Windows, OSX, Linux - new debate- Which is best?

[Eric Dunbar]

As much as I like off topic debates, I do think they belong on
SOUNDER, and not on the main list.

Eric.

On 1/27/06, Phillip Sc. Boegh <psb at ipl.dtu.dk> wrote:
> Hi debatants
>
> Let's go to conclutions - and please correct me or add yours.
> But personally I find my reason in the front for Linux
>
> Why use Linux?
>
> Linux Operative System (OS) is a head in front of our competitor(s) because:
>
> 1.Linux is a Society organized community that helps people to be
> self-reliant. Only support without involvement is normally commercial.

Yippi. And what about those who don't want to, can't or can't AFFORD
to be self-reliant?

> 2.Linux OS is a very secure system: You do not in general work as
> administrator on your system, no or few viruses exist, easy firewall
> system and fast updates secure against hackers. Other OpenSource partners
> like Apache guarantee secure servers too.

I suspect you'll find that Windows soon will be rivalling Linux in
terms of security -- they have to get serious because people are
losing a hell of a lot of time and money to ad/spy/malware and
viruses. As it stands, a wise Windows user can lock down their machine
as completely as a Linux user.

And, don't forget Mac OS X. A commercial server and desktop Unix (and
the most widely installed *nix). No known viruses. No known
ad/spy/malware.

> 3.Even PC-equipment that is outdated for the resource-consuming
> competitors OS still work very efficient with Linux. Easy specializing also
> for old desktops.

Of course, old computer equipment often uses more energy than modern
computer equipment so the environment isn't completely served
(producing and discarding old computer equipment is a problem,
however).

> 4.New Linux programs and backward convertible programms are constantly
> developed (for also old PCs).
>
> 5.Very easy to maintain the software (basically 2 command-lines to update
> ALL software).

Until you run into dependency hell! Or, one of the apps doesn't work ;-)

> 6.As OS and most software of the Linux OS will remain open source and free
> for ever (According to the GNU GPL license:
> http://www.gnu.org/licenses/licenses.html#translations).

There's something to be said for that argument IMNSHO.

The GUI Mac was using in 1984 is virtually the same as the GUI used by
Windows XP, Mac OS X, Gnome 2.10, KDE or whatever other GUI
environment may be your poison.

And, likewise, MacWrite and Microsoft Word from 1984 are virtually the
same as AbiWord and the word processors in Microsoft Office and Open
Office from 2006!

All these fancy upgrades have done little to really change the
function of a word processor; it allows you to record, edit and
communicate ideas using words.

Imagine just HOW much money someone who's been using MS Word since
1984 has pumped into upgrades, that, ultimately haven't really
provided them with much new functionality (fortunately I've gotten
educational discounts for much of that time ;-).

This is not a comment on MS Word or the evil Microsoft -- for most of
its history (on the Macintosh at least (version 6 excepted)) it has
been an excellent product but on the nature of forced upgrades,
whether enforced by the software producer or a third party like a
hardware or OS manufacturer.

Whatever all the Microsoft-bashers (and, believe you me, I am one of
them) would have you believe, all that closed source development did
do something profound -- it did allow for the word processor to evolve
(into a huge bloated behemoth) into something that others could copy.
Without MS Office to copy, Open Office wouldn't be anything like it is
today*.

*Now, I would argue that might not have been a bad thing! MS Office
and Open Office are huge, inefficient behemoths and it would be nice
if the "industry standard" was something more user-friendly but that's
where we stand today.

> 7.The whole OpenSource society is very widespread – mostly on servers (70%
> of market share), but is increasingly going to desktop also (Linux OS from
> 0.1% - 3.5% in 5 years. Data per 1. of october 2005)

Data on desktops is currently very nebulous.

> -- And if you like to get further with your computer? :::
>
> 8.You continue to learn more how your computer works with the Linux OS due
> to error codes you can copy and search for on the Internet - compared to
> unexplainable collapse of the competitors errors.

You shouldn't have to learn anything about how your computer works! A
computer is a tool. You should not have to be a slave to the computer
(if you don't want to be).

> 9.The open source code of Linux guarantee a continuous development and you
> can legally manipulate everything yourself (and distribute it as a new
> distribution ;-).
>
> 10.Not only International English but the Linux society work on making
> support really international for "all languages".*
>
> 11.You can precipitate in development of low to high level applications
> and translations – which often result in well-paid jobs.
>
> 12. ???? you to add.
>
> regards
>
> Phillip

Keep it up (ON SOUNDER ;-).