Thanks for the A2A.
Let me start by saying, that Unix is out of the race right away. Why? Because Unix is a proprietary multi-user operating system, that has been primarily used by universities and research facilities. Today you might also find it’s derivatives on servers. But between the lines you will read, that Unix and “average user” is a contradiction.
Now, when it comes to Linux vs Windows, there is no one-fits-all answer. People tend to put it on the same level and compare it eye to eye. But the two are quite different.
Windows has been developed in a time when there was no Internet at home and there were far less and lower security risks. Also, Windows has been developed with ease of use and the home user in mind. Also, Windows is proprietary and doesn’t want you to look deeper.
Linux on the other hand is open source. In Revolution OS Linux Torvalds stated, that he developed Linux, because he wanted something like Unix for home use. Linux is just a KERNEL, not a full operating system. Around it is a modular build of tools.
Meaning, while with Windows the idea is, to adjust to the operating system and use it for what it is, the point of Linux is, to adjust it to your own purpose and working style. This is why there are tons of options like distributions, graphical user interfaces, package management applications and even applications for daily use out there. This is where the strength of Linux lies. It’s very versatile and can be adjusted for high performance.
In case you want to know more about performance and use of system resources, you might want to read my answer to this question.
When it comes to use of resources, Linux is certainly more resource friendly than Windows. Without any doubt whatsoever. The Linux kernel is being used for Android. Heck, you can shrink down Linux to the bare basics and use it in networking devices and modems with less than a MB in size. You wouldn’t expect that from Windows, right?
When it comes to reliability, that’s a bit of a pickle. Because these days development is all about features and money and little about reliability. Taking out an old SuSE from the 90s vs something like Windows 7, I’d say, they compare quite well. Both are very stable and reliable and it barely makes any difference. Well, these days you can run into trouble with both, Windows and Linux.
Windows 10 has given users a lot of grief, for example by deleting user data upon upgrade. Microsoft has stopped the upgrade and worked on a fix for 6 weeks. Similar things can happen on Linux. The upgrade process is one of the most trouble some for various operating systems. The difference is, that Linux gives you more insight, offers better tools for system management and therefore is easier to maintain and keep going.
Many Windows options have been breaking beyond repair upon version upgrade. These days you could face the same with Ubuntu, but it’s less likely. Arch Linux for example in my case never broke in all the years I’ve used it on more than 10 devices. But in this case, there is really no one-fits-all answer. This all depends on the distro and graphical user interface you choose, as well as your setup and the way you use it. Same for stability in daily use. For example, XFCE would offer more customization options, but tends to be slightly less stable than Mate. Yet, both of them are certainly stable enough for everyday use.
But as Chris Rapier said, there is a bit more to consider, for the average user. While Linux has become a lot more user- and beginner-friendly over the past 2 decades, it is still not Windows. Yes, I had seniors switch from Windows to Linux within only a few minutes and they never looked back. So, you might be able to get an easy start. But in the long run, if you want to take Linux to it’s peak, it’s not only going to encourage you to look deeper. Linux is actually going to expect it.
So, the question here is, what an “average user” is. The reason why there are so many options out there with Linux is, because there is no such thing. An operating system is a means to an end. And people use different operating systems for different purposes and they have different taste.
So, nobody can really tell you, which one would be better for you or the next person. Because average use could be surfing the Internet, fetching emails, playing games, socializing on social media, writing applications, editing images, editing (Youtube) videos,… as Paul Allsopp said, there is no average user!
If you are new to Linux and not sure, if Linux is for you or if it could be better for you than Windows, the best way to find out would be, to actually give it a try and see how it goes. Linux Start For Windows Users (kindle book) is a great point to start. Because it will explain the hardware basics to help you with your choice of distros. It will suggest a beginner-friendly distribution that is very resource friendly and it will guide you through hardware preparation and the installation. Next to that it will also offer a few helpful hints regarding daily use and troubleshooting. Once you know how it works, you can be up and running with Linux in like 15 to 30 minutes. And that’s the purpose of this particular book. To get beginners there fast and easy.
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