What are the pros and cons between Microsoft and Linux operating systems?

Answer 1

Some advantages Windows has is its more familiar to people and thus considered the mos "user friendly." Its monopoly on the desktop tends to mean that just about any tech support professionals will be most familiar with it. If you're a gamer its got the best and the most PC games made by professionals.

Disadvantages: It's slow, bloated, inefficient, has poor memory management, very insecure, tends to be unstable. It is proprietary, meaning only Microsoft can actually improve it in the ways that matter, and they've demonstrated no interest in doing so for the longest time. It is also not very flexible and scalable at all. Because of this, its a poor choice for most applications, even on the desktop, but its support for things such as servers, mobile, and embedded are a nightmare. It's nonexistent on supercomputers or robotics, and on extremely mission-critical applications, it is frequently passed over for Linux. Things such as the military, Stock Market, and healthcare industry especially make a policy of avoiding Windows on anything crucial to their operations and tend to use Linux instead due to Windows being unreliable at the best of times. It is also the most expensive operating system in the market by far.

Linux Advantages: It's the third most common operating system in the world, and it is also the fastest growing. This makes it familiar to a growing amount of people. Linux actually has the widest hardware, software, platform, and tech support base of any operating system in computer science history, and can even be installed on things many people would never consider: Xbox, Wii, PS3, Palm Pilots, even Microwave ovens and toasters! Its two top desktop environments (GNOME and KDE) are actually what make Linux better in a lot of ways than Windows on the desktop. Not the least of which is giving the user far more choice and flexibility while still retaining "user friendliness." Out of the box, it supports far more hardware than Windows does out of the box. Outside of the desktop, Linux is very strong and very dominant, especially in the server, embedded, and supercomputer markets, a testament to its security and power. Speaking of which, it is the exact opposite of Windows when it comes to size, efficiency, security, and reliability. In another 5-10 years, Linux will probably have the absolute best hardware support in every category as hardware manufacturers learn that they can support Linux for next to no cost in just a few ways: 1. They can just release specs and let the open source community make their drivers for them, which won't actually cost them a dime. 2. They can hire just a couple developers for open source drivers, and still have a massive developer base around their driver as the rest f the community pitches in. 3. They can just leave it well enough alone and allow the Linux developers reverse engineer the hardware. This is not the best way for Linx developers as its a decidedly uncooperative approach taken by many hardware manufacturers. 4. They can just make a small department dedicated full-time to Linux drivers, usually binary blobs. This is nVidia's approach. Sometimes proprietary drivers support hardware very well in Linux, sometimes not. You will get tech support from a much more helpful and reliable place: The entire Linux community. Almost all the Linux distributions are free of charge, and those that are commercialized never cost more than $50. And their commercial tech support, whenever you can actually have it, is usually far more effective and helpful than the typical commercial Windows tech support. Also, if you runa business, a Linux-based infrastructure is the best. It's, reliable, secure, and if you have the money, you have IBM in your corner giving you the best business infrastructure support and consulting money can buy.

Linux Disadvantages: It is not a strong gaming environment. Not for a lack of technology, but just a lack of general developer interest. Also, though it has a lot more support for hardware than Windows, often (But not usually) the individual support for hardware can be missing parts. This can't really be blamed on Linux but, again, a lack of manufacturer interest in the platform. It wasn't until about 5 years ago anyone took Linux seriously as a desktop option (It always has been a strong, preferred server option, however.). Currently some hardware manufacturers completely ignore Linux even after it has proven desktop viable. This typically won't stop drivers from coming around, but it means that the driver might take a long time as the developers are forced to reverse engineer the hardware. Due to Windows monopoly and desktop PCs almost always being designed around Windows, you're not likely to get anything useful from tech support if you use Linux. This isn't too big a disadvantage as most professional tech support actually does operate on a corporate agenda and will try to enforce a status quo on you.

If you ask my opinion, unless you want to game hard on this machine, go Linux exclusively, there's nothing Windows will offer you that Linux doesn't provide better cheaper(If not entirely free.). If you plan to do anything else, Linux is the best option. Servers love it, so do supercomputers. And now, with Android, cell phones use it, too.

Answer 2

Well the thing is, the Windows Operating system is the background that you normally use as if you were doing exactly this (going on the internet), or doing anything regularly. Using DOS mode includes and entirely black screen composed of white text and only uses codes instead of displaying actual pictures that you see on a Windows Operating system.

So depending on what you want to do each is different in there usage. DOS mode, I would recommend, that only experienced computer users who are to use it.

Answer 3

When deciding between one operating system and another, there are many different things to consider. Most of the time, the most important thing to decide on is what software are you going to want to use on the computer that your choosing your OS for, and whether or not that software is available for that OS. Windows is the current leader for desktop operating systems, and most personal software is produced for this OS. So it is a good choice for most people. However, Linux and Mac OS are also good choices as well, depending on what your going to use it for. For instance if your main goal is to do video editing, a Mac might be the best choice (as it comes with excellent video editing software from Apple.) If you would like to track your business finances, you might choose windows, since it has Quickbooks available.

Answer 4

Windows is better than dos because it is made simple and runs a lot more. For example: Instead of you having to type all of the folder paths, you can just use the important tool, the mouse, and click on a folder or file you wish to open. You also can paste shortcuts in your Start menu so you can simply find it. You would get an msstyle instead of a boring text, text, text operating system. You also don't have to use specific Commands. Don't get too excited about windows, though. For some things in windows, you need Command.com or Command Prompt.exe. Hope this helps!