Driving > Disco

So, over the past few months (and the past few comments), I've gotten some questions/feedback in regards to operating systems. I know that there are about a billion choices out there including Unix, BSD, Solaris, BeOS, AmigaOS, OS/2, OpenVMS, and so on and so forth, and while a healthy dose of those are Unix derivatives, they are each different enough to warrant consideration for many different types of users.

However, for the scope of this relatively uninformed publication, we'll be focusing on what I like to call the big three: Windows, Linux and Mac OS.

The Unix comment above will even affect us here today, since Linux and Mac OS are both, for lack of a better, more succint term, "based" on Unix.

So, without further ado, let me drop some knowledge (and some of my own observations) on your pale, white behinds. Oh yes, there will be length...

[After writing the Windows portion of this, I realize that it is far too long, even by itself, to be a single post. Therefore, the Linux and Mac OS pieces will have to come later. I promise they will be here sometime.]

We'll start with the "big" one, Windows. Windows has a large market share (and I will say that I do not know any actual numeric data in regards to this subject, nor do I think very accurate data can be collected). This is primarily due to the fact that just about every commercial PC manufacturer bundles Windows with their computers. Buy a new computer, get a new version of Windows. This explains while so many people "fix" problems with their computer by just purchasing a new one. The major concerns I hear about Windows lately (and Vista, I'm looking in your direction) are performance and security. Windows is a bulky OS in my opinion (probably others as well). One part of this slowness, though, is the fact that there are so many programming choices available to Windows users. "Everybody" uses Windows, so if you're going to write your killer app, why not write it for Windows? With so many aspiring programmers out there, contributing programs that will run on Windows, theres bound to be some duds. Programs that are not thoroughly tested, programs that make poor usage of memory, buggy code, etc. Windows may not have the most well designed code, but much of its slowness is not solely attributable to the OS alone.

As far as security goes, its kinda the other side of the programming coin. Young virus makers out there want to be known for writing a widespread/well-known virus (I guess?), and if "everybody" uses Windows, why not write my next big virus for Windows based systems? However, a large majority of virii require user interaction: you have to open an email, execute some code, etc. Visiting a website (ActiveX concerns aside) will not infect you with a virus...without you clicking a popup, downloading (and running) a file, etc.

That is why, as far back as Windows 98 (possibly further and yes, not very well implemented), Microsoft institued the idea of using separate accounts: an administrator account, which would be used for system administration, installing/unisntalling programs, etc; and "regular" user accounts, that you use on a daily basis for using installed programs, browsing the web, checking email, creating documents, etc. (and, yes, I'm tired of ".etc" and the parentheses as well). Long story short, if people (myself included) would create the admin account and use it for administration (setting the date, installing programs, uninstalling programs, etc.), but not for daily use, things would be much easier. Most people (myself included) don't want to have to login with the admin account, install a game, log out, log in with a user account, play said game, decide they need to make a change, log out, log in with the admin account, make the change, log out...you get the idea. Instead, they set everyone to have administrator privileges and just compute.

Vista is actually nice in this area, because when attempt to do something that could have security concerns (anything that can make sweeping system changes or anything that could be used maliciously), it basically applies true administrator privileges and allows you to make the change. The reason is so great, security wise, in Vista, is that it runs a process (can't remember the name) that halts all other processes (this is why the screen turns all gray and only the allow/don't allow option is available). This is great because this cannot be spoofed (at least not yet) by hackers, virii, etc. The security process can be triggered by anything, but so far, can only be answered by a human, sitting at the computer. Sorta like the captcha word verification scheme: it can be created by a computer but not solved by a computer; therefore, if it is solved, it must have been a human that did it. You probably would'nt intentionally do something bad to your own system, so if you allow the process to continue, you must want it to run.

That is, by no means, a definitive look at Windows, but it should at least answer some of your questions about two of the main concerns with the OS: performance and security.