4 Linux Distros Compared To Win XP, Mac OS X 729
Morf writes "The Australian Consumers? Association has evaluated Xandros, Linspire, Mandrake Discovery and SUSE personal and compared them to Mac OS X and Windows XP in its latest Computer CHOICE magazine. The article is very much focused on "mums and dads", and concludes Linux is just about ready for consumers, although installing new software could pose some problems for those who aren't really computer savvy. The report is available free for a short time."
I installed Ubuntu on my Dad's computer (Score:5, Interesting)
So I decided to make my Dad switch from WinXP to Ubuntu, installed Abiword and gnumeric (oo.org was to slow on his P4 with 96MB RAM), setted them as default editors, copied all his Documents over from the Win partition and made a shortcut on the desktop to his Documents folder.
He really likes Ubuntu. At first he was a bit bored because he had to learn some new things (for example the "Applications" menu is on the top left, and not on the bottom), but he got the changes quickly and adapted to the new OS in a few days.
I asked him yesterday if he likes more Windows or Linux now that he tryed both, and he told me that it makes no difference for him, as long as he can use spreadsheets, write letters, read his emals and organize his pictures like he did before (btw. he loves gPhoto and Gimp is his new favorite program
So to him it makes no difference, but now I don't have to clean his computer from spyware and viruses every few weeks.
So for me (and for my dad) Linux IS READY for the desktop. At least Ubuntu is.
Article Text (Score:1, Interesting)
(That said, the site has some nicer formatting... although it is paginated...)
--BEGIN_ARTICLE
Operating systems tested
The operating system is the engine room of your computer. We put four versions of Linux up against the big guns — Windows and Mac OS.
All computers require an operating system (OS). It’s the underlying program that runs your software and controls the hardware and peripherals connected to your computer. You probably use a version of Microsoft Windows because it came pre-installed on your computer when you bought it but there are other operating systems available.
Linux is the most obvious alternative to Windows for PC users but there isn’t just one Linux operating system. There are many Linux-based operating systems (called distributions) because Linux is open source software that’s freely available to anybody to use and develop. Traditionally perceived as hard to use, many Linux products now claim to be pitched at consumers, but are they as user-friendly as you’d hope?
We set out to find out how some Linux operating systems and Mac OS X stack up against the market leader, Windows.
Operating systems on test:
* Apple Mac OS X (10.3)
* Linspire 4.5
* Mandrakesoft Mandrakelinux Discovery 10.0
* Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (with SP2)
* Novell SuSE LINUX Personal 9.1
* Xandros Desktop OS 2.5 Deluxe.
This report is free for a short time.
The verdict
Watch out Microsoft and Apple, Linux is closing in.
What to buy:
Brand Price
Apple Mac OS X (10.3) $229
Microsoft Windows XP Home $324
Xandros Desktop OS 2.5 Deluxe $135
Apple Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows XP were easier to use than any of the Linux distributions tested - but not by much.
Mac OS X lost marks for poor help files but was easier to use for most common tasks. Windows XP had excellent help files but scored lower for installation, which was complicated and time-consuming. You may also need to spend extra money on additional software for common tasks.
Xandros Desktop OS was the top performing Linux distribution. It was easy to install with very good help files but was more complicated to use for tasks such as burning a DVD and viewing digital photos. It didn’t include DVD burning software and you need to find the correct folder for photo and movie files. However, at $135, it’s a considerably cheaper option than Windows XP or Mac OS X.
None of the operating systems are ideal, however.
* The Linux distributions fell short on some common tasks including installing new software, setting up an internet connection and the availability of help files and instructions.
* Mac OS X could have more comprehensive help files and we’d like to see the inbuilt firewall switched on by default.
* Although Windows XP usually comes pre-installed on computers, the installation process could be easier, as could some of the common tasks such as playing a DVD.
We’d also like to see inbuilt antivirus software in all operating systems — the tested operating systems don’t currently include a virus checker.
In brief:
* Microsoft Windows is the dominant operating system.
* The Linux-based operating systems we tested aren’t quite as easy to use as Windows XP and Mac OS X, but they’re not far behind.
* Linux fell short on common tasks such as installing new software.
Overall, however, Linux has improved in leaps and bounds over the years. It’s probably not suitable for beginners yet but if you’re a confident computer user, any of the tested distributions should suit you.
Where to get your system
Most new computers are sold with an operating system pre-installed. Microsoft Windows dominates the PC market, although it’s also poss
Let's agree to disagree (Score:2, Interesting)
As you get dumber users, you inevitably get a dumber system to hold their fidgety, trembling hands in every little thing.
You don't like the installer? Well, sorry you're not smart enough to grasp "./configure make". (Gee that was tough!)
You don't like the Help system? Oh, did you forget to read the MANUAL that CAME WITH YOUR PACKAGED CD?
Linux is not here to hold our hands. That's what Linux distributors are here for. If you are too cheap to buy the product and receive all the glorious documentation that these companies (Redhat, SuSE, TurboLinux, ad infinitum) provide, and instead you decide to save a few bucks by downloading the product, then how much do you really expect to get out of a system?
I wouldn't expect "mum and pup" to sit down with a Microsoft Windows CD either and be able to figure it out. But of course, Windows comes with a MANUAL. So if you can read (kinda a perquisite to using a computer, don'cha think?) you should be able to get through the basics of installing the system, installing apps, and getting help (hint: it's in the fine manual).
The same goes for any Linux distribution that you can buy packaged up at the store. They all come with manuals, they all come with help, and most come with a phone number to call when you have problems.
I don't feel sorry for "mum and pup" for not being able to work Linux, I feel sorry for them because they obviously can't RTFM.
Re:SuSE (Score:3, Interesting)
Although I'm not a n00b (far from it in fact - I'm a Linux sysadmin for a web-hosting company) I for one don't actually use the command line for apt-get on Ubuntu as I find Synaptic so easy. In fact, since I started using Ubuntu at home I don't use the command line for much of anything.
I will have to check out SuSE though, because everyone keeps raving about how great it is. I guess where there's smoke there's fire. I would recommend anyone who hasn't tried it to fire up the Ubuntu Hoary live CD. You may be impressed.
An amazingly bad artcicle (Score:5, Interesting)
Partitioning for Dual Boot (Score:5, Interesting)
Microsoft's website seems only to be able to tell me how to remove Linux (1 [microsoft.com], 2 [microsoft.com]) and not have a Windows bootloader installed to allow me to run both. All the other Linux-related KB articles [microsoft.com] are to do with Virtual PC and SMB problems.
installing.
OS X Help Files (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Not too off... (Score:2, Interesting)
Even then you will be in trouble if the software you need isn't in a repository. They won't be too impressed either when their system becomes screwed because they have been downloading RPM's from here there and everywhere and their package manager is screaming at them about failed dependancies (typical non linux type response "WTF is a dependancy")
Linux really, really needs someone to come up with a package format that includes everything they might need in one package. Proper simpleton documentation (that is actually finished) would help too.
Re:Hope again (Score:4, Interesting)
Putting aside whether man is suitable or not for non-techies I'd say this would be easy enough to do.
Granted easier for the User than for the people putting together the distro/software/documentation. But even then it shouldn't be too hard.
Plus whether man or a graphical help function I'd love to be able to switch to a less/more complex version sometimes.
Two sets of documentation. Help software defaults to the simple version but a simple flag can access the more in-depth version. Similarly a simple configuration file could be used to make the more complex version default for more experienced users.
Probably still not perfect, but would allow for less experienced users to immediately get less-confusing help when needed, and the more-experienced ones would be more able to handle the steps required to switch to the in-depth help. It'd probably be a real pig to implement though.
Re:Did the reviewer even try out the OS's? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:I installed Ubuntu on my Dad's computer (Score:4, Interesting)
Apart from being very clearly laid out, the Ubuntu installer is easy to follow and takes you through the installation process fairly painlessly.
Now of course someone who's never used a computer before is not going to install an operating system. That is just plain silly.
The point is that even someone moderately knowledgable (I'm not talking guru here) should be able to set up Ubuntu. Anyone who can answer yes no questions can set it up. Most of the time the defaults are correct anyway.
On a related note would you give your mother a Windows XP disc and expect her to install it. I certainly wouldn't. The difference is with Windows is most of the time it's pre-installed by the manufacturer.
Not to nit-pick... but it was actually my girlfriend's grandmother. Something tells me that you read "I installed Ubuntu", "grandmother" and "Is Ubuntu ready for the desktop? You bet your ass it is." and ignored everything else.
Riddled with inacuracies (Score:3, Interesting)
Who's use iMovie as a media player? Dont dont have a clue. iMovie is a movie creation tool. Not a media player.
Mac OS X comes with QuickTime. THAT is a media player.
As part of the cons, they list it's firewall not being on by default. What good would turning on a firewall be if NONE of the ports are on by defaults anyhow? Good luck, chap, breaking into it.
Re:Too much choice (Score:3, Interesting)
As long as it fits on a sticky-note, its cool.
I have customers that know the most obscure DOS strings for their 1991 era equipment they don't want to replace. They know nothing about computers or DOS, but they know all the commands they've been given over the years -- and they don't want Windows because its different.
Re:Too much choice (Score:4, Interesting)
With your "Windows-is-perfect-centric-biased" view, without even noticing it, you bypass all the real problems with the Windows model.
What is Hallmark Card Studio ? What is Blues Clues ? Why "choose" these apps ? Isn't there a lot of choice of these types of software ?
How "mums and dads" even got aware of these softs ? They have to actually leave their house to get the software ? How much does it cost ?
Who will install this (newbies are afraid of any dialog) ? Assuming it will install, will it work ? You say it will, nothing is less sure. Even games come with RELEASE NOTES full of identified problems !!!
They can get all these problems. Worse, they do, assuming the countless hours I lost helping people on this OS.
Contrast this with a Linux distro : no need to leave house, everything is there in the distro, nothing to pay, the description is there with a search button to find what you need. Documentation ? Mandrake comes with at least one full manual in each box, with PDF versions on the net http://www1.mandrakelinux.com/docs/Outputs/ [mandrakelinux.com] !!! Installation of software is a breeze.
I am european (french actually). I see the only thing Windows has left for it, is that it is ubiquitous. USA people do not see it, but there are A LOT of problems due to internationalisation (i18n) and localization (l10n) in Windows, that are properly dealt with in Linux (do not know OSX). I see that americans just forget these problems, when justifying grave design choices in Windows (like no difference between different case of characters). And I see that when Windows comes out on top in a comparison, that is because the comparaison is Windows centric.
Re:Administration shouldn't be major for the deskt (Score:1, Interesting)
Wrong 4 Linux distrros compared! (Score:2, Interesting)
Switching to liveCD PCLinuxOS, based on Mandrake, my laptop worked right off the CD. Mandrake lost me. A lot of geek tweaking with Mandrake never made the wireless work. I got tired of trying.
Standard Debian does not find wireless cards very well either, but Knoppix and its derivatives like Kanotix and xfld find everything nicely. Some knoppix-derived distros, such as the morpix-based CDs, don't seem find everything all the time, but they exceed the standard Debian install, which requires multiple disks.
Knoppix is the innovator here with its cloop autoconfiguring complete-linux-distro-on-one-cd technology, but it gives you everything with loosely-organized menu that overwhelms the first-time user. And I switched to xfld because it dumps KDE for a less resource-intense xfce desktop with a simpler menu structure that has fonts I can read. I'd like to see the knoppix technology incorporated into debian.
RPM is an inadequate updating mechanism when compared to apt-get. With RPM you are always looking for another dependency to download, but apt-get finds the dependencies and installs everything needed to make the program you wanted work.
The Synaptic Package Manager is a pretty good GUI interface to apt-get, but I still find the command line easier and faster to use.
Maybe they could rename synaptic to update...
OS X (Score:2, Interesting)
Instead, the Linux desktops have veered off into the direction of Windows and went for the "registry" approach. That is, a database of sorts that tracks what's installed and uninstalled, because files are scattered all over the place.