Other operating systems
Apple tops consumer ratings
The publication Consumer Reports has been a valuable reference for consumer information for years. The June issue (available only to subscribers) has a buying guide for computers. It also rates companies for their technical support and Apple comes out on top. (The same result was obtained by PC Magazine when it did its annual survey.) [...]
Can Ubuntu Linux make it to the desktop?
Although it has many virtues, even Ubuntu Linux has made little progress in being adopted by home PC users. The geeks may sing its praises but the average, non-technical user is still too often baffled by it. Part of the reason is the Linux reliance on the command line. Now, I love the command line [...]
Microsoft extends XP
From Sol Libes:
It took a little time but Microsoft has awakened to the fact that many users of ultra portable laptops (e.g. Asus EeePC and the Everex Cloudbook) have removed the Linux operating systems from their systems and installed Windows XP home. These systems are too small to run Vista, but, XP with [...]
Has Vista opened the door for Linux?
Vista’s heavy hand may be providing an opening for Linux, at least at the low end of the computer price scale. An AP article, Time is right for Linux PCs to emerge, says:
The free Linux operating system handles big tasks like running supercomputers and ATMs. Now Linux has a chance to finally crack Microsoft Corp.’s [...]
The Mac gaining in corporations
Windows Vista has not been a big success with businesses and that has helped Mac sales. The Mac has been largely absent from business use and is primarily a consumer and niche product. Recently, however, corporate interest has picked up. What I find interesting is the level of satisfaction expressed by the actual users of [...]
Does the Mac have a better user interface than Windows?
There’s a debate going on over at this ZDNet link about the relative merits of the user interfaces in Windows and Mac computers. The author says that Apple pays more attention to the user interface than Microsoft and that the Mac interface is much more elegant. There are a lot of comments posted and there [...]
Apple analysis
There’s an interesting article at Wired Magazine about Apple and Steve Jobs. Actually, it’s mostly about Jobs, but as the article makes clear, Apple is Steve Jobs. Even confirmed Windows fans might want to read it.
Linux continues to make inroads in the PC market
Somewhat to my surprise and definitely to my delight is the progress that Linux-based machines are making in the computer market. Big manufacturers Dell and Lenovo are offering Linux machines and ZDNet reports:
Linux is not just for computer whizzes.
In fact, buying Linux and learning how to use it are easier than ever, thanks to [...]
More on Windows 7
It is clear that, outside of Redmond flackery and a claque of fanboys, Windows Vista is not generally regarded with much affection. This helps explain all the interest in the upcoming Windows 7. The blogosphere seizes on any morsel of information, no matter how tenuous, that surfaces about the future OS. The place to keep [...]
Microsoft relents on virtualization
There’s no question that running operating systems in virtual machines (VMs) is going to be very prevalent in the future. After being a dog in the manger about allowing the lower price Vista versions to be run in a VM, Microsoft has changed its policy. Ken Fisher writes:
It only took them a year longer than [...]