Can anyone give me a "How Windows works versus Linux" in Laymens terms?

[FrictionHurts]

So I'm very interested in Linux, but I have no idea how Windows works to even comprehend how Linux does. I know that Windows uses drivers but I'm not even sure I know what those are to the "T." So if anyone could spare ten minutes of their day/night, and explain this to me, I'd appreciate it.. in a very simplified manner, if you will.

[GNU-Fan]

Hi,

please start by reading this.
Linux is NOT Windows

After this, we are happy to answer any question you might still have

[FrictionHurts]

Ok, thank you

[FrictionHurts]

Ok, so that article was great, thank you again. But it didn't really answer my question (which is partially my fault, I wasn't specific enough)

I'm not afraid of learning. I'm not a troll. I understand that Linux is different. And I do understand that it's open-source. But I was looking more towards the answer of How a Driver works versus your Kernel. And what CLI is and how it works.

I keep reading all these articles on how Linux is better than Windows, but then I start reading and I keep seeing acronyms I don't know the abbreviations for and words I've never seen, and it's like the article was made more for the guys who has used Linux for years rather than a beginner and someone who wants to learn. So I guess I just want to know if getting rid of Windows and trying Linux is a good idea. But don't get me wrong, because I'm NOT scared to learn and try something different. And if Linux can be something amazing in time, I want to use it.

Oh, and depending on the answer to my next question, I may just give up all hope, haha. Will the games I play on a regular basis be compatible with Linux? And I don't mean Solitaire and Minesweeper.

Thanks.

[GNU-Fan]

But I was looking more towards the answer of How a Driver works versus your Kernel.

A driver is a piece of software that translates more general higher-level commands to simpler hardware-specific orders. Think of a line printer and a graphics card in text mode. On both you would like to output text. So you tell the driver "please write the word 'hello'" with no concern about how you would have to speak directly to the hardware.

There is no difference between Windows and Linux as regards what a driver is.
The difference is how the driver software is distributed. In the Windows world, the manufacturer usually writes a driver for his hardware and puts it on a CD which is then stuffed into the box together with the device. You buy this box in the electronics store and at home you put the CD into your drive and click "Setup".
So the driver is something that is distributed by a third party completely independent of the Operating System (Windows).

In the Linux world, the driver is usually not shipped into the same box as the hardware. Instead the manufacturer works with the Kernel development team in order to "get the driver upstream". This means the driver code will be integrated into the operating system at the very source.
Some weeks later, when the new version of the Linux kernel is shipped, it has the driver already included and the user does not have to install it with some external media or extra download.
(This is the rule for which there are always exceptions, of course.)

And what CLI is and how it works.

A CLI is a CommandLineInterface. Instead of moving the mouse and clicking the button, you give your computer commands by typing them into the keyboard.
For example, in order to delete a file, you don't pull the file icon into the trashcan, but you type "rm thatfile" (rm = remove). Windows has a CLI as well. Start the program called "cmd" to see what it is like.

So I guess I just want to know if getting rid of Windows and trying Linux is a good idea. But don't get me wrong, because I'm NOT scared to learn and try something different. And if Linux can be something amazing in time, I want to use it.

If you want to risk a peek, get a "Linux LiveCD". This is a CD which you can boot directly. It will give you quite a working Linux environment to play around. If you have tried enough, you remove the CD from the drive and reboot your computer.
Everything will be back to normal.

Oh, and depending on the answer to my next question, I may just give up all hope, haha. Will the games I play on a regular basis be compatible with Linux? And I don't mean Solitaire and Minesweeper.

Most of the them won't. This is why most switchers do a dual boot installation for the start. That way they can switch between Linux/Windows very fastly and can keep playing their games on Windows.

[FrictionHurts]

I very much like the idea of the last bit you said, dual boot installation.

But I will take you up on your "LinuxLiveCD" offer.

And thank you. Really, that single post has been the most helpful bit yet. I'm definitely going to look into this more. Thank you again.

[GNU-Fan]

But I will take you up on your "LinuxLiveCD" offer.

Here is an entry point. It also offers a list of 100 or so different flavours of LiveCDs.
Live CD - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Most people start with the Ubuntu one, so I recommend that for beginners too.
But also have a look at the other ones to see if you like them even more.

[hazel]

A driver basically works by writing into and reading out of registers in your hardware. Some of these registers are for incoming and outgoing data, some for instructions and some for encoded status information. The driver has to understand and respond appropriately to all of this.

In Windows, the drivers are all separate programs (mostly written by the hardware manufacturers as Gnu-fan says, although the disk, keyboard and basic screen drivers come from Microsoft itself). None of these programs knows about the others but they are all using the system buses at the same time. No wonder they often clash and cause crashes and freezes. About 90% of Windows crashes are due to driver problems.

In Linux, the drivers are all in the kernel. Some are compiled right into it. Things like sound-card drivers that you don';t need in an emergency are usually compiled as separate modules and hooked into the running kernel when needed. This keeps the basic kernel nice and small.

Some antisocial manufacturers refuse to reveal enough about their hardware for the kernel hackers to write a driver for it, but instead provide a precompiled driver for download from their site. This is still formatted as a Linux kernel module and, once loaded, works just like any other kernel module.

If you have trouble with acronyms, I definitely recommend Wikipedia. If that doesn't help, post your question here.