Linux and Windows are not interchangeable operating systems. Linux operates and configures differently than Windows and Windows programs cannot be started directly. However, with the help of virtualization or Wine, you can also use Windows programs under Linux. This means that you have to change not only the operating system, but also at least some of the software. Important programs such as Libre Office, Firefox, Thunderbird, and VLC are available for Linux and Windows, and the operation is largely identical.
Under Windows 10 or 11, you use the Microsoft Store to install new software and also for updates. Software management is not standardized under Linux systems, which obtain software from the repositories of the respective distribution. Linux distributions with long-term support (LTS), such as Ubuntu 22.04 or Linux Mint 21.2, have a disadvantage as they hardly offer new software during the support period of five years.
To ensure that users of LTS distributions still receive newer software, Ubuntu and Linux Mint rely on container formats in addition to standard package management — albeit in two different formats (Snap and Flatpak). Office packages for Linux include Libre Office and Softmaker Office, as alternatives to Microsoft Office. Image editing can be done through Gimp, Krita, and Inkscape. For multimedia features, VLC Media Player is a frequently used program under Linux.
