alt.hn

3/16/2026 at 2:47:39 PM

Things Linux Can Do That Windows Still Can't

 https://itsfoss.com/things-linux-can-window-not/

by mikece

3/16/2026 at 4:30:49 PM

Windows treats files as a second class citizen versus a first class like Linux / BSD. Countless time wasted because the anti-virus or some other part of Windows locked a file.

Cmder; _clink update_ ... file locked forced to wait for Windows to release it and continue working.

git pull; file locked forced to wait for Windows to release it and continue working.

git checkout; file locked forced to wait for Windows to release it and continue working.

Run an application that iterates through files, sit and wait for anti-virus to scan those files before the application / script can even touch them adding seconds or minutes to the task.

Windows can easily add 10-30 minutes of wait time after a cold boot. This is from running anti-virus, telemetry service, auto updates, ... .NET optimization service.

Windows removed the whole root user concept too. "Sorry Dave, you cannot modify that permission to remove the temporary file / change the registry value."

Microsoft even forces their bloat-ware into the IoT / embedded OS and has started to remove the ability to create a local account vs a forced Microsoft account. Windows 7 Embedded allowed full customization with removing any bloat / unused feature.

by yndoendo

3/16/2026 at 4:32:58 PM

UNIX is the only OS that had the clever idea of advisory locking with the side effects that can bring when applications just don't care.

by pjmlp

3/16/2026 at 4:31:33 PM

Many of those points reveal lack of knowledge about Windows administration capabilities.

Others are completely irrelevant for desktop users buying laptops at the shopping mall.

by pjmlp

3/16/2026 at 5:22:48 PM

> Linux on a fridge? A toaster? A toothbrush? Yes.

I’m glad, even overjoyed, that no desktop operating systems are running on my toothbrush.

As for the other benefits, a large chunk of them amount to “you can customize <Y>”. Which is great for the audience of Hacker News, but is just a headache for anyone who doesn’t know about <Y>.

The most important item for society at large is probably the ability to revitalize older hardware.

by scared_together

3/16/2026 at 4:05:19 PM

I love Linux but I’ve spent the last hour diagnosing and repairing a gpu driver error.

by tim-tday

3/16/2026 at 3:27:48 PM

11. Works for you rather than for the OS manufacturer.

by JohnFen

3/16/2026 at 5:34:52 PM

If it works at all

by wolvesechoes

3/16/2026 at 6:21:54 PM

- having sensible and very useful system files structure - centralized package management - instant full-disk snapshots and rollback - remote windows (Waypipe) - declarative configurations (NixOS) - FUSE - chroot

by mrsssnake

3/16/2026 at 5:52:51 PM

One that people don't seem to mention enough to me is that neither macOS nor Windows have ANY feature remotely close to the magic SysRq key.[1][2]

Not even Control-Alt-Delete is remotely the same.

ALT-SysRq-f, which will "call the oom killer to kill a memory hog process, but ... not panic if nothing can be killed," should truly be available on every modern operating system, but nope, only Linux has it.

[1]: https://docs.kernel.org/admin-guide/sysrq.html

[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_SysRq_key

by andrewmcwatters

3/16/2026 at 7:35:40 PM

The problem is you can't find SysRq key on modern keyboards, especially notebooks.

by godjira

3/16/2026 at 7:10:26 PM

This is the first I've heard about this! I have always slightly missed the authority Control-Alt-Delete seemed to have on windows and this does seem to be a good (maybe better) alternative.

by samtheDamned