Apple vs. Linux: Which Will Win Disgruntled Windows Users?

Earthweb ^ | December 13th | Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

Apple and Linux are engaged in battle – a battle to win over disgruntled Windows users. But who will win, and what will the consequences be for the loser?

The most commonly held belief amongst Apple and Linux fanboys is that both factions are engaged in some kind of a war with Microsoft. The truth is that if you look at the market share figure for Windows, Mac and Linux, both Mac OS and all the Linux distros that have ever been released are dwarfed by Windows.

Any idea that there’s a war going on can be dismissed – it’s not war, it’s more like two overly optimistic ants fighting on the back of an elephant.

[Clara Lou]

Chalk up one disgruntled Windows user to Linux. Kubuntu, to be specific.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

Yeah. The numbers change a bit if you calculate in the world wide market. Vista has 9% usage in the US, not worldwide.

[Clara Lou]

Kubuntu does it for me.

[Golden Eagle]

Yeah. It’s real popular with governments like Cuba, Iran, and Venezuela, who pass rules it must be used.

[evad]

...........So, why exactly am I disgruntled with Windows??..........

I don’t have a supercomputer in my house. Do you?

No s-c for me either. A simple e-machine and a HP laptop, both on xp.

Linux runs very fast on my current hardware, windows doesn’t.

I've never had any of the problems with windows that are associated with this article but I guess I've just been lucky.

I did find that running a different browser than IE helped overall performance. I also found that running MSCONFIG and cleaning up all the background systems running helped performance. And running CCleaner daily gets me off to a fresh start but no problems with Windows per se.

[RayChuang88]

The USB external device support is still a bit lacking for most Linux distributions. I mean, can I get more than just two-button functionality and scroll wheel support on a mouse pointer? (I use a Logitech MX500 mouse and the Windows XP/Vista MouseWare driver supports the full functionality of that mouse, including button reassignments.)

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

.............I did find that running a different browser than IE helped overall performance. I also found that running MSCONFIG and cleaning up all the background systems running helped performance. And running CCleaner daily gets me off to a fresh start but no problems with Windows per se...........

You’re essentially cleaning up and tweaking.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

Yes, it’s easy to configure mouses/mice/meeces for multiple buttons(3+) via a mouse control panel.

I forget the name of it though.

[Uri’el-2012]

hh>......But Mac’s have a disadvantage: scalability

XS>Could you amplify as there is 8-core Mac Pro........

Yes, for 4000 dollars. I'm struggling to make my mortgage but need something easy to use, and fast, and within my budget.

And for 4000 dollars, I could build a much beefier machine than apple's offering.

40 posted on 12/16/2007 6:45:29 AM MST by Halfmanhalfamazing

You buy a Mac Mini Intel Core 2 Duo for $600 same operating system.

Craig's List has a 1 G Hz G4 PPC for $300 same operating system.

Tiger still runs on an iMac from 2000; someone could give you one.

[evad]

..You’re essentially cleaning up and tweaking...

yes

[cowboyway]

[shorty_harris]

PCLinuxOS is really nice (using it right now), although I usually use Mepis. I installed it on a no-name computer I bought at Frys (it was their linux computer, running Linspire). After I installed PCLinuxOS, I left it sitting unused for a few months. When I finally fired it up again yesterday, there were over 100 updates available, including some critical core components. I thought, if this doesn't wreck things, I'll be impressed. Well, to my surprise, it *didn't* wreck anything, and it still runs fine!

I installed my network printer without too much problem, and I installed Wine to run my favorite image viewer, Irfanview. So far, so good.

The one thing that concerns me about PCLinuxOS though, is that it's essentially a one-man operation. What happens if the developer goes away (anyone remember Libranet)?

[Zuben Elgenubi]

ping for later reading to upgrade the old IBM Pentium 166

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

" The one thing that concerns me about PCLinuxOS though, is that it's essentially a one-man operation."

There is a pretty decent-sized group of developers besides TexStar. And there have already been some redistributions based on PCLinuxOS. It's quite popular, the support forums are very helpful, and I think it'll be around for a while. There are other fine distros too; it's just that this one is unusually well-tuned for desktop use, whereas my previous impression of Linux was that it was oriented to server use. And PCLinuxOS is especially easy for a Windows user to work with. And it's rather pretty.

And it's from Texas! [grin]

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

"LOL, you can’t be serious. Web browsing on a 2 inch screen?"

You missed my point. The contention in the posts above is that Apple can't produce a computing device with operating system etc to compete with the Wal-Mart Linux PCs. I'm saying they could if they wanted to: you can already buy a device from them for that kind of price that has a hard-disk, OS, touchpad, memory, screen and connectivity. They could do it in a larger form-factor if they felt it was worth their while. The hardware and OS cost is the easy part.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

...........hh>......But Mac’s have a disadvantage: scalability

XS>Could you amplify as there is 8-core Mac Pro........

Actually, those weren't my words. I know just how scalable that mac towers are.

And per your suggestions, as good as they may be for some.........

........You buy a Mac Mini Intel Core 2 Duo for $600 same operating system...........

Still have the issue of OEM hardware, and an OEM to deal with. And that's unupgradable at that.

And if I were going to spend 600 dollars, it would be on something beefier than a mac mini. May not be by much, but computer hardware is very inexpensive.

........Craig's List has a 1 G Hz G4 PPC for $300 same operating system............

I wouldn't touch anything PPC. Mac or otherwise. Well, I would for a secondary box. Or maybe something I could embed in my car for an MP3 player or something.

Besides, I have a perfectly good computer now. Why spend 300 when I don't have to? Going from windows, Linux is a fantastic upgrade. Now if only Apple released macos to everybody..... too bad.

The merits of building a computer on your own are far too great to deal with the nightmares(comparitively) that come with OEM hardware, any OEM. That includes apple. Yes, I know, it's personal preference. But I'm a big DIY guy. Any time I have to go to a middle man no matter how easy or helpful that middleman is......... I just don't want it.

But getting back to the original premise of my reply. Yes, macs are scalable, but for one of the uber boxes you have to put out 4k for it. And for that kind of $ you could build one heck of a box that would be much greater than the comparative.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

I appologize, I got you mixed up with another poster.

At post 45 evad said:

.........I did find that running a different browser than IE helped overall performance. I also found that running MSCONFIG and cleaning up all the background systems running helped performance. And running CCleaner daily gets me off to a fresh start but no problems with Windows per se.......

My response to this was: .

............You’re essentially cleaning up and tweaking.........

My next response was then going to be:

Linux requires less cleaning and tweaking than windows does for optimal performance, but the post I had in mind was post 7. The following was said by RayChuang88:

...........I'd go with a Mac over a Linux-based computer for a couple of reasons:

1) A lot more hardware support, especially for USB external devices.

2) No need to constantly tweak the OS to get best performance.............

That's what I get for not paying attention! LOL I thought you had came back after making these comments to talk about MSCONFIG and the like. I wasn't gonna flame on or anything, but I did find it ironic.

Oh well. But between defrags, antivirus and antispywares, as well as the occassional tweaks and cleanups, windows does require more upkeep. I've never even *HEARD* of a linux defragger, though I'm sure such a beast exists. Somewhere.

[goldstategop]

I agree. I hated the Konqueror icon so I put in Apple Safari's compass icon in place of it. Now I have three browsers on PCLinuxOS: Konqueror, Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. The default blue desktop theme is very beautiful. On the whole, its a distro easy to configure and upgrade. There's very little one needs to do to get started in Linux except boot it up.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[goldstategop]

I've never seen Linux crash. Misbehaving apps might need to be terminated on occasion but they will never take down the system with it like in Windows.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

lol

Mine is bigger than yours hehehehehehehe (sorry, I'm in a playful mood right now)