Microsoft Windows
Despite what Apple’s TV ads might want you to believe, Windows PCs remain the standard for personal computers. This isn’t about ignorance—it’s all about mainstream affordability and limitless extensibility.
Even with the continued dominance of the Intel Core 2 platform throughout the year, Windows PCs live up to their reputation by offering the highest value of any group of PCs. Just last month, you could get a complete Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 with 3 GB of RAM, a 500 GB hard disk, and Windows Vista Premium from the Dell Outlet for under $400. While such a system already offers the average consumer more power than he or she will ever need, pairing the system with an aftermarket GPU transforms the budget PC into a veritable gaming machine. When the $600 Apple Mac Mini only offers an anemic 1.83 GHz Core 2 Duo with 1 GB of memory and 80 GB of storage, it’s hard to make the case for the “Apple Tax.” While Apple’s desktops are due for a refresh in January, it’s hard to argue against the value proposition of PCs.
It’s About Security!
Once you’ve bought into the Windows platform, you’ve also signed yourself up for the world of malware, system crashes, and anti-virus subscriptions. Ironically, today’s consumer has apparently gotten used to this. The only people who still demand rock-solid stability are technology gurus themselves. The average Joe has already surrendered to the idea of having systems that crash every once in a while and the potential of malware.
Machines with Windows XP RTM are infected at a staggering 33.8 systems per 1,000, while Vista SP1 brings this down to 4.5 per 1,000 and 2.3 per 1,000 (32-bit and 64-bit). As a group, Microsoft estimates 10 in 1,000 PCs as a whole have detected malware. To put that into perspective, if 10 in 1,000 flights crashed, one day of flights at Los Angeles International Airport would result in 6.2 plane crashes.
With careful system design (i.e. adequate power supplies and system RAM and good software practices), Windows PCs can be incredibly stable. In fact, the majority of hospitals across the United States run Windows PCs—and you know what? Things still work. Of course, it requires a vigilant IT team, carefully locked-down PCs, and adequate redundant fail-safe policies, but it’s possible.
Black Hat Programmers
It used to be that the only way to get a computer virus was if you were downloading software from Bulletin Board Systems. As the world moved onto the Internet, new threats arose. Security experts claimed that by running “up-to-date” anti-virus software and adhering to smart browsing (don’t open any email attachments from people you don’t know; don’t go to unusual Web sites, etc.), then people would remain secure. Today, that’s far from true.
While foolish users can easily infect a PC, even the most careful user can still run into trouble. Vulnerabilities in Windows and other popular applications have resulted in “remote code execution.” That is to say, security flaws in software allow hackers to “infect” and install malware on your PC without your consent. You don’t even have to visit unusual Web sites.
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Black hat hackers have targeted plenty of mainstream sites, including Asus’ home page and the Dolphin Stadium site (home to the 2007 Super Bowl) during the past few years. Last September, BusinessWeek.com discovered that its Web site had been compromised and was potentially installing malware on visitors’ computers. Last October, it was discovered that a Trojan had been collecting banking data on half a million bank accounts.
Although Windows Vista x64 represents the most secure consumer operating system Microsoft has ever developed, it will always be one of the most vulnerable operating systems on the market today. Part of this can be attributed to Windows Vista’s legacy design, but the majority of security issues can be attributed to how Windows is targeted more—much malware represents the work of organized crime and Windows represents a more potent target.
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lamorpa Thanks for typing some numbers in your message that either you or someone else pulled out of the air. I'm going to make up some numbers like 2% and 2.4% in 2009. How's that?Reply -
neiroatopelcc "For the average consumer, the transition to 64-bit means a more stable operating system." Kinda amusing! Ye I know vista 64 is a lot more stable than vista 32, but at least at my place, that's still not very stable. My ati graphics driver frequently crashes and has to be recovered by vista - good thing the recovery works, so I just have to sit back and wait - don't even have to reboot or restart wow or the movie that was running etc. May want to rewind a bit though :) But still - it DOES crash, and it takes more time booting than 32 bit on my system (probably the raid drivers fault), and neither my e-tech nor my logitech webcam works with 64bit (the e-tech does with 32 bit).Reply
So more stable? perhaps, but certainly not in my home. -
radnor You are correct about linux. But i should add one thing. WINE.Reply
It is getting better every version that launches, but still needs a lot of love. Wine use should be simple and stealthy. That is, put a x86 windows cd, and wine detects and pulls out a auto run. You get the idea.
when that happens Linux will check mate Win/OSX. Compiz/Fusion is already prettier than OSX (and with great promises) and the system is much safer. And faster.
Lets wait and see. -
I think the future will be about virtutalization of machines and applications. If we had a low level virtual OS that supported a standard UI then any machine or application could be installed on it. That is you could have a single look and feel while running Windows, Mac, Linux, or other OS's or applications.Reply
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A very good article, but I found it odd that you believe OS X to be the most secure operating system. In the pwn2own contest recently, OS X was compromised in only 2 minutes. Vista fell a day later to a flaw in 3rd party software. Linux didn't fall.Reply
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I still laugh every time I see the "I'm a mac" commercials on TV.Reply
Mac is comparing itself to windows OS or rather they should be. The Apple community is content believing that PC(Personal Computer) means Windows. They simply don't know the difference. Note to mac users: Macs are PCs also. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_computer
Also, listen to the music in the background. It's lullaby nature appeals to the mentality of Mac users as does the original color pallet 'box of crayons' in the system settings. They didn't design it that way by accident.
That's why Mac users love to boast about the commercials and their computers. Basic - ignorance is bliss.
It's not your fault though. It's not like personal computers have been widely available since the late 1970's but you haven't bothered to take one class on them right? You haven't?! That's a pity and thank you.
It's people like you who keep the entire PC(yes you too) technical community employed. -
neiroatopelcc radnorYou are correct about linux. But i should add one thing. WINE.It is getting better every version that launches, but still needs a lot of love. Wine use should be simple and stealthy. That is, put a x86 windows cd, and wine detects and pulls out a auto run. You get the idea.when that happens Linux will check mate Win/OSX. Compiz/Fusion is already prettier than OSX (and with great promises) and the system is much safer. And faster.Lets wait and see.Reply
Dunno about all below the wine, as I don't use linux for anything other than firewalls. But I don't think wine will ever get to a level that allows linux to replace windows. Mac OS has a chance - but only if they somehow can make game developers compile mainstream games for the mac.
Though the article in general is very well written, I still find it fails on one simple aspect. Gaming. Every single pc I've built in the past 5 years was expected to play pretty much any non-top-tier game. Ie. not crysis, but if hugo or pixeline, or any other childrens game, was shipped with some magazine or put on discount, the people I built the computers for, expect that the software will work. That can't be realized on a mac unless it runs windows - at which point there's no reason to buy the more expensive mac. -
neiroatopelcc KamujinA very good article, but I found it odd that you believe OS X to be the most secure operating system. In the pwn2own contest recently, OS X was compromised in only 2 minutes. Vista fell a day later to a flaw in 3rd party software. Linux didn't fall.Reply
If we imagine a future version of flash, silverlight, java or any other internet based system could address the hardware in a pc via a standard interface - like directx or opengl etc but on the actaul hardware, instead of on the gui. And without the programmer needing expert knowledge of the limitations of the features, then virtualization won't even be needed. Stuff would just run directly on hardware. A bit like a seamless window on a citrix system, but with the hardware being used locally, and the drivers being a bunch of software embedded in the hardware burried beneath the gui.
But that probably won't happen for another 10 years, so windows is safe, even with a complete idiot at the wheel.