Bioinformatics: Linux Vs Windows (What's Better For Bioinformatics)?

Bioinformatics: Linux Vs Windows (What's Better For Bioinformatics)?

People have 2 big choices when it comes to use operating systems especially Bioinformaticians, Linux and Windows, but there is a huge difference between these 2 operating systems.

Windows:

Windows is known for its simplicity (Anyone with a basic knowledge can work with windows), so it's user friendly, great interface, great media support, but it is less adapted to Bioinformaticians needs and:

- Its not free.
- Its source is not open to buplic.
- Most of its softwares are not free.
- You can't automate instructions...etc


I'm not saying that Windows isn't good for you, because i work with it most time, but if you are a Bioinformatician and you want to program new softwares or automate some instructions, than Linux is definitely for you, if you want to use ready softwares to analyse your data you can use Windows.

UNIX (Linux):

Linux is a very powerful operating system especially for programmers because it gives you full controle over your machine:

- It has a lot of programming tools (languages and interfaces).
- Other free softwares as (Webservers, Database management system, visualisation softwares, text editing...etc).
- Statistic analysis (like R).
- Unix is more stable and runs fast.
- Vast ducumentation for softwares (How to use stuff!!!).

So if you are a bioinformatician that is more likely attracted to biology (you use bioinformatics softwares only for analysing your biological data) then you can use Windows, but if you are a cyber geek!!! that wants to develop new softwares for bioinformaticians then you can use Linux, i personally prefer Linux but in the end it's up to you to decide.


If you want to use BioLinux 5.0 you can read a post abou it HERE.

If you want to know how to have BioLinux 5.0 working on you computer you can read this post HERE.

If you have any question, put it in comment.