The Right Operating System for You
By Scott Spanbauer, PC World
By Scott Spanbauer, PC World
Windows Vista or XP? Windows, Mac, or Linux? How about all of the above? With improved virtualization technology, you might not have to settle for just one OS.
Once, you were either a Mac person or a Windows user. Or maybe you were a Unix geek. Whichever your poison, you likely had only one operating system in your life. Thanks to the ubiquity of the Intel processor and the hard work of untold legions of software developers, however, those days are over. Now, Apple's machines can run Windows XP. Windows Vista is available on brand-new computers, but you can also boot the same PC with an Ubuntu Linux disc that you downloaded and burned for free. And if you like Ubuntu, you can install it alongside Windows in a few clicks.
Drastic improvements in virtualization software, along with hardware advancements and standardization on x86 CPUs, allow any operating system to play host to virtual versions of other OSs.
Every machine still needs a primary operating system, but mixing and matching them is now much easier. My home office contains a mix of Macs running OS X and PCs running Windows XP, Windows Vista, Ubuntu, and OpenSuSE Linux. And my next system will likely be a Mac with three or more of those OSs installed--maybe even running--at the same time. If you can afford Apple's hardware, that's the choice I'd recommend. Why? Check out our operating systems comparison chart for a breakdown of the major contenders' strengths and weaknesses, and read on for a look at the state of each OS.
Extolling Windows XPWindows Vista's long gestation and protracted birth pangs are over at last, thank heavens. Windows Vista's running nicely on my fairly modern desktop system, and I've enjoyed using its updated interface and utilities for everyday work and recreation. But before we get to the new kid, a few words about good old Windows XP.
Despite its reputation for swiss-cheese security, XP quickly became a very successful OS. Before XP (and its admirable predecessor, Windows 2000), Microsoft operating systems crashed, died, and blue-screened weekly or even daily. Though crashes still occur, they're far less frequent than in previous Windows versions, and some XP users (including me) have PCs that rarely see so much as a hiccup.
XP has been the biggest-selling operating system in the universe for almost half a decade now, so it's where most of the action is. Whatever you long to do with a PC--accounting, blogging, photography, engineering, aimless wandering on the Internet--the necessary hardware and software will work under Windows XP.
Of course, to keep that copy of XP running smoothly, you'll have to work to keep the wolves at bay. While Service Pack 2, Windows Security Center, and Internet Explorer 7 have closed a lot of holes, XP is sure to attract hackers and malware writers for years to come. Your firewall, antivirus software, and spyware protection remain as important as ever.
According to Forrester Research, 40 percent of business Windows customers will transition to Windows Vista within the next year, and consumer adoption will expand gradually from 12 million users in the first year to 73 million after four years. Microsoft will continue to roll out Windows XP security fixes for at least five years after it releases Service Pack 3, currently slated for the first half of 2008. So relax. There's no rush.
Once, you were either a Mac person or a Windows user. Or maybe you were a Unix geek. Whichever your poison, you likely had only one operating system in your life. Thanks to the ubiquity of the Intel processor and the hard work of untold legions of software developers, however, those days are over. Now, Apple's machines can run Windows XP. Windows Vista is available on brand-new computers, but you can also boot the same PC with an Ubuntu Linux disc that you downloaded and burned for free. And if you like Ubuntu, you can install it alongside Windows in a few clicks.
Drastic improvements in virtualization software, along with hardware advancements and standardization on x86 CPUs, allow any operating system to play host to virtual versions of other OSs.
Every machine still needs a primary operating system, but mixing and matching them is now much easier. My home office contains a mix of Macs running OS X and PCs running Windows XP, Windows Vista, Ubuntu, and OpenSuSE Linux. And my next system will likely be a Mac with three or more of those OSs installed--maybe even running--at the same time. If you can afford Apple's hardware, that's the choice I'd recommend. Why? Check out our operating systems comparison chart for a breakdown of the major contenders' strengths and weaknesses, and read on for a look at the state of each OS.
Extolling Windows XPWindows Vista's long gestation and protracted birth pangs are over at last, thank heavens. Windows Vista's running nicely on my fairly modern desktop system, and I've enjoyed using its updated interface and utilities for everyday work and recreation. But before we get to the new kid, a few words about good old Windows XP.
Despite its reputation for swiss-cheese security, XP quickly became a very successful OS. Before XP (and its admirable predecessor, Windows 2000), Microsoft operating systems crashed, died, and blue-screened weekly or even daily. Though crashes still occur, they're far less frequent than in previous Windows versions, and some XP users (including me) have PCs that rarely see so much as a hiccup.
XP has been the biggest-selling operating system in the universe for almost half a decade now, so it's where most of the action is. Whatever you long to do with a PC--accounting, blogging, photography, engineering, aimless wandering on the Internet--the necessary hardware and software will work under Windows XP.
Of course, to keep that copy of XP running smoothly, you'll have to work to keep the wolves at bay. While Service Pack 2, Windows Security Center, and Internet Explorer 7 have closed a lot of holes, XP is sure to attract hackers and malware writers for years to come. Your firewall, antivirus software, and spyware protection remain as important as ever.
According to Forrester Research, 40 percent of business Windows customers will transition to Windows Vista within the next year, and consumer adoption will expand gradually from 12 million users in the first year to 73 million after four years. Microsoft will continue to roll out Windows XP security fixes for at least five years after it releases Service Pack 3, currently slated for the first half of 2008. So relax. There's no rush.
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