The State Of The Personal Computer

An Ecosystem Of Constant Innovation

Windows isn’t simply a choice for cheapskates or the ignorant. Once you set aside the security issue, Windows PCs remain one of the most technologically advanced platforms. Only Windows offers the constant evolution of new hardware and software. Want the latest Nvidia or AMD graphics card? Just plop it in. Want to activate the PhysX capabilities of your GeForce card? Just install new drivers.

The 64-bit transition will also be a hallmark of the Windows platform. We’re already seeing 64-bit computing enter the mainstream. Dell and HP are now shipping notebooks and desktops with Vista x64 installed by default. For the average consumer, the transition to 64-bit means a more stable operating system. The gap between x64 and x32 driver support is quickly closing down although some popular devices such as digital cameras still lack x64 support.

Mac OS X used to be the platform of choice for the graphics professional, but things may change in 2009 thanks to Adobe CS4. With professional digital still cameras producing increasingly large files, and 4K video becoming more popular, even for independent studios, the need for >4 GB support is clear. The 64-bit version of Adobe CS4 only supports Windows Vista–Mac users have to wait until CS5. In addition, Adobe Creative Suite 4 also marks the dawn of visual computing for the independent professional. Advanced effects and H.264 transcoding will all be accelerated on the GPU, and companies such as Nvidia are already developing optimized hardware for this market such as the Quadro CX.

If I wanted the best system for Adobe CS4 today, I would spec a Windows Vista x64 machine with a pair of Intel Core 2 Quad or Xeon CPUs, the Nvidia Quadro CX, and an HP Dreamcolor LP2480zx running 10-bit DisplayPort. There’s nothing from Apple that can come close. The release of Snow Leopard (Mac OS X 10.6) may provide improved GPU capabilities, but that still doesn’t address the 64-bit limitation of Adobe CS4 on Mac OS X, or my ability to throw a faster AMD GPU or a GeForce “CX2” as they are released.

The Windows Color System is a very sophisticated platform based on Canon’s Kyuanos technology, which improves the capabilities of color correction including expanded dynamic range (beyond 32-bits per channel) and extended gamut (beyond three-color channels). In the real-world, this is less effective because the majority of devices still run traditional color management features. Windows Vista also introduced a new printing system (XPS), which for practical purposes, means that 16-bit color processing can be achieved with Canon photo printers. Mac OS X has the edge in “real-world” color management in the sense that monitor profiles are automatically loaded and 16-bit printing support is available for both Epson and Canon printers.

Windows Vista’s Future Remains Bright

It doesn’t matter that some companies are choosing to stick with Windows XP, that more and more college students are switching to a Mac, or that Microsoft continues to patch critical vulnerabilities on a regular basis. For all the grandstanding, marketing, and finger pointing that exists, Windows will continue to be the dominant desktop operating system in the years to come. It covers all the bases: from the computer novice on a tight budget who walks into a Best Buy to the uber-geek who wants the more powerful system for gaming or multimedia creation.

Even so, Windows will continue to see its market share dwindle over time. This is not a reflection of any inherent failure in Windows, but the simple fact that it’s virtually impossible to gain market share in a world that’s already saturated.

  • Linux share is down to 0.7% in october
    Anonymous prediction for 2009 - 0.3%
    Reply
  • 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
  • nukemaster
    110% in 2009 and about 150% in 2010
    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).

    So more stable? perhaps, but certainly not in my home.
    Reply
  • radnor
    You 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • I still laugh every time I see the "I'm a mac" commercials on TV.

    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.
    Reply
  • 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.
    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.
    Reply
  • 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.
    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.
    Reply