Review: Ubuntu 9.10 v Windows 7

[amitabhishek]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology...indows7-review

Canonical will release the latest version of the open-source operating system Ubuntu this Thursday, and we look at how it stacks up against Windows 7

One heck of a comparison.

5 stars.

[saqib_khan]

I havent followed the link but how can you compare ubuntu and windows. Its so strange to compare both. Both are different things, different platforms.

[vamsi_krishna]

Ya.. there are lot of differences. But after both are operating systems. So.. there will be a room to compare both. I mean we aren't comparing OS with Media player. Are we?

[gopi_vbboy]

depends on ur applications n needs

[vamsi_krishna]

yes.. depends on the user. For some apps running windows is necessary and for some is Linux. But the comparison is not that bad. That's why we are seeing Xbox vs ps and something like that..

[amitabhishek]

Originally Posted by saqib_khan

I havent followed the link but how can you compare ubuntu and windows. Its so strange to compare both. Both are different things, different platforms.

Read it...its a nice review. For once the author didn't sounded like some Microsoft paid nincompoop.

[SunnyChahal]

You kiddin' me?

[6x6]

@saqib_khan: both can be compared because both are desktop operating systems. and it is a fair comparison, but windows has advantage due to lack of some third party softwares for *nix platforms like 3d games, special softwares for some instrumets/ equipments as they provide bundled softwares only for windows and sometimes for mac also
....and some poorly programmed windows/IE only websites

[amol48]

Now you would say that a tiger and cat can be compared as both belong to the 'cat' family!

Comparison can be done only between two identical things. These in NO WAY identical.

[desiibond]

^^What makes you think that they are completely different.

Of course, they should be compared and they compete with each other.

and that tiger and cat point was totally dumb!!!

I try Ubuntu when I get bored of windows because it is also and operating system that runs on IBM PC. They coexist on same PC and they use same hardware.

Windows and Ubuntu are:

1) Operating systems used on IBM PCs
2) Avaialble as OEM from few manufacturers (PC and laptop)
3) Run on x86 and x86-64 hardware
4) use the same keyboard and mouse for navigation
5) Uses browser to connect to internet, mail app to download mails

[sakumar79]

While I agree with most points, the topic of Software and applications is too loose and IMHO, misleading. There are at least 4 subcategories in which these should be considered.

1. Built-in applications - Obviously, Ubuntu will win hands down because it bundles much more than Windows. Also obvious is the fact that Windows cannot bundle many of the features due to the backlashes it receives whenever it does bundle its own software (IE and Windows Media Player), and since it is a paid software with support included, it cannot bundle third party software like OOo, Firefox (users will try to get support for these software also from MS when they face problems)...
2. Organization of software - Again, Ubuntu is the clear winner as it has a centralized repository for software downloading, installing, removing and updating while Windows provides only central repository for removing.
3. Availability of common purpose software - Here, Windows is the winner by a whisker because of the vast amount of options available. Even though Linux is also having many options, they are not nearly as huge as Windows...
4. Availability of special purpose (professional use) software - Here, Windows is the clear winner because for many specialized tasks, there are no Linux alternatives YET... or the available alternatives are not as good as the Windows alternatives... For example, CAD software in Linux like BricsCAD are not yet as complete/powerful as AutoCAD.

Hence, Software and applications category award will go to Windows or Linux depending on the user. Even for a regular user (not requiring special software), the availability of a specific software (like a personal favourite) which may not be available in Linux may turn the award in favour of Windows.

Arun

[desiibond]

for 2nd point, you can always use download.com as software repository.

for 1st point, yes, end users expect windows install to be clean and tidy and nobody likes windows to come with big list of apps.

[sakumar79]

Download.com is a good software repository. But it is a separate repository for downloading. For installing, you need to run the download separately. And to update the various third party software, you typically have to download the full new version than just a set of update files... Hence, Ubuntu (and linux in most distros) is better for the end user as it provides a single repository to manage the software... However, there are so many available apps for Windows because there is no need for such a single repository and as such it can be considered a necessary evil to forego the single repository concept for Windows

Arun