Ms Windows vs. Unix/Linux
MS Windows vs. Unix/Linux
University of Phoenix
POS/420 Introduction to Unix
October 20, 2008
Scott Stewart
MS Windows vs. Unix/Linux
The Microsoft and Linux operating systems have been long considered to be in a competition to be the best operating systems on the market. This paper will compare and contrast these operating systems to help the consumer decide which is right for his or her environment. Such subjects as; cost, market share, hardware requirements, file processing, programming capabilities, availability if application software, networking, and user interface will be examined.
Cost
The cost difference between running a Linux desktop / server compared to a Microsoft desktop / server is overwhelming. In all scenarios, Linux ends up being the cheaper and more “functionality rich” option. In the first scenario, let’s compare the cost difference between a Linux and Microsoft desktop. The first cost difference in this scenario is the cost of obtaining the software. A copy of most Linux distributions can be obtained for under $60 dollars, and free if it is downloaded from such sites as www.linuxiso.com. A Microsoft desktop is not so cheap however; the initial cost of purchasing a full copy of Windows Vista is currently $319.95, a much larger cost than that of Linux desktop. Functionality wise, both the Linux and Microsoft desktops provide the basic needs of the “home user,” however, such additional features as an Office Software Suite can cost up to $300 dollars extra on the Microsoft platform. On the Linux platform, such packages can be downloaded for free from such sites as openoffice.org. Finally, when the cost of support is compared, both the Linux and Microsoft desktop cost the same to be fully supported. With both products online documentation is plentiful, however, the cost of obtaining hands on service will be the same for both desktops when brought to such stores as Best Buy or Circuit City.
In our next
University of Phoenix
POS/420 Introduction to Unix
October 20, 2008
Scott Stewart
MS Windows vs. Unix/Linux
The Microsoft and Linux operating systems have been long considered to be in a competition to be the best operating systems on the market. This paper will compare and contrast these operating systems to help the consumer decide which is right for his or her environment. Such subjects as; cost, market share, hardware requirements, file processing, programming capabilities, availability if application software, networking, and user interface will be examined.
Cost
The cost difference between running a Linux desktop / server compared to a Microsoft desktop / server is overwhelming. In all scenarios, Linux ends up being the cheaper and more “functionality rich” option. In the first scenario, let’s compare the cost difference between a Linux and Microsoft desktop. The first cost difference in this scenario is the cost of obtaining the software. A copy of most Linux distributions can be obtained for under $60 dollars, and free if it is downloaded from such sites as www.linuxiso.com. A Microsoft desktop is not so cheap however; the initial cost of purchasing a full copy of Windows Vista is currently $319.95, a much larger cost than that of Linux desktop. Functionality wise, both the Linux and Microsoft desktops provide the basic needs of the “home user,” however, such additional features as an Office Software Suite can cost up to $300 dollars extra on the Microsoft platform. On the Linux platform, such packages can be downloaded for free from such sites as openoffice.org. Finally, when the cost of support is compared, both the Linux and Microsoft desktop cost the same to be fully supported. With both products online documentation is plentiful, however, the cost of obtaining hands on service will be the same for both desktops when brought to such stores as Best Buy or Circuit City.
In our next
References: Bonfield. B & Quinn, L. Microsoft Office vs. OpenOffice.org. Retrieved April 10, 2006. Retrieved October 19, 2008 from http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/092007-no- price-hike-sql-server.html GNU Website. (1996 – 2006). Boston, MA. FSF/UNESCRO Free Software directory. Retrieved April 10, 2006. http://directory.fsf.org/ Horowitz, Michael Retrieved October 16, 2008 from http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/3786 Microsoft Corporation (2006, April 2006) http://www.microsoft.com Microsoft Technet (2002) Retrieved October 16, 2008 from http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowserver/bb429524.aspx Thompson, Bernie October 17, 2008 from ACM Digital Library. Saiedian H. & Siddiqi M. (1996). A framework for the assessment of operating systems for small computers Sun Micrososystems (2008). MYSQL The world’s most popular open source database. Retrieved October 19, 2008 from http://mysql.com