In the world of business, Microsoft’s Windows tends to dominate the market, with the vast majority of businesses – both small and large – using Windows for most of their everyday tasks. But Windows is not the only operating system around, and thanks to how refined and streamlined Linux-based distributions have become in the last few years, it’s now possible to make use of Linux for most business activities.

Let’s take a look at some of the most compelling reasons that a start-up or new business might want to consider switching over to Linux for their employees.

The Price

While large corporations have plenty of funds available to cover the cost of Windows for all of their devices, a new business might not have this kind of capital at hand. Windows is an expensive piece of software when we consider that almost all Linux distributions are free to download and use, even for corporate usage.

Linux Mint, for example, has made it clear that businesses are able to use their distribution without having to pay any fees, as long as the business does not try and claim any credit for its creation or maintenance. A small start-up trying to cut costs as low as possible should seriously consider using a Linux distro for their employees as they will not have to worry about paying for it.

Software Availability

For a long time, businesses did not have a lot of diversity in terms of the software that they were able to use. Microsoft Office, Skype, Zoom, and similar software were mature enough to provide the full experience and no other alternatives were available. But open source software for Linux has been refined to the point where it’s now possible for a business to completely switch over.

LibreOffice, for example, is the most popular Microsoft Office alternative on the market right now, and offers roughly the same experience for completely free, relying instead on donations from the community. Even video conferencing software is now available in open source and Linux-focussed flavours, such as Jitsi, meaning that a small business doesn’t have to worry about a lack of software when trying to get their work done.

Usability

Anyone that used Linux in the past can attest to the fact that, at one point, it was notoriously difficult to install and maintain. But that has changed over the last 10 years, and many of the more well-known Linux distros have become extremely easy to install, upgrade, and maintain, and can also be used for personal usage, from watching movies, gaming, or accessing Australian betting sites online.

Usability has been at the forefront of Linux development in recent years, and it’s now easier than ever to switch over to Linux and start enjoying all of the benefits that it has to offer, all without having to go through intense IT courses.

While Windows continues to dominate the market share, Linux has made great strides, and has become a solid alternative for small and large businesses alike.