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Comparing Operating Systems. Annette Scherich IT 3700. Operating System Comparison. Introduction OS History Popular Systems Compatibility Usability Cost Common Uses Trends Summary. Introduction. Provides a means for users to interact with computers Performs basic tasks
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Comparing Operating Systems Annette Scherich IT 3700
Operating System Comparison • Introduction • OS History • Popular Systems • Compatibility • Usability • Cost • Common Uses • Trends • Summary
Introduction • Provides a means for users to interact with computers • Performs basic tasks • sending information to your monitor and printer • receiving information from your mouse and keyboard • performing disk read/write operations. • Provides interface to software applications
OS History • Computers were invented in the early 1940’s • The earliest computers were not run by OS • Controlled by one person • Problems Arose • Time constraints • Computers sat idle • Programmers worked off-line • Computers moved from labs to households • Creation of the OS
Popular Systems • Windows ME • Windows 2000 Professional • Windows XP • Mac OS • Linux
Compatibility • Apple Macintosh runs on a PowerPC processor • Windows or Linux runs on Intel, Cyrix, or AMD processors
Usability • Windows is relatively easy to use and once you know one version it is easy to adapt to another • Linux is somewhat difficult to install and use • versions from each vendor may look completely different • Mac OS is very easy to use and anyone from a beginner on
Trends • Wal-Mart is now selling Lindows as an operating system • pre-installed with the UNIX based Linux • selling their basic model (minus the monitor) for under $250 • includes support for running software for Windows • Linux is increasing market shares over seas in Japan, India and China • Sun Microsystems is selling Linux as an operating system on their computers • Apple computer is offering prepackaged Linux OS's • Sun stated that it anticipates a 30% annual growth rate in Linux over the next several years
Summary • If you choose an Operating System other than a version of Microsoft Windows, you can expect a bit of frustration with not being able to get the right software, but once it is installed it will run with little hang-ups • Choosing the Mac OS X will minimize this frustration but you may pay a higher price • If you want to customize your Operating System a little, give Linux a try and enjoy the wide variety of free software available