Over a short period of time, three major operating system releases will take place. From Apple, Mac OS X 10.6 (also known as Snow Leopard) will ship on August 28,2009. From Microsoft, Windows 7 has already been released to manufacturers, with general retail availability set for October of this year. Representing Linux, Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) is also slated for an October 2009 release. So, there are a lot of reasons for us to be excited.Since I use Mac OS X (dual boot with Xubuntu) on Macbook Pro, Ubuntu on my main workstation, and Windows XP on some of our computers used for our family business, I'm looking forward to these consecutive "big-time" updates. However, I still haven't made up my mind if I'll immediately upgrade to the new versions. But I did a little research and collected some important information so that I could somehow find out early on if the upgrades will be worth it.
For all of you, I'm going to highlight the main features of Ubuntu 9.10, Mac OS X Snow Leopard, and Windows 7. I will also share my quick observation later on.
Mac OS X v10.6 (Snow Leopard)
* UI (User Interface) Enhancements:
- Stacks will allow viewing a subfolder without launching Finder. Stacks have also been modified to include scroll-bars for folders with many files;
- Contextual menus which come out of Dock icons now have more options and have a new look, with a semi-transparent charcoal background and white type;
- Exposé can now display all windows for a single program by left clicking and holding its icon in the dock;
- More reliable, higher-resolution iChat;
* System Enhancements:
- Faster installation, startup, shutdown, Time Machine backup and connection establishment;
- Smaller footprint compared to previous version (7GB of disk space will be freed);
- 64-bit support with nearly all system applications built with 64-bit code;
- New technologies introduced to enhance the performance of multiple processor cores and graphics processing units;
* Additional Features:
- New version of Quicktime;
- Out-of-the-box support for Microsoft Exchange;
- Automatic updates for printer drivers;
A complete list of features can be found HERE.
The main focus on this release is obviously on improving performance and efficiency on utilizing key system resources, rather than adding new end-user features.
Windows 7
* UI (User Interface) Enhancements:
- A redesigned Windows Shell with a new taskbar;
- A new control panel interface;
- Windows Explorer now includes a desktop slideshow that changes the desktop background in a designated amount of time;
- Start menu and window management enhancements;
- The user interface for font management has been overhauled;
* System Enhancements:
- Faster boot speed;
- The DirectX version has been updated to 11;
- Multi-touch support for Tablet PCs and other capable devices;
- Native WWAN support, similar to native WiFi added in Vista;
- Enhanced security features;
* Additional Features:
- Calculator has been rewritten, with multiline capabilities including Programmer and Statistics modes along with unit conversion and date calculation;
- Office Open XML and ODF support in WordPad;
- Windows 7 will include Windows Media Player 12, along with new codecs for playing formats such as H.264, MPEG4-SP, ASP/Divx/Xvid, MJPEG, DV, Advanced Audio Coding (AAC-LC), AA;
- Windows XP Mode;
A more complete list of features can be found HERE.
Windows 7 is like a striped-down version of Vista but few key enhancements are added here and there. --Hardware and applications that are compatible with Vista will be fully compatible with Windows 7. In addition, overall performance improvements are also expected.
Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala)
* UI (User Interface) Enhancements:
- Overall theme refresh;
- Using the most up-to-date GNOME version;
- A redesigned login manager;
* System Enhancements:
- Faster boot speed;
- Ext4 will be the default fileystem;
- Ubuntu One client will be installed by default;
* Additional Features:
- Empathy Instant Messenger will replace Pidgin;
- Will utilize GRUB 2 as its default boot loader;
Since Ubuntu 9.10 is still in the early stages of development, a lot of changes can still happen as some features may still be added or removed. I can only give more and accurate information when the release date approaches. However, you can take a peek at what's cooking HERE.
I've noticed that Windows and Mac OS X is trying to be like Linux right now --fast and resource efficient. On the other hand, Linux on the desktop is still polishing its user-interface perhaps to be like Windows or Mac OS X. Although I now absolutely prefer Linux for its overall features, my geeky side still tells to me to check out Snow Leopard and Windows 7. Hopefully, I can share the complete experience with all of you here soon.
I would rather compare Windows and Mac OS X to KDE.
GNOME is kind of stable, but it is also based an old way of doing software and the project have not produced anything new in years.
KDE have made some great improvement recently, some ideas have even been copied by Microsoft for Windows 7. The ideas behind Akonadi, Nepomuk, etc are the heart of today's competition on the desktop.
Yeah, Gnome (and Ubuntu) is kind of too dull to be compared to Mac OS X or Win 7. But it is very stable.
If you really want to show the power of Linux UI, you should really show the latest KDE, KDE 4.3.
That's right. Kubuntu; for all it's growing pains (new and now better KDE v4), is the one to compare.
kde 4.x is the future... and it looks good.
In KDE you can't even sort (arrange) files via a context menu! It drives me crazy. Why I have to go to the main menu to do it is beyond me.
Go linux !
It will be the future, I feel it !
I have OSX and Ubuntu machines and without a doubt I prefer to use Ubuntu. That is, Ubuntu with Gnome and the standard brown theme! OSX works fine and is slick, but Ubuntu (Gnome) has some features that makes it very useful. And over a period of three years, I just feel that Ubuntu seems much more robust and stable, not that OSX has crashed though.
Gnome? It does the things I want simply, no fuss, doesn't distract with needless buttons and graphics etc. ie Gets the job done efficiently, including visual efficiency. I have one thin panel on the top, with a drop down menu, a few shortcuts, and the notification area. Very screen efficient.
The brown? It's different, distinctive, I'm tired of blue, and over time I have gotten used to it, and I have found it to be very easy on the eyes and less distracting.
I haven't quite warmed to KDE yet. It just reminds me of Windows 7. Or maybe it's vice-versa. :) Nevertheless, KDE is coming along very nicely.
But of course, I need to use my iPod Touch and iMovie on OSX. :(
I'm not a Linux geek. It takes about 3 minutes to change the Ubuntu brown to whatever you want. I don't know why people go on about that.
Tuned KDE 4.3 with latest software is one to compare with OS X and Win 7 in terms of innovation design and latest technologies.
"I've noticed that Windows and Mac OS X is trying to be like Linux right now --fast and resource efficient."
It doesn't look that way, this is from phoronix. http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=ubuntu_jaunty_osx&num=1
OSX is the most effecient OS base on this benchmark. With the release of snow leopard (opencl, grand central), this will further the gap more.
"Overall, Mac OS X 10.5.6 already outpaces Ubuntu 9.04 when it comes to many respects of the desktop and server performance. With the introduction of Mac OS X 10.6.0 "Snow Leopard" in a few months, the Apple gains will likely widen considering the efforts they are putting forth on improving the performance via a smaller memory footprint, OpenCL, etc. The graphics performance in Ubuntu 9.10, which will be out after the release of Mac OS X 10.6, may improve with Intel working to fix its regressions and Gallium3D could be enabled in time. Beyond improving the graphics performance and potentially some minor performance improvements thanks to an updated Linux kernel (well, a big improvement in SQLite unless they regress again) and the newer GCC 4.4 series, we would not anticipate the Ubuntu 9.10 performance to be drastically different."
KDE 4.3 Kubuntu - 'nuff said.
Windows 7 is better than both of them. As far as Ubuntu, please, the default look looks pathetic. KDE looks good in screenshots but, the latest default theme is nothing but a Windows rip-off. Also it doesn't feel as good as Windows and OSX.
Can Ubuntu 9.10 outperform Mac OS X 10.6 ?
On the Phoronix.com-website Ubuntu competes in 26 tests with OS X and there is no distinct winner, so both of them have their advantages.
One important advantage for Ubuntu though: every six months you get a new Ubuntu-version with more features completely for free!
A second advantage is the add/remove software-library where you can add thousands of free software-programs with one mouse-click!
I prefere ubuntu!! It is the best operative system
different work needs different os..servers i prefer linux,the red hat and centos ones, on my multimedia and videoproduction nothing beats final cut and os x, while daily workstations always prefer windows..i dotn know what you say bout this stuff.i really wanted to have a ubuntu tried..
Linux is far from everyday use.. It lacks very basic features and it faces major bugs (webcam, usb mic, audio, poor interface etc). It's only perfect for servers. Now Windows isn't worth using anymore since MAC OS has all the applications (sometimes far better ones, especially for media production) you would normally need in a windows pc and it's far more stable, secure (no antivirus programs needed) easy to use and polished.
ubuntu default desktop is nothing like anyone uses, the custon look that can be acheved are endless and way cooloer than anything windows and apple offer
same old, same old...
Linux for servers, Windows for newbies, Mac for lovers and Ubuntu for tweakers.
bla bla bla
I just use all of 'em, and wish there were a better integration between them.
Ubuntu is the best if you have windows you will have to spend more time for fixing problems....
Ive never really used Mac so i dont know which is best. What i have used though is Ubuntu 9.04 and Windows Vista. First of all i can tell you that Windows XP is way better than Windows Vista. I've been using Ubuntu for the past year and in my opinion i think that its much more reliable than windows.
Ubuntu Karmic Koala is the best &
with Kde is very nice.
These days it is getting very much to the point of: Who ripped off Who? The windows 7 taskbar I think was a rip off of the KDE panel design! Although both happened so soon it is hard to tell which is the copied one.
Also Windows 7 stole a lot of things - seen any of the adverts with "WINDOWS 7 WAS MY IDEA" - Well yes it was - all they did was took the linux compiz manager and hit 'copy' right into windows 7 with the whole of compiz being made by open source developers to act clean and efficiently
I also don't get what all the whinging is about with lack of hardware support in linux - so far I have had no issues personally whatsoever on countless linux installs!
And about the Ubuntu default brown - yes it is terrible but you can change it in under 10 minutes - simply install another GTK/Mcity theme the engines are already installed, add beryl and compizconfig and your done!
And about codecs for video watching - simply install the ubuntu restricted extras - job done!
What I do is run KDE-PLASMA on top of GNOME so I can have the superior usability of the GNOME desktop environment with KDE's SHINY look
Everyone knows that the majority of users of computers in general don't know much about them - the type of people who post here represent maybe 15 % of the whole user base of all OS's and hardly use any of the OS features. They get reccommended to use windows by sales-people because they wish to make a profit! and they will never use anything else simply because they are too scared to install an operative system from scratch like UBUNTU even though UBUNTU is more than capable of doing everything they need BETTER than windows. It is only Graphic designers etc who actually need windows and even then these apps like photoshop could be ported to UBUNTU if adobe wished - But NO!
Everyone also has to admit that Ubuntu DEFINATELY has surperior stability over windows and can be relied upon to uphold the quality and usability and continually improve - that's why ubuntu and other linux distros are the choice for servers
Therefore I notion that there should be a website created to give guidance to less skilled computer users on how to do things like install ubuntu. The answer will probably end up being GOOGLE CHROME OS.
overall the penguin is closing the gap - GO GOOGLE
I might take these screenshot pictures and make them into a Youtube video.. "Why Linux Sucks Ass."
You see the Mac. Beautiful. Pretty dock.
Windows 7, pretty and glossy and shiny.
Ubuntu.. Gray, boring, dull. Very small panels by default. Requires macwannabe thirdparty apps to get something better. Looks like Windows 95-98. Will turn a Macbook with Ubuntu installed into an Asus EEE.
And let me tell you why Steve Cokie Jobs hyped garbage of a toy OS sucks bigger ass, for one, its easiest to PWN, security and Mac is history, they would rather rest on their previous laurels and sell its UNIX/BSD base as percieved hype.
Take a look at the latest benchmarks versus Karmic at, the Karmic beat the costlier hyped MacOS in majority of the tests. The fact that a free volunteer OS not needing specialized hardware could even manage to come close to the hype of the century MACOSX goes to speak volumes.
In case there was no Linux, I would rather go for the far lesser hyped and way superior Win7, at least it delivers real world performance even at a price and has far more software available for it not to mention MS is way more dilligent when it comes to the word security.
I have three computer the one on my right is running Snow leopard, the one on the center is running windows 7 64 ultimate, and the one on the left is running ubuntu 9.10, i must say that the one i prefer is windows 7, snow leopard is the best for media managing, videos, music etc, the ubuntu is amazing for software development, but the most usefull one is windows 7, i could live without the snow leopard or the ubuntu but the windows has things that other OS dont.
Now that all three of these Operating Systems have been released, it is easier to compare them. However, it is not exactly accurate to compare them side by side and say that there is a winner.
I can say that Windows 7 is the most convienient. Windows 7 is not a stripped down version of XP, as there was quite a bit of rewriting. It is true that the framework is similar to Vista and that most software developed for Vista will work in 7, not all of it will.
Windows 7 for sure has the most eye candy, and has never once crashed for me, not even in the early beta stages, an not on any of the five computers I have installed it onto. Shutdown and Startup are still slow when compared to a Mac. However, Microsoft got it right this time, and takes the throne of "Most Stable OS" away from apple.
Ubuntu sure has evolved since I first tryed it out. It is easy to duel boot the system and format the HDD. Installing programs is a pain the ass however, even if they are all listed in a central place. Games lack a really good visual experience. System wide support for all my devices and hardware just isn't here yet. The UI is great, and in some areas beets out Windows and Mac, but still needs a great deal of catching up to do in many areas.
Mac OsX 10.6.2 is officially Apples version of Windows Vista. Making a drastic change to a full 64bit OS without the backing of many saftware developers, such as Adobe and the CS3 Suite, will bite apple in the ass. Eventually OsX SL will have customers praising them for the wonderful speed of the 64bit world, however before that happens they are stuck in a whole that will take them longer to get out of then it did for MS to climb out of the Vista Canyon. Even now MS gets crap about Vista, though many of the issues have been fixed (you just got to know how to fix them.) OsX SL is great for day to day tasks. Videos and Music are easily watched producing a great video experience and superior sound quality to Windows and Ubuntu. However, as noticed in tests of OsX SL against Ubutnu and Windows 7, programs demanding high graphics resources, such as 3D games and Photoshop CS4, OsX SL crashed and burned. When put up to the task of Stability, every tester experienced atleast one crash with OsX SL, none with Windows 7.
So yeah, I'll be sticking with Windows 7 and with Ubuntu as my secondary OS. As for apple, they may say plenty about their OS, but when looking upon the facts they just lie to the consumer, and hope that the cloud of vanity they put up is enough to fool them.
For a casual user Mac OS X is better, its fast and looks too good.
For a gamer, surely Windows 7 is times better than OSX.
For developers and Media Centers Ubuntu is better because it is free and has a lot of Media Center Softwares (for FREE) so this mean you can save several $$$$$.
But I don't think it really worth to buy a real Mac to try OSX.
Try Hackintosh.
Are you F****** kidding me from what planet are you people ? Or perhaps what universe Ubuntu working - really never saw this one. Do not get me wrong linux on the server side is great - it has the killer apps - Apache, Bind and tons more. But on the desktop...Oh boy do not even put it in one category with Windows and OSX.Maybe if Microsoft and Apple sit on their hands for the next 10 years it will come close but just may be.
Hey anonymous
you have your head up your a$#
wow1
that was so wondeful
thX mAn
no comment
ubuntu is the worst buggiest sloooow linux distro available. On equal hardware ubuntu will almost always be slower than win7. It makes linux look bad.
Comparisons should be made to a more stable, fast distro like slackware or arch or even debian.
That said, I like osx better than win7. Ubuntu is more comparable to winME/os9.