Recently, the discussion of the operating system is getting more and more warm in court or online. This kind of warm atmosphere is naturally unclear with the operating system giant Microsoft. The legal community is a headache for the illegal monopoly behavior of Microsoft on the operating system, and the software industry is insomnia for how to resist Microsoft Jun's huge offensive. It is also thinking about whether Microsoft should also end from one. Through this boom, I will also talk about Windows and Linux in the field of Desktop Operating System.
There are many discussions on Windows and Linux. From these discussions I found that some people were clearly belonging to the Linux camp. The so-called Linux camp, I refer to their support for Linux support, just like religious believers Like God. On the other hand, although some people speak for Windows, there is no group that can be classified as a Windows camp, which means that the user of Windows is, but support intensity is not as good as Linux. This is not surprisingly, Linux's development is its own results of enthusiasm for work together, the so-called "self-love of their own children." What's more, Linux is free and Windows is not only expensive, but also has also developed to make users spend money and can't buy the point. Even the right ownership is gone, the owner is naturally free. Despite the lack of the hardenow WINDOWS Support, Microsoft did not win the people in the market while winning the market, but from academic views, it should be seen that people who talk in this case (except for Microsoft employees). From a pure technical perspective, their views tend to be more calm and fair than Linux support with emotional factors.
No matter how many people disgusted Microsoft, any objective reviewers must recognize a basic fact, which is purely technically Windows, which is currently a top-level member in the current operating system family. Microsoft is able to cover the rain in the software industry, covering the sky, is the strength of the Windows operating system. The market is ruthless, and the silver that can be installed in their own pockets will not be willing to put it in the safe in Microsoft. Windows has been successful in the market for more than ten years, especially in the four of the enemies, and the people who think about the world is still the world of their strength.
Below will this review and compare several major aspects of Windows and Linux.
Security performance
Safety performance is Windows often suffered from Linux supporters. In addition to the endless computer virus, the most important version of Windows XP, which is known as Windows 95, has repeatedly discovered security vulnerabilities but also led the FBI to issue a warning to the user, which undoubtedly deepened that Windows is not as good as Linux security. However, objective speaking, in the following two aspects of Windows, some are somewhat virgin:
The openness of every vulnerability in Windows will cause widespread attention of the public and media. The phenomenon of this tree is greatly increasing the visibility of Windows Technology Vulnerabilities. And Linux is a system of public source code. Its vulnerability discovery and patches are often intentionally unintentionally considered as part of the system development, comparison is that Microsoft discovers and patch vulnerabilities by internal programmers during development of Windows. Since Linux is always in the development state in many people's eyes, Windows has a clear launch date (otherwise can't make money), so Windows is very disadvantaged at this point.
People are often actually compared to Windows and Linux kernels, which are often compared to Windows and Linux kernels. Windows also includes user interface (UI) and a large number of applications, most Windows technology vulnerabilities are not a vulnerability of the Windows kernel. In terms of security vulnerabilities, most of them belong to IIS and IE, corresponding to Apache and Netscape or Konquerors in the Linux system. More reasonable approaches should be compared to part of Windows and Linux Distribution or Linux Distribution parallel to Windows feature. Despite these defense, although Microsoft complained that people were interested in attacking Windows (because it is more likely to be famous), the Windows frequently illuminates the security red light, but I think that Linux is really excellent in security performance. In Windows. At least the number of virals and dangers, the risk of Windows users is much larger. Just Windows security is not as bad as some articles rendering.
Saying security, by the way, for other countries outside the United States, because Windows technology is completely monopolized by Microsoft, using Linux also has national security advantages. This is also one of the reasons why China, France, and South Korea and other governments have made contributions to Linux decisions when purchasing operating systems.
stability
Stability is also a place where Windows is often criticized. Hery you must first distinguish between Windows 9x series (including NT / 2000 / XP). Both have orders of stability. The bad name with poor Windows stability is mainly from the 9X series, and Microsoft has terminated this series since Windows XP has terminated this series. Secondly, it needs to be divided into the stability of the application software and the stability of the operating system. If the crash of a software does not affect the operation of the operating system and other software, the account usually should not be recorded on the stability of the operating system. If a software crash causes the crash of the entire operating system (ie, the "crash" that is usually said), the stability of the operating system is subject to questioning.
As for the latest Windows XP and Linux who is more stable, it is not currently lacking enough data and comparability, because the software running is very different. Although there are some test results, but the objectivity of these tests is often worthy of doubt, this time I will describe another article. Generally speaking, since the software running on Windows is usually complicated (such as games, large commercial software, etc.), there is a larger chance to expose the defects of the operating system. From this, it is not enough to describe the apparent stability of Windows XP and Linux, which is more stable when the two are running the same complex software. On the other hand, the relationship between system security is similar. People often refer to the stability of the kernel, but the stability of Windows covers many other parts of the user interface. This situation is also true, because Windows and its user interface are unable to separate, the user interface is dead, which is equivalent to the operation system, and Linux is different, and the user interface is often dead. You can use a hotkey to exit and restart the user interface. These differences have made stability to Windows a more difficult goal.
software support
Support for software, especially large commercial software, and multimedia software (including games) has always been Windows's strength, whether MacOS or Linux is difficult to regret in this field in this field in the near future. Windows huge application support is an important reason for most users even if they are dissatisfied, they have to continue using Windows. Although the software owned by Linux is a lot, and some software (such as GIMP, STAROFFICE, etc.) are developed as competitive objects under Windows, but in terms of these softwares must truly replace Windows software. There is also a quite road to walk. Free and public source code software is the soul of Linux, but also a lot of people love Linux, but lack of sufficient high quality business software has become a major obstacle to Linux and Windows competition desktop operating system market. In this regard, Linux faces a two difficult situation: an operating system should attract commercial software developers to have enough users (especially corporate users). The reason is very simple, and some users have profit. On the other hand, an operating system must attract enough users (especially company users), they have enough high quality software (including business software). This is a typical first chicken or a problem with eggs. From the current development of the current situation, the most likely way to break the situation is that software companies are willing to be forward-looking, thereby producing a benign promotion. Here you need to do a little additional instructions: For relatively small software support Linux is not inferior, a full installed Linux Distribution is not only a wide range of software than Windows, but also the common type of software, such as Email, FTP, IRC Browsers, etc. have more than four or five kinds of options (sometimes but the first employee is helpless).
Hardware support
Five years ago, Linux installation is still a fearful thing for novices, this is a big reason is that Linux is lacking for hardware support. Three years ago I installed RedHat 6.0 on laptop and was also forced to search for config. file. However, in recent years, Linux has made great progress in this regard. Today, the main distribution of hardware is rapidly approaching or exceeding Windows. Although hardware producers provide a generals of Windows Drive (DRIVER) to be generally compared to Linux, the master's Linux group has done almost synchronously to provide all the latest hardware driver files. On the other hand, Windows XP has a larger retrore in the universality of hardware support (Microsoft may be called update). This long, Linux's lack of hardware support has become history.
Although there is no clear, the hardware discussed above is for the X86 machine, which is separated from this framework. Linux has a wide level of support in hardware, including any other operating system, including Windows, is unmatched.
Speaking of hardware support, there is a way to consider the system configuration. Every generation of Windows puts new requirements for system configuration. Windows XP harsh system configuration requirements make almost all machines for more than two or three years must be installed with considerable hardware improvement. Although Linux also gradually improves the requirements for hardware configurations, but due to its superior module structure, the user has great freedom to adjust the module you need to install according to the configuration of its machine, thereby breaking through the requirements of hardware configuration. .
Normative
The normative nature of the operating system mentioned here is two-layer meaning, and a layer of meaning refers to the degree of follow-up of the technical specifications of the operating system on the software industry. In this regard, Linux basically follows all applicable specifications, which is not related to Linux development mode. In addition to the internal nuclear Linux without a central arbiter, most developers have systematically developed in the software industry. Windows is half-resident in this regard. Microsoft itself is a developing and advocate of many standards in the software industry, but on the other hand, Microsoft often uses its own preference "Modification" specification. Since Windows has overwhelmed user groups in the desktop operating system, the software industry is forced to accommodate Windows requirements, thus makes many non-standard things in Windows have become in fact specifications. The other layer of normative is to refer to the standardization of the operating system itself, and a simple metrics is how many common languages between the two users of the operating system. Since Windows is developed by a single company, it is not multi-functional Linux that is mainly Linux that is loosely associated with developers. In terms of user interface, Windows has maintained considerable stability since Windows 95, and users who have used any of these versions can basically use another version of Windows interface without additional learning. There are no ten kinds of Linux user interfaces, and there are two most popular in KDE and GNOME, which lack normative. Linux is still manifested in a different directory structure in its own native distribution, using different formats, and installs software in different ways, and so on. All such varieties have brought great confused novices, but they are extremely inconvenient for experienced users and even system developers.
Fortunately, Linux's irregularity has attracted more and more people, an organization that is like W3C (W3C is an organization that develops Internet specifications) has been established, and its mission is to develop Linux and others. Open source code system specification. With the gradual promotion of these specifications, Linux will narrow down its own normative gap between Windows.
It also needs to be added here: Linux does not lose its advantages in user interface. Often listening to people complaining that they have a large part of the big price to update the machine, and some of them are consumed by the operating system itself. One of the largest users who consume resource is the user interface. Linux users can use a user interface that consumes less resource in this case.
In general, Linux is superior to Windows, while in its own normative, Windows is significantly better than Linux, and this advantage will not be lost in the near future.
Source code
Windows source code is confidential, while Linux source code is open. From the literal, this is of course means that anyone can improve Linux in principle. However, it is important to point out that things that can be done in principle are not actually possible or should be done. The height of Linux source code is mainly for system developers, the openness of source code makes the defects in the Linux system can quickly be discovered and compensated from the masters from all over the world. This is Linux development in more than ten years. key. But for ordinary users, the source code of the Linux machine that modifies yourself to work is very unwise. The Linux kernel has been tempered after years of masters for many years. A normal user can improve its chance is minimal (destroying its possibility). Therefore, it is not necessary to exaggerate the direct help of the operating system itself and even the entire software industry in affirmative source code, and the direct help of ordinary users, the opening of the source code does not increase the level of control of the system.
The development of Linux source code makes the operating system courses and textbooks of universities are blue in Linux or other similar systems, so almost all students who have been educated in regular computer professional education and almost all people interested in operating systems. There is a considerable degree of understanding and love for Linux. This has a very positive impact on the future development of Linux. Application Interface (API)
A operating system's API (Application Program Interface) is an interface provided by the operating system and is important for software developers. The API of Linux is generally considered to be beautiful than Windows. However, due to Windows, there are large tools software such as Visual Studio, such as Visual Studio, greatly reduced the difficulty of Windows programming for people who have and familiar with these tools.
System adjustability
Linux has much tunable than Windows. Many early Windows subharddened users have a nostalgic feeling in the system-adjustable, I feel that they used to be machine owners in DOS and early Windows era, with Windows evolution, then they only have Windows, no longer have machines. (Now they don't even have Windows). The Linux is consistent to maintain the height adjustability of the system.
The openness of Linux's source code can also be considered as an ultimate sense, but, in the foregoing, for ordinary users, this adjustability is actually almost existing.
On the other hand, in the respective adjustable range, Windows is easier to adjust than Linux (which deserves to a large extent, which is independent of the Windows interface specification). In the early days, Linux regulation often requires users to directly modify the parameter file, even for users with certain experiences, this is also a distressed thing. In recent years, Linux has made great improvements in this regard, developing many tool software, but many other categories under Linux, Linux tool software also presents a divergence, that is, more software can do The same thing. This allows users to learn new tools or reinstall old tools when converting machines and Linux Distributions often need to learn new tools or reinstall the old tools in different environments.
Easy to use
The convenience of use is one of the most important winning factors in desktop operating system competition. The convenience of use here is for normal users, this is often ignored by Linux supporters. In the user group of the desktop operating system, the average computer level of Linux users is much higher than Windows users. This difference makes the Linux group often underestimate the difficulty of lacking computer system knowledge to adapt to Linux. "Windows is a fool can also be used", "non- but should not be used to laugh at Windows, but Linux must learn from the competition desktop operating system market. The development of computers has long been surpassing professional boundaries and has become a tool that almost all modern people can use. Easy to use is one of the qualities that any tool should pursue, the computer and its operating system are of course no exception. How much can this be smart in this world? How much does it be smart to use in a smart person in the computer? Today, the average computer level of Linux users is a non-negligible reason because only horizontal people can use Linux, and this fact is very unfortunate, is a major weakness when Linux is competing with Windows.
Copyright restrictions and fees
There is nothing to say in this regard, the wins in court, whether it is an indisputable fact that Windows uses its monopoly to use its monopoly to force the user to accept the increasingly demanding copyright requirements for personal or corporate users. Users who use Windows XP believe that this is especially subject. Each Windows XP disc can only be installed on one computer, not only that, but reloading the operating system or replacing a certain number of hardware will cause intervention of the Windows anti-piracy mechanism, so that the user must ask the new serial number to Microsoft (may not be inevitable) To explain what you have to give Microsoft "Add trouble"). Software that spend money is actually to report to Microsoft, and the imbalance in the user's heart is self-evident. As for the price, Windows XP Home and Pro price are $ 199 and $ 299, respectively. Under the comparison, Linux can download free to download, but also on any number of machines. The affinity to the user is self-evident. It is a pity that for personal users, Linux is largely offset by most brands manufacturers in the market (except for servers). Since the brand machine manufacturers have a lot of share in the market, most users pay the money in WINDOWS, regardless of Windows. Since the money is paid, the operating system is also there, and most people will not be able to adjust again. By the way, this is also another important reason why the computer level of Linux users is currently generally high, because people who are interested in computers or operating systems have a large possibility that there is no lack of operating systems, A new operating system.
However, for the company users, since Linux does not limit the number of users, it is very obvious that the advantage of Windows Volumn Licne is very obvious.
Speaking of the fees, it is necessary to mention another aspect is that many software that have paid in Windows have fun, the same or better free software in Linux. Although Windows is more than Linux in the overall support of the software, the part of Windows dominant is not indispensable for most common personal users (except for the game). However, Linux is also largely weakened in this regard: that is, many of the excellent free software under Linux also has a Windows version.
Technical Support
The technical support mentioned here is a relatively vague concept, including the technical services provided by the company, as well as information that users can find. In terms of the technical services provided by the company, although there is no unpleasant experience when someone complains about complaining and Microsoft service staff, it is obviously related to the number of users of Windows. In general, Microsoft provides technical services provided by users (especially corporate users) to all Linux (of course this service is not free). In terms of information that users can find, Microsoft has a large-scale Knowledge Base, Linux has Linux Documentation Project, and Linux can often see the top Linux developers in BBS, Forum and NewsGroup on the Internet. Unlike Windows, Linux's openness makes many Linux masters have a mission of Linux's development. They patronize these websites to understand the user's reflection, discover BUG and the development of Linux. Experience. I said that I don't hit the people who have the same purposes in the same purpose, but I am personal experience in this area, this is better for users to help the users of the Windows population.
It should be noted that the company's users are helping to have a great role in the company's decision-making level. There is a half-way joke, which is very popular, and the attitude of many companies (especially big companies) when choosing software (including operating systems), that is, "Software that only chooses yourself on the supplier of the court". Linux groups and many Linux companies cannot provide norms within a sufficiently long service period, legally guaranteed service is a general obstacle to the half-waters of the competition desktop operating system - the company's users. Conclusion
Write here should have a pen. Usually this article must predict the prospects of Windows and Linux on the desktop operating system market. Not long ago, the president of Redhat Linux issued an unexpected comment that Linux could not beat Windows on the desktop operating system market. Of course, Linux's enthusiastic supporters do not agree with this view. The two opinions are very intense on the Internet. Speaking of forecast, plug in a few words. When I was young, I heard that foreign experts predicted that many oils would not find in China, and there were foreign experts to predict how Tangshan will be difficult to reconstruct. These predictions are bankrupt. At that time, I would like to be so stupid, so that everything we do can pull up one or two foreign experts to do it. Later, the forecasts have gradually understood the truth: not foreign experts are too stupid, but there are too many "experts", what the possibility allows experts "forecast". I am not an expert, I don't want to still have any forecasts here. The prospect of Linux in the desktop operating system market depends on many factors: when the major commercial software companies will participate in Linux software development? For example, how many computer manufacturers will provide pre-installed Linux machines? For example, global economic downturn can use Linux how to speed up the company and individuals to save money, such as whether Microsoft will lose in court? What is the punishment scheme that the loss is? and many more. In addition, it is necessary to see the behavior habits of the user groups have great inertia. No matter how Linux improved, there are still many people say that Linux is inconvenient. why? In addition to the part of Linux itself, because of the huge user groups of Windows have formed, all of Windows has become the fact that the deviation of Windows must change the habit of user groups. This is the competitors of all Windows. Not carrying heavy burdens.
More than one of these factors as detailed and accurate as possible is not a short (although it is not short) articles can be competent. Fortunately, the development of computer technology has not been allowed to have waited for a long time. Seeing the stage of this operating system war believes that it will not give us a lot of challenges.
Missing: This article was divided into three parts in April 2002 with Pharaoh (Mr King) as a pen name POST in the unknown space BBS website. The following is the post-written note when post is the last part of this article:
