An Ecosystem Of Constant Innovation
Windows isn’t simply a choice for cheapskates or the ignorant. Once you set aside the security issue, Windows PCs remain one of the most technologically advanced platforms. Only Windows offers the constant evolution of new hardware and software. Want the latest Nvidia or AMD graphics card? Just plop it in. Want to activate the PhysX capabilities of your GeForce card? Just install new drivers.
The 64-bit transition will also be a hallmark of the Windows platform. We’re already seeing 64-bit computing enter the mainstream. Dell and HP are now shipping notebooks and desktops with Vista x64 installed by default. For the average consumer, the transition to 64-bit means a more stable operating system. The gap between x64 and x32 driver support is quickly closing down although some popular devices such as digital cameras still lack x64 support.
Mac OS X used to be the platform of choice for the graphics professional, but things may change in 2009 thanks to Adobe CS4. With professional digital still cameras producing increasingly large files, and 4K video becoming more popular, even for independent studios, the need for >4 GB support is clear. The 64-bit version of Adobe CS4 only supports Windows Vista–Mac users have to wait until CS5. In addition, Adobe Creative Suite 4 also marks the dawn of visual computing for the independent professional. Advanced effects and H.264 transcoding will all be accelerated on the GPU, and companies such as Nvidia are already developing optimized hardware for this market such as the Quadro CX.
If I wanted the best system for Adobe CS4 today, I would spec a Windows Vista x64 machine with a pair of Intel Core 2 Quad or Xeon CPUs, the Nvidia GeForce CX, and an HP Dreamcolor LP2480zx running 10-bit DisplayPort. There’s nothing from Apple that can come close. The release of Snow Leopard (Mac OS X 10.6) may provide improved GPU capabilities, but that still doesn’t address the 64-bit limitation of Adobe CS4 on Mac OS X, or my ability to throw a faster AMD GPU or a GeForce “CX2” as they are released.
The Windows Color System is a very sophisticated platform based on Canon’s Kyuanos technology, which improves the capabilities of color correction including expanded dynamic range (beyond 32-bits per channel) and extended gamut (beyond three-color channels). In the real-world, this is less effective because the majority of devices still run traditional color management features. Windows Vista also introduced a new printing system (XPS), which for practical purposes, means that 16-bit color processing can be achieved with Canon photo printers. Mac OS X has the edge in “real-world” color management in the sense that monitor profiles are automatically loaded and 16-bit printing support is available for both Epson and Canon printers.
Windows Vista’s Future Remains Bright
It doesn’t matter that some companies are choosing to stick with Windows XP, that more and more college students are switching to a Mac, or that Microsoft continues to patch Critical Vulnerabilities on a regular basis. For all the grandstanding, marketing, and finger pointing that exists, Windows will continue to be the dominant desktop operating system in the years to come. It covers all the bases: from the computer novice on a tight budget who walks into a Best Buy to the uber-geek who wants the more powerful system for gaming or multimedia creation.
Even so, Windows will continue to see its market share dwindle over time. This is not a reflection of any inherent failure in Windows, but the simple fact that it’s virtually impossible to gain market share in a world that’s already saturated.
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"For the average consumer, the transition to 64-bit means a more stable operating system."
Huh? There was silly old me thinking that 64-bit computing referred only to allowing you to address more RAM...
Such things were claimed about the switch from 16 to 32bit - the only difference is the amount of address space available. Stability and security still come down to the quality of the code written for them, not the system architecture as 32 and 64 bit systems are capable of being equally hardware-stable.
My 2009 predictions:
Business will stick with XP in the main until 7 is released and proven to be acceptable.
Home users will go with whatever is pushed at them.
Mac will continue to make obscene profits from great-looking but technically out-dated hardware. I will continue to not supply our staff with iPhones as the email hack is insanely inefficient compared to Blackberry for corporate mail. Hopefully I will stop getting harassed for them as the Storm and Bold 'berrys are released.
Linux will continue it's current trend of building on it's successful server-base. There will be a small incremental increase of desktop installations thanks to Asus E and other machines. People won't realise that their phone, car, fridge and watch have linux installations so they will continue to see it as the 'work ob teh debil'. Smart IT managers will continue to deliver colossal RoI with open source solutions where appropiate, but only in the minority of organisations as it requires them to actually do their job.
1)[quote]Machines with Windows XP RTM are infected at a staggering 33.8 systems per 1,000, while Vista SP1 brings this down to 4.5 per 1,000 and 2.3 per 1,000 (32-bit and 64-bit). As a group, Microsoft estimates 10 in 1,000 PCs as a whole have detected malware. quote]
Thats because people buy the tech without wanting learning how to use it safely, most computers users are bit like people getting drunk and having unprotected sex - both dont know what they're playing with and more often than not end up with a nasty virus from an unwanted download!
2) Most people associate 64bit windows with flakey/non-existent drivers and software issues - not stability and security.
New Hardware, New Compatibility
Or page two of why to buy a mac.
Another example of an article trying to look fair while being pro mac.
The main issue with Macs is that their philosophy is "my way, or the highway" and its more like the computer leads you around by the nose rather than doing your bidding.
I really think the thing with Windows' domination is that the philosophies of our various software vendors goes a bit like this:
Mac: Do it our way.
Linux: Do it yourself.
Windows: We've done it for you.
No large companies really want to buy into the Mac's closed platform, not to mention Apple's own licensing really hindering the Mac's growth.
Linux, from my growing-every-day experience is the operating system that claims to do it all, pretty much does, but makes it really hard to do. Particularly things like Internet connection sharing/network bridging which I have yet to configure without it doing something strange.
Windows seems to be a quite polished from the end-user perspective, can be run on any X86 hardware you see fit and everything's extremely simple to do with an amazingly consistent user interface that you can use without even touching the command line.
Really it's not that Mac OS X and Linux aren't viable alternatives to Windows, it's that Windows is the 'happy medium' for the vast majority of users between a completely closed but insanely easy to use platform (Macs), and a completely open but very difficult to get to grips with platform (Linux).
Macs are for morons, Windows is for retards and Linux is for people who actually know how a computer works
For someone who has used linux for that long, I am somewhat surprised that the author has given this the review he has. I do not believe 2009 is "the year of the linux" but the sector could grow over the next ten years or so. Who knows?
Specifically part of the article is quote below...
"Imagine a stripped-down distribution with Open Office, Evolution, Firefox, F-Spot, Gimp, Brasero, Banshee, xgl/Compiz, and essentially nothing else. Finally, lock everything down to ensure adequate security."
Ubuntu 8.10 (this means it was released in 2008 in October) comes with Open Office, Evolution, Firefox, F-Spot, Gimp, Brasero, Rhythmbox Music Player & Compiz by default out of the box. Exactly what was stated was "needed" in the article.
it's all just there pre-installed (along with some games, a movie player, brasero cd/dvd burner, and Pidgin (msn messenger) amongst other things)
The installation is as simple as any mac/windows installation, it comes in both 32 and 64 bit variants and you either stick to the LTS (long term) releases released every 3 years, or upgrade the platform every 6 months as most people do!
For those that are not aware, software installation can be easy to if you want extra programs! just select the "package manager" and type what you are after (for example "wireshark" and click the "apply" button then it is installed for you).
Take a look at www.ubuntu.com, download it, and give it a try (you can dual boot it).
You have to question the impartiality of a journalist that waxes rhapsodic for five pages about obscure colour correction features and how the hardware has managed to catch up with the OS in the "Big Two" operating systems, and then gives Linux a single page, and spends over half of that page discussing why it isn't as good as Windows and OS X, instead of the ways in which it approaches or even exceeds their features. Approximately 20 seconds research is apparently more than he did - that's how long it takes to find a RAW plugin for GIMP.
Let's flip this over ; for the vast majority of users, the marginal return of choosing Windows or OS X over Linux is now solely about familiarity, intertia, and market control. All "standard" Windows users who only use their browser, email, and office applications would be served well by one of the desktop oriented Linux distributions, and more secure. Their upgrade cycles would be longer - they could spend the money and time saved buying and setting up a new computer, and research and buy a nice Linux-compatible printer. They might even do something new with their computer after browsing through the package manager.
I think some people don't give Linux a hard enough time... Tried Internet connection/network bridging with a crossover cable over a Linux distribution and tried to have it work exactly as it would in XP? Well first you have to install bridge-utils, before creating a bridge with the brctl addbr command, then configuring all the ethernet ports' configuration files you want to bridge with static IP addresses, adding the ports to the bridge, finding out you can't use the Internet on the computer you're using to bridge the connection any more, but it's okay, you can finally connect to Xbox Live!
I've still got no idea how to bridge a connection and have the network connection work on the host computer under Linux, under Windows it's 'highlight two or more network connections, right click and press "bridge connections".' Seriously, Linux is great and all but it has some horrific usability problems.
That said, Linux isn't the OS for people who know how computers work - it's the OS for people who know how Linux works.
Setting up Linux takes the expertise.
Using it for day to day stuff (web browsing, OpenOffice) just requires basic IT competence.
I work for Contact, a Mental Health Charity and we had an Ubuntu Linux PC hanging around to let our members access the internet. It worked well enough that our other 2 internet access PCs are going to be converted to Ubuntu Linux as well.
Installin Ubuntu is as easy as using it, if not easier! It's as easy as istalling windows (or mac osx)!
setting up Ubuntu takes putting a cd in and pressing return when "install" is selected and tpying your name and password in etc. That's it!
Setting up Ubuntu can be done by anyone, people just assume it is going to be difficult!
luckyluke699 has made some very valid points. I got Ubuntu ordered which was delivered to me for free. I then installed and within a few clicks i was up and running with much every already pre-installed. Unlike Windows where there's about 3hours of installation time awaiting u. Anyway, I also felt the article was a little pro-mac.