This gives subscribers access to phone and email support for problems and issues. For businesses, Canonical (Ubuntu’s backer) offers support and extra security with the Ubuntu Advantage program, costing between $150 and $750 a year. Ubuntu users also have a huge support community to rely on, with forums and a Wiki that will guide you to answers to support issues.

If you’re struggling to find hardware that runs Linux, you can check it for compatibility. Ubuntu does offer a “certified hardware” program that lists pre-built PCs with the best support. In other areas, such as CPU support, the support is better, as this often flows from the Linux kernel where development is the best funded and supported. Linux support for certain hardware, such as graphics cards and wireless chipsets, is patchy at best, especially for newer hardware releases. However, that’s not to say that Linux hardware support is perfect, as it continues to lag behind Windows in some areas. Linux support for hardware is better than it has ever been, thanks (in part) to the success that Ubuntu has had in the desktop market (as well as the funding from corporate backers). Microsoft continues to offer the best support for software, and that’s before you take hardware support into account.

However, if you can’t do without your favorite apps or games, you can’t stray far from Windows. If you’re happy to trade Microsoft Office for LibreOffice (with some of the usability and functionality trade-offs), then Ubuntu is a great option. These are a number of open source alternatives, created with community support and focused on cross-platform functionality (or are Linux-only, in some cases).

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