An Introduction to Linux
As with last week’s readings on computer hardware, this week’s readings are very familiar to me, especially the topic of Linux. Learning the history of Linux/Unix was new to me, as my experience with this operating system was hands-on only as I learned the basics of programming in C++.
Personally, I do find the operating system something to be worth looking into: it is open source (so anyone can use this system as a base for their programming needs) , it is free, it is getting more user friendly with each version, is rather secure, and it has slowly been moving into the mainstream. As a sample, this article mentioned Open Office, which I have personally used in lieu of Microsoft Office for the better part of my undergraduate and professional career.
As a personal note to further something I previously mentioned: Linux is become a bit more mainstream. The Mac OS is a UNIX system, and the success of Apple is quite apparent with their products. To move things even further, the Android platform, which is seeing use on a variety of smartphones and tablet machines, is based off of Linux and has a variety of free user-created apps due to it being open source. How is this such a bad thing?
Mac OS X Articles
Okay, I’m biased, so hold onto your hats. I am not a fan of Apple. Yes, I agree with the articles that the Mac OS is secure, reliable, easy to use (if you are not adapting from another OS), and rather pretty to look at. Personally, it just isn’t my thing. It has enough of what makes UNIX interesting to at least be considered, but so much of it shies away from the spirit of the system. Compatibility is an issue with other “mainstream” systems, and let’s face it: nearly everything with the Apple name is extraordinarily expensive, while the other Unix-powered alternatives of free.
My apologies if this seems like a bash against the system; it’s not a horrid system, and it has it’s places (arts and education, primarily), but it is not something I cannot see myself using in the future.
An Update on the Windows Roadmap
Once again, not really surprised here. A shameless plug of praise for Windows Vista (which, in my opinion, was an OS that needed much more work than it was given), a warning that Windows XP would no longer be supported as of 2014, and a nudge for users to switch to this new operating system while waiting for Windows 7 to be released in 2010.
As it is 2010 now, most of this article consists of old news, and I think the original poster said it best: “there's really not much new here if you've been paying attention.” If you want a Microsoft Representative speaking about how *wonderful* the Windows Operating System is, then take a look at the article. If you have been a long-time user of Windows and been following the changes, then this feels rather redundant.
I think it's very interesting to approach the differences in operating systems by considering the OS preferences of individual users. There's a kernel of truth, I think, to the idea that some people are PC people and some people are Mac people; however, the idea might not be directly correlated to the actual operating systems used on machines, but more correlated with the ways the products are marketed. In any case, if our brains are to be seen as extraordinarily complicated computers and our brains (through interaction with our environment) give rise to our personalities, it seems feasible to me to hypothesize that there is a correlation between the underlying functionality, ability to be customized, and apparent visual presentation of operating systems and certain aspects of users' personalities. In other words, if I'm a Mac guy, you might be a PC guy, and there's possibly a reason for that which goes far beyond the simple dichotomous (and unfortunately derogatory) implications of that ridiculous ad campaign.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your post.
Honestly, I don't think there is a better way to view an OS beyond what a user needs or wants. Sure, most of these companies are trying to make the "ultimate" OS, but is this idea even possible? As you've pointed out, we each have our own personalities, our own preferences and our own expectations, so I do not believe you are far off the mark when you state that some of us are "wired" (so to speak) to work with a certain operating system.
ReplyDeleteI'll need to give this more thought and see where else I can take this, because it is an intriguing idea the more I think about it. . .
Most of what you said rang true and I appreciate the nod of approval from an Linux user. I think we have been so used to the brainwashing from Windows that the local public does not see much.
ReplyDeleteFrom someone who wasn't paying attention, I appreciated the update and the heads-up
You definitely make a valid point that anything from Apple is quite pricey. It seems as if Apple is part of the high class of operating systems, but I also find some of the components of the Mac OS X difficult to maneuver, probably because I'm not an everyday user.
ReplyDeleteI really loved that you brought up the Android operating system in your post. Although it has only been around for a few years, it is what got me into computers, Linux in particular. I pretty much went from knowing nothing about smartphones and the differences between operating systems, to creating my own custom kernels and installing Ubuntu on my PC.
ReplyDeleteWell, at least I now know that more than two people read this! Let's see if I can move the discussion a bit more. . .
ReplyDelete@Nan: Believe it or not, I am primarily a Windows user. Yes, the public has been brainwashed into its use, and while the system is flawed (especially with a big corporation behind it), it is the lesser of the evils for the time being. That being said, the redundancy of the Windows release notes (especially those written by corporate representatives) do have a use if you haven't been following them to date. At the very least, Windows 7 pulled a few very good notes from Linux, so let's see where it goes for now. . .
@Katie: I never did fully understand the high cost of Apple products. Most of the time, it only seems as though you are paying for the name. A reliable system, sure, but the cost difference is rather disturbing, especially when you consider that not everything created on a MAC will be fully compatible with a Windows machine without the correct software in place on either side. It has also become too ingrained in pop-culture by my opinion, and I have run into the same problem with adapting to the interface of OS X.
@Marc: The Android platform is wonderful, simply put. It pulls the ease of use from Windows with the user-created options of Linux. After getting a Droid this summer, I realized I missed using Kubuntu. These newer versions of Linux pull just enough from Windows (e.g. the GUI) to be usable by the general populace, but offer plenty of support to be compatible with most other systems. Honestly, how is this a bad thing?