Digital
Fever – Choices, choices, choices
By
Mike Kroll
Well Microsoft has finally released the long
anticipated and much hyped Windows Vista operating system. When this software
was released to the general public three weeks ago Microsoft and its founder
Bill Gates said there was only one word to describe the new OS, Òwow!Ó I'm
afraid I must disagree with Mr. Gates on this assessment as I find the
delivered product to be a big yawn. Apparently I am not the only one to feel
this way. Despite massive positive blather by the many computer magazines (that
depend upon Microsoft for ad revenue and fear retribution for reporting
honestly that Vista amounts to little more than expensive and resource
squandering eye-candy) so far sales of MS Vista have been well below
projections.
If you have already made the leap to Vista I hope you
enjoy your adventure and highly recommend that you shell out for the additional
memory before going nuts over Vista's performance. For those who haven't yet
made the decision but are contemplating either buying a new computer or
upgrading an existing computer please allow me to offer you some advice.
First, if your existing computer is more than a year
or two old forget about the option to upgrade to Vista. If that older computer
runs Windows XP well enough for your needs and you are satisfied with it just
ignore the hype and continue using what you have. If your existing computer is
new or relatively new but has an Intel Celeron processor or an Intel Pentium 4
less than 3.0 gigahertz or any AMD processor slower than the Athlon XP or
Sempron 3000+ Vista is not a realistic option. Do not let someone talk you into
replacing that processor – that's a sucker's move. Instead stay with
Windows XP and consider investing in some more memory (especially if you have
512 megabytes or less of random access memory) or a better video card for a
performance boost and to get at least another year or two out of that computer
(you will thank me). Regardless of what you have read there is nothing wrong
with Windows XP that Vista will magically fix. At this point in its lifecycle
Windows XP still has lots of useful life left despite its imperfections and
warts.
Second, if you are in the above group hardware-wise
but have already grown sick and tired of Microsoft and Windows you do have
alternatives. Most people use their computer to do basic word processing,
spreadsheets, browse the Internet, send and receive e-mail, store and
manipulate digital pictures or music and play simple, non-demanding games. If
this description fits you there is an alternative most never consider, chuck
Windows and blow raspberries at Microsoft by adopting a variation of Linux.
Linux is a totally different operating system based on the concepts originated
in Unix, one of the most stable and long-lived operating systems around.
Unlike Microsoft products Linux systems almost never
crash and many operate for years without requiring a reboot. That's why Linux
is the choice of many who operate computer servers such as those that host web
pages or e-mail servers across the Internet. While Microsoft has heralded
improvements in security as one of the ÒwowÓ features in Vista the fact is no
version of Windows can hold a candle to any version of Unix or Linux in terms
of security. Viruses and spyware are Windows plagues and virtual non-issues in
any other operating system including Linux and Apple's Mac OS X (which itself
is built upon a variant of Unix!). While Linux isn't typically sold at your
nearby discount store that doesn't mean Linux is hard to get. In fact, Linux is
available totally free for the asking and you can install your copy on as many
computers as you wish without piracy concerns.
As an operating system there is no version of Windows
than can hold a candle to any modern Linux in terms of utility, stability, or
the ability to multitask. And Linux has multiple graphics user interfaces from
which you can choose your own favorite. And for those of us with perfectly good
computers that just don't have the horsepower required to run Vista Linux is a
sight for sore pocketbooks. Any computer that can run Windows XP can run Linux
as well or better without the need for costly upgrades. Unlike most other
operating systems Linux is more of a tool chest. In addition to the expected
operating system functionality Linux includes virtually all the other software
programs you will need for no extra charge. If you have an Internet connection
you can download even more software for Linux, most at no cost other than the
Internet connection and your time.
Microsoft and other critics of Linux will tell you
that as an Open Source product you cannot get the necessary support for the
software that Microsoft offers. If you have ever actually tried to obtain
support from Microsoft then you already know what a ludicrous statement this
is. Unless you shell out big bucks to purchase a support agreement from
Microsoft that company does almost nothing to support its users. Hell,
Microsoft doesn't even provide basic documentation with Windows anymore. In
contrast the user community surrounding Linux is very active and eager to
assist users encountering problems provided you have an Internet connection and
ask for help. Like most Microsoft products there are numerous third-party books
available to assist you with Linux or the many application programs that are
available for it. Compared to Windows there is relatively little you cannot do
with Linux at little or no additional cost. People who try Linux with an open
mind are nearly always amazed and impressed.
But you need not take my word for that. Get on-line
and check out a web site for Ubuntu Linux (ubuntu.com). From this web site you
can order a cd-rom copy of Ubuntu Linux absolutely free – and that
includes free shipping! Ubuntu Linux is distributed on a Live CD that will let
you try out Linux without the need to actually install it on your computer by
merely booting off the Ubuntu cd-rom. The experience is similar to what you
will encounter if you run the complete install of the Ubuntu system but since
it runs off the cd-rom it will be a wee-bit slower.
Third, if you existing computer is older and has
either Windows ME or Windows 98 as its operating system you really should be in
the market for a new computer as upgrading is NOT a realistic option. Buying a
new computer right now means that you will have a variety of operating system
options to choose from. Of course there is the obvious option of buying a new
computer with some version of Windows Vista installed. If you do your shopping
at a big box store or buy a Dell or Gateway this will seem to be your only
option, but that is a misperception. Being in the market for a new computer
means that you can look beyond those obvious vendors. Unless you are a
dedicated PC game player, or have a huge investment in PC software that only
works in Windows you too should be considering either Linux or Apple's new
Macintosh computers.
The Apple Mac OS X is without a doubt a much better
operating system than any version of Microsoft Windows ever released. As I
noted earlier, the Mac OS X is based on Unix, BSD Unix to be precise. Apple has
essentially created an elegant and eminently functional GUI for the tried and
true, stable OS that does things right. Computer science classes could be
taught using Windows as the counter example of how an operating system should
be designed. Most of what Microsoft has tried to do with Vista is to bring the
look and feel of the Mac OS X to a Window platform. While visually Microsoft
succeeds somewhat a pig dressed up in finery remains just a pig.
The Mac OS X is about to undergo its own upgrade soon.
The current version is know as Tiger and the new version will be Leopard. Apple
is always tight-lipped about such things but there can be little doubt that an
already impressive OS X will become even stronger. As an interesting aside I
want to point out that ever since Apple switched to using Intel processors in
its computers the Mac OS X has been nearly capable of running on standard PC
hardware and could become a Vista killer if only Apple would choose to offer
such a version of OS X in direct competition with Window Vista.
Apple's critics, including myself, have always
complained about the lack of real user choice in hardware as well as the
clearly higher prices charged for comparable Apple hardware versus PC hardware.
These criticisms remain valid although Apple has reduced the pricing delta
somewhat. Buying an Apple Macintosh computer will not be possible for the low,
low advertised prices we have all become used to in the PC universe-- but then
again nobody should really be buying these poorly built and underpowered Òvalue
pricedÓ PCs anyway. Buyers of such value PCs this past holiday season will no
doubt discover that upgrading to Microsoft Vista is a painful process in most
cases. If you are spending the money to buy a properly equipped Vista-ready PC
the extra cost of going with an Apple Mac will be much less than you think.
I know that market forces being what they are lots of
my customers will be using Vista machines and discovering that Microsoft still
hasn't managed to get the OS right. They will still suffer from the inevitable
system crashes, viruses, spyware and other malicious software that flourishes
amidst Microsoft products. And I guess I should be grateful for the amount of
work this means for my shop but my conscience demands that I recommend against
jumping into the Vista pool. If you are buying a new computer give the Apple a
good hard look and remember that for most people Linux offers a low-cost
alternative that simply works better than Windows.
Mike Kroll operates ÒDr. Mike Computer Therapist,Ó
a small computer repair shop in Galesburg, Illinois. You can e-mail him at:
Dr.Mike@Bizconnect.net or stop by his shop to ÒGet TherapyÓ for your computer. Mike even continues to make house calls in his
Mobile Therapy Unit!
2/22/07