It’s all over the Web. What is better…Linux? Vista? OS X? Well, to put it simply, there is no simple answer. Each has it’s strengths and weaknesses…some more so than others (see article Can Vista Be Saved)
Linux is a clean, stable, secure platform. New distributions are easy to install, have good hardware support and are easy to use…in general. Definitely a viable alternative for a moderately experienced computer user who doesn’t do a lot of gaming.
Windows Vista…*sigh*. Microsoft missed the mark here. It’s great potential unrealized. Expensive, bloated, unreliable and as un secure as any Windows product. I ran it for 3 weeks and due to countless crashes, the taskbar disappearing for no reason and other issues…I have gone back to XP.
OS X (pronounced OS Ten) is emerging as the clearest choice for a home computer OS. It’s clean, fast, beautiful and user friendly. Stable and secure, it makes computing a pleasure. It can achieve this because Apple has complete control over it and the hardware it runs on…they only need to worry about 5 different platforms as opposed to countless platforms for Windows and Linux.
Here is a quick and dirty breakdown of the three choices:
| Linux | Windows Vista | Mac OS X | |
| Cost | Free | $100 - $400 | $130 - $200* |
| Versions | Countless | 5 | 2 |
| Graphical Interface | Simplistic, functional, customizable |
Overbearing, bloated | Stylish, intuitive |
| Support | 14 year olds who would rather call you a lamer and n00b |
Microsoft’s famous sinkhole of support |
Apple geniuses who try their darndest to help |
| Hardware platforms | Countless | Countless | 5 |
| Stability | Legendary | Stability? | Legendary |
| Security | Legendary | Security? | Legendary |
| Available software | Wide selection | Universal | Wide selection |
* $200 for a 5 license family pack…equivalent to spending $2000 for 5 Windows Vista Premium licenses…
Update: Comprehensive comparison between Ubuntu and Vista.
Tags: Linux, Vista, OS X, OS Comparison
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