There’s a bevy of journalists and users alike that are cocked and ready to fire away at Vista any chance they can get, but there’s one underlying variable that almost everyone seems to agree with. The various distributions of Linux most likely pose the greatest threat to Windows Vista overall- why you ask?
A synopsis by Renu Singh of IT Voir on the subject, pointed out the main reasons Linux has the most fuel to overtake Vista in the long run. Though it seems obvious, he points out issues regarding security, anti-virus, updating and the sheer cost saving benefits to using any kind of Linux. Since the days of only one or two operating systems has come and gone, Microsoft has some undeniable trouble on the horizon- it’s really no secret, even to them. Now that we have such a variety, it really comes down to a few simple aspects- overall cost of deployment in the long-term, and overall security during all aspects of usage.
When it comes to updating, Singh points out the fact that with Vista- it’s a matter of not only updating the OS, but also individual drivers, software, etc. “To update Adobe suite, user have to visit the Adobe web site. To update the drivers, one has to visit hardware vendors. Contrast to this, the update process of Linux is simple- the update package includes everything- the operating system, applications, support libraries, hardware drivers. All new versions are looked for and updated at one time.”
The underlying benefit of Linux is of course the price, or lack of price that is. Not only is the OS completely free-of-charge, but all software is as well. There’s a slew of Open Source software readily available and waiting, with more and more coming everyday. In addition, there’s no need for pirated software and versions of the OS like there is with Vista, it can be replicated and re-distributed as necessary.
I’m a huge Open Source advocate, so of course this all rings true with me. Maybe you have a different opinion- maybe in your eyes Mac presents the greatest threat, but I think it’s hard to deny the future dominance of Linux.
Source: blorge
Nah, it's probably the Mac.
ReplyDeleteMost people know that there is a Mac and there is a PC (thanks to those Apple commercials). If they are tired of their PC, hey, why not get a Mac, right? Linux is way too mysterious and have you heard? HAXx0RZ UZE IT!
While I WANT to agree with you here, honesty compels me to disagree. Too many people are propagating FUD about Linux, particularly about it not being ready for prime time. Whenever a user has to open a terminal session in order to fix something, they cry out that Linux Just Isn't Ready. Whenever anything doesn't "just work" the way they demand, they cry out that Linux Just Isn't Ready. Whenever their favorite software package isn't offered for Linux, they cry out that Linux Just Isn't Ready.
ReplyDeleteMicrosoft has done an excellent job of seeding the community with FUD, and the Linux community has a lot of work ahead of it in order to counter that. You and I know that there's very little difference in terms of the amount of work necessary to get Windows and Linux up and running, but our opinion is in the minority.
There is no such thing as the Perfect operating system. No Linux distribution is 100% glitch-free or guaranteed to work 100% for users determined to be ignorant. Windows, even XP at its most stable, requires a great deal of tweaking and installing before users can do what they want with it, but since much of that is done for them when they buy it from the shop they carry that expectation over to Linux when they try it. That's why it's so vitally important to support vendor-installed Linux initiatives from companies like Dell, HP and Lenovo. The more people come to learn that Linux Just Works the way they've come to expect from Windows, the more Linux will gain market share.