Unix, a university level multi-user operating system. And the Linux kernel was first released at a time, when the Internet became available to home users. The advantage in Linux is certainly not ease of use though. On the other hand, it’s very versatile. Experienced users wouldn’t call it Manjaro OS by the way. It’s a Linux distribution. A set of tools, with a Linux kernel, for a specific purpose.
Operating systems are a means to an end. And Windows has advantages in certain areas and disadvantages in other. The same holds true for Linux. But Linux is way more versatile than Windows and offers you the options to adjust it to your individual purpose and taste. While with Windows you have to take what you get and adjust to that.
So, is Manjaro a good alternative for Windows?
Well, it can be. Manjaro is lightweight and performs well. Also, with Linux you don’t necessarily need to install antivirus software right away or have it running in the background all the time.
In comparison, Manjaro (and some other beginner-friendly options for that matter) are quite easy to install. In fact, if you take a close look, it’s even easier to install Linux, than to install Windows. Unless you try to set it up next to Windows as a beginner. Why? Because it doesn’t require the antivirus or the activation and it comes with a set of tools for daily use out of the box. Like for example, the Firefox web browser, LibreOffice or the Thunderbird email client.
So, is it better or worse than Windows? Well, that depends.
Everything in life has advantages and disadvantages. Arch Linux is pretty much the most recommended Linux distribution for desktop, but it’s not very beginner-friendly. Manjaro is a beginner friendly derivative of Arch Linux. But while it is way easier to use, also certain glitches have been reported. For one, that Manjaro doesn’t seem to play nice with certain hardware or trouble during upgrades. But are Windows upgrades always flawless? I don’t think so. So, there is no perfect thing.
It has to be said though, that Manjaro has tons of happy users and it ranks near Arch on top of the desktop distributions lists. Also, the problems seem to have dialed down for many distributions in the past year or so and I’ve heard barely any complaints. I’ve tested Manjaro a few times and it always worked quite well and flawless and outperformed various other options I’ve tested.
So, is Manjaro a good alternative to windows? It might depend on the purpose, but in my book it is. It’s certainly not the best for playing tons of Windows games. That would be off track. But it’s certainly worth a try, if you just write some basic office documents, watch Youtube videos, fetch your emails,… do average daily stuff. I can definitely recommend it.
I’m guessing, that this question comes from a Linux newbie, right? If you are a newbie, you might want to read the kindle book Linux Start For Windows Users. It explains the basics and the preparation and installation of Linux on desktop and laptop. It uses Manjaro as example. Just give it a try and see for yourself. Only you can answer, if it is a viable solution for you.
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