About operating systems (a.k.a. OS)
Here are some "facts" you should consider.
An operating system is the software that allows
you to work on your computer and may have various names depending on the
manufacturer such as Windows 95,98,2000,xp, or vista as well as Linux, NT or
whatever comes from Apple/Macintosh. Microsoft Windows are the most known but that does not mean they are always the best.
As operating systems have advanced over the past few years the demand on the
resources of your computer increase with new versions however, in most cases,
what you get as a normal PC user does not change much when you look beyond the
marketing hype. If you are very technically inclined many of the things an
operating system can do you could do yourself though the OS may make it faster
and easier. In the same token ... for an average computer user a lot of what
operating systems would allow you to do you will never need to do.
In the case of the new Vista what you get is most likely not much you need when
compared to what the system takes. (You will probably get the idea I am not a
Vista fan ... and you will be right) Often experienced users are taking out Vista that came with the machine and
replacing it with XP or 2000. Many people are going beyond that and installing
Linux. Though I am negative on Vista I am not necessarily anti Microsoft and
actually believe Windows 2000 was and maybe is the best system available.... for
PC's.
Windows 95 and 98. Though these systems worked fairly well there were bug problems that caused errors and system issues. As software or hardware is developed these systems are often insufficient to handle the extra load. For example in most cases 95 or 98 will not run wireless networking properly though Windows 98SE can do OK. In any event neither system is supported or updated by Microsoft now.
Windows 2000 is the basis for XP and stems from the solid and dependable NT
business OS. The fact is there is not a lot do difference in the 2 systems other
than XP does a few automatic things like plug and play and has system restore capability.
However ... XP is more sensitive and has more errors than Windows 2000. The fact
is the new "report to Microsoft" error message is the same as the old
"performed an illegal maneuver" from 95 and 98 ... just different
words to look better.
I have used both Windows 2000 and XP extensively. In 7 years have never had
an error or crash with 2000 while XP issues pop up often. I still use 2000 on my
main work computer that handles advanced graphics and music production because Windows 2000 requires very little of your system resources ... meaning it does
not put heavy burdens on your processor or RAM.
XP began the process of needing a lot of resources. For example you could run a
computer fairly well with Windows 2000 with little RAM such as 64 or 128. The
actual load on the computer did not come into being from your OS as much as the
software you had installed or the work you were doing. Processors of P2 class
worked OK and P3 well with P4's really "hot".
Granted XP does a few more automatic things for you however the claim you can
run it with 256 RAM is not really true because 512 seems to be needed. With 256
the system is fine till you open much for programs. If you have 512 a meter
program like Analog X makes will show XP is using most of it all on it's own.
You may get XP working with a P3 processor but P4 is needed for much other than
raw basics.
Vista requires at least 512 RAM but that will give you a "really" slow
system. You need to get a gig or more.
Windows 2000 requires very little hard drive space for install while XP eats up
gigs worth and Vista a quantum leap more.
How does this relate in practical use? We'll look at this with only speed or how
much it can do in multi-tasking. If you have a computer with 1 gig processor and
512 RAM that operates on 2000 it will be able top do most things you want to in
word processing, book keeping, internet, and photo/art projects. This means I am
still able to use my
old 933 processor Gateway for more than you can imagine. With XP I could still
do minimum tasks on that computer but it would be painfully slow. Vista ??? don't even try an
install on older machines.
I have another Compaq work computer running XP that handles really advanced
projects with video, which is one of the hardest things for a computer to do.
This computer has a 1.7 ghz (equivalent) AMD 3200 processor and 3 gigs of RAM.
It is the high RAM that handles more of the work load. I can do 1.5 hour full
length videos in high rez files with 5.1 sound before I beginning to see any lag
in performance. Every video I product is done on this computer. I would change
the OS to Windows 2000 for even better processing but I do not need that and XP
is handy in my work flow of popping on different devices such as printers,
drives, wireless internet, keyboards ... etc etc.
I have a nearly new 3 ghz P4HT (hyper thread) with 512 RAM I just set up. I
tested it out with Vista and it performed "worse" than my old Gateway
with 2000 ... by far. I dumped the Vista and put in XP and all is well. However ... I am
thinking if I were going to use this for my work I would add a gig of RAM and
use Windows 2000 ... or Linux which I will discuss later. In either case I would
have a MONSTER able to do far more than I need to. When I say that you need to
keep in mind ... what I do with computers is way beyond what any normal user
would need and often as much as some of the most advanced graphics or video
production houses.
For me privacy is a big issue and I do not believe I should be less concerned
about mine with a big company versus an on line hacker. One can spy or do damage
for some warped kick but the other can justify spying or whatever they do with
the word "marketing".
Windows 2000 as an OS only has little in the way of anything that shares
information about what you do with your computer with Microsoft. XP began to add
some features under the guise of helping them help you but at least you could
shut them off. Vista has many blatant information sharing features. Maybe I am
old fashioned but I really resent "anybody" telling me I should not be
concerned with what someone knows about me if I have nothing to hide .... especially
when that is a corporation who only cares about the dollar they can earn and
justifies invasive actions based on some financial return. The fact is ... Vista
is the beginning of the concept that you do not own your computer or anything on
it, Microsoft does. If you do not believe that you need to read your license agreement ...
if you can figure out the legalese.
If you choose to believe I am just spouting off or am on some paranoid kick you
can however if you do a little reading and research you may understand why I
will install VISTA if you wish (insist enough I might lose the sale otherwise
and you are willing to listen to me grumble about it) but will not in the normal
course of setting up computers.
Enter Linux:
Linux came from the UNIX operating system that was the stable foundation of
business applications. In a sense Linux is a protest against the world of big
business yet has more talented developers from around the world working on it
that any other OS ... and in most cases it and everything associated with it for
programs is FREE. No big Microsoft! No big Adobe! No big anybody!
I, like many people, have been half afraid of Linux in the past mostly because,
even though I know a little about computers I do not want to be consumed with
techie stuff. I am to old and to busy to try learning programming and all the
ins and out etc etc. However ... I also know that if users that advanced swear
by something I should consider they know more than I do and might have reasons.
Linux was a techie advance user system ... that has changed!!!
I can go on and on about Linux but to simplify it all ... If you want something fast, stable, private, and able to run darned near anything you have in the way of devices without a lot of driver set up, has tons of high quality programs that work with it like Office or Gimp and .... is FREE!!!!!!!! you need to try it out. Try it ... you might like it!!! So you can do that I will give you a free disc with Freespire or Kubuntu that you can test drive from the CD ROM drive no matter what OS you have running. If you like it you can install it and keep or dump Windows. I chose to do this with these versions because they are simple programs that resembles Windows as far as how it looks and functions. I am working on switching everything I have to some form of Linux when I learn a little more about it and find how to add some of the "way to expensive" Windows programs I paid for.... unless I can find better free or dirt cheap like most Linux is .... and is often better than the big guys like Adobe, Sony, or Microsoft. Did you know ... Linux is not hassled with viruses like Windows!!!!!
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