When it comes to an OS, what should you choose? Each of the four biggest players; Linux, Mac OS X, Windows Vista and Windows XP have their merits. So we've taken four experts and asked them to defend their chosen operating systems in an opinionated free-for-all.
Operating systems at war - but who wins?
Linux: Light on its feet and ready to strut its stuff
James Turner
Let's get the unpleasant part out of the way first: if running Adobe Premiere is the most important thing in your life, or you want to play Halo, Linux isn't going to do it for you, at least not right at the moment.
While most Windows software can run under Linux in one fashion or another, applications that make extensive use of hardware drivers or high-end graphics may not work right.
But for everything else, Linux is definitely the way to go.
Unlike Mac OS and Windows, Linux is free as air and open to development by folks who are motivated by the desire to make the technology better, rather than by corporate tech farms whose real interest is the bottom line. Which is all very nice, but is it any good as a desktop operating system? You bet.
Size and speed
Let's start with the hardware footprint: With the possible exception of BSD, Linux's 'sister', Linux is the lightest thing you'll ever install on your computer. While the minimum required hardware for Windows has been bloating, and Macs need more and more horsepower to run OS X, you can still dig out your old 486 and fire up Linux without problems.
I recently got one of the One Laptop Per Child XOs, a machine with 256MB of RAM and a power-miserly processor, and had no trouble running Xubuntu Linux on it. Meanwhile, Windows XP needs to be sliced and diced like crazy to fit on to the same hardware.
It's not for nothing that you'll find Linux inside of devices where hardware cost is an issue, such as personal video recorders (PVRs) and routers. I was somewhat shocked to find that my recently purchased 52in LCD TV has a Linux kernel inside of it. If you hunt around, I'll bet you'll find at least one device in your home running Linux.
Stability, security, transparency, flexibility
Linux is not only small, but it's also stable. I have several Windows boxes at home, and it seems like whenever I blink, something has gotten screwed up in the registry or I have a Dynamic Link Library conflict.
Linux has all the configuration data and libraries right out where you can see them, in files. You can see what's changed and make edits manually, without having to figure out which of 9m HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE registry entries is the one you want. Even the system-configuration tools that have nice graphical user interfaces (GUI) end up generating human-readable and editable files at the end of the day.
In the recent 'hacker challenge', computers running Mac OS X and Windows Vista were cracked, but the Linux machine wasn't. I won't claim that Linux has no security or virus problems, but they tend to be right out in the open where you can see them if you look.
At the moment, there are far fewer Linux viruses out in the wild than Windows viruses, and there are fairly bullet-proof ways to detect viruses under Linux using checksums on files.
Conversely, it's much easier to move your Linux system to new hardware or clone an existing system because there's no licensing. I've never had a problem moving a Linux system disk to a new computer, even when the hardware was drastically different. There's basically no way to do this on either a Windows or a Mac system.
You also have your choice of Linux distributions, from geek-friendly Debian and end-user-friendly Ubuntu to business-friendly Red Hat and Novell Novell SUSE. And no matter which one you pick, you can rest assured that they'll all run the same apps.
Applications and interface
It used to be the conventional wisdom that the problem with Linux was desktop applications. But with tools such as Wine, CrossOver Linux and VMWare Player, many Windows applications run just fine under Linux these days.
NEXT PAGE: Linux: clean, friendly and powerful interfaces
- We put Linux, Mac OS X, Windows Vista and Windows XP: head-to-head
- Why Linux is best
- Linux: clean, friendly and powerful interfaces
- Apple's attention to detail
- The security features of Mac OS X
- Vista's tweakability and extras
- Why Vista beats other operating systems hands down
- XP's security features
- The bottom line when it comes to XP
Comments
Taife32 said: It is very said that people think devices work out of the box with windows cause they dont All that makes ms windows seem to work well is that devices arrive with drivers on their package If you cannot install linux on your drive and I mean any version then you are not a power user and should not play around with making partitions as you will cause a lot of damage to system For the comparisons on OSes Mac OS X seems to be the best due to the fact that one company programs and assemble the hardware now this might seem brilliant but if Red Hat and other linux vendors or Microsoft were to do the same then the world would be a poor place as people would have to work for these companies to earn a living doing what they or else go kill themselves this is called monopoly and it is the reason we do not like Microsoft
Joe said: WellListening to all you guys or gals - we never know these days anyway all great fun as they say must be a good clean fight no kicking or biting or gouging pleaseFinally getting to my bitUnbuntu very interesting to play with BUT trying to get it off a hard drive almost despairedIf having to resort to using Hiren every time compares to the now rock steady XP Pro I will reluctantly stick to the latter AND If you knew me you would know I am definitely no fan of the arrogant Mr GatesIm currently involved in trying to sort out the mess with SP3 oh you havent heard that the original beta complaint of messing up IEOutlook Express has not gone away in the full offical version on Windows Update
Pedro said: To the guy who wrote about VistaFirst of all you have to buy the anti-virus software which you speak of improves VistaThe free ones Im disregarding since you seem to be talking about the official Microsoft oneLinux has Compiz Fusion which has much much more desktop effects than VistaAll those extra apps are bloated and they just slow down your Vista systemUbuntu is a Linux distribution focusing on installing Linux easier Its four times faster to install Ubuntu than WindowsMac OS X Leopard which just runs Windows from boot screw that crap about Parallel Camp
Deringer said: HuhLinux-a so much distributionits not correctAnd with a GNOME or KDE desktop D more funand where is Solaris or BSD Its not professional to ignore this super OSVista is easy to hack from flash playerMac - into Safari browser And now how to hack Linuxunix systems D Commercial minds are created this postPeace from Bulgaria
Thomcarl said: Fox for your info Leopard is a certified UNIX OS I only wished some of you people would do a little research before posting and that includes the guys who wrote the Vista and XP arguments
fox781 said: I am so truly sick and tired of listening to the whining about the different OSs Its a very subjective thing If youre a tech savvy person who knows unix than be my guest and go for Linux If you like ease of operation including downloads and games than go for Windows If youve been brought up with the Mac than stay with it But for goodness sake stop knocking each others OSs If you try another system and dont like it than go back to your very own system you love so much and stop acting like babies in kindergarten
destroyerkernel said: linux and windows are good choices but only when the user is a conscient users if user have a low IQ like tygertop i dude vista win9X or linx ll be the choice
PICCORO said: jejeje linux is for inteligent people maybe this is the reason that ubuntu try to set like GUIN-dows for mediocry stupid userswin-buntu is user friendly this is nice but win-buntu is NOT the best linux solution as guindows is NOT the best choice of OS the problem of niux bsd and mac OSs is that make it think make use the braind jajaja
Ken said: I must admit that if skype video were available on Linux Id never use another OSAlas I am stuck with windows until that day dawns
Tiger said: TigertopWhat a pity you never bothered to learn about the different filesystems Microsoft do not recognise the linux file format I wonder why Run a live linux cd and use gparted to unformat the hard drive or format back to fat or ntfs
Tiger said: Linux rules I have been using fedora for the last 3 years Actually an article in PC advisor opened my eyes Fedora is not really a viable out of the box linux it does require some setting up and is a development linux distro giving a great sense that you are part of something that every day is getting better and better Yes for this one you will need to get your hands dirty but once set up unlike xp and blister sorry vista my experience is that even the developmental fedora is rock steady Besides when the easiest way to rescue a wndows box data or even the windows os itself is a live linux cd that must say it all
Merlin_Magii said: I still work with W95 W98 W2K and XP machines and have succeeded in ensuring a stable sound platform in each case I have no experience of the laughing penguin or OSX so withold judgement However I HAVE had a lengthy look at Vista and my opinion pretty much tallies with the subdued whispers from inside Redmond It is a white elephant The only reason so many copies have been purchased is the bully boy OEM tactics of MS Dell got the message just as that clown Brown did with his arrogant This man is not for changing stance on the 10p tax rate Yeah Right The bottom line is only just becoming clear to the Greys at Redmond You MAY have achieved a dominant market share with your products through sheer muscle and shinnanigans but you know what - us peasants not only distrust you intensely we also quietly loathe anything branded Microsoft and will stick one on your glass jaw at any opportunity we can