I recently purchased a brand spanking new Lenovo T61p notebook (well, spanking new for a month until they released their new line based on the Montevina chipset), and I’ve had to opportunity to try out various operating systems lately in addition to the included Windows Vista Business 64-bit edition. The ones I have tried have been Linux Mint, Ubuntu Linux 64-bit, and Mac OS X Leopard. After having tried them, I think I’m ready to offer my own personal opinion on things.

The Windows Vista epiphany.

Windows Vista has been infamous since its debut. There have been much complaint, mainly relating to driver incompatibilities, memory usage, and the annoying security features. Personally, about the nicest thing I can say about Vista is that, there are things they can certainly work on. I personally haven’t experienced any driver incompatibilities, mainly due to the new hardware that I have been using with it. Memory usage has been concerning for me however. Having 4GB of RAM certainly improves things pretty well, however the usage of 1GB of RAM at idle with most graphical features turned off does irk me. I’m not precisely sure what the increase in memory is achieving to be honest. A similar configuration with Windows XP would have a idle memory usage of around 150MB, with various services disabled and nearly all graphical eye-candy turned off. I don’t really notice and improvement in launch speeds of applications, and overall they’re pretty much the same performance wise. I haven’t had any real serious problems with Vista, but I have had various annoyances. Vista’s User Account Control, which attempts to mimic Unix’s main security feature of differentiating the superuser (root) and the standard users ability to make major modifications, does so in bad fashion. While it is a genuinely good idea, and one that has made Unix such a solid system from a security standpoint, I don’t need the system asking me whether I’m sure I want to launch this or modify that, when I am logged in as an administrator. And nearly everyone that uses Windows would be logged in as administrator, because it is the default in Windows to create a user with administrator privileges to the system. I much prefer the *NIX method of using a standard (or ‘limited’ in Windows lingo) user account, and then supplementing that account with the SuperUser command (su or sudo) when needed. And the greatest thing about this method is that it doesn’t nag me about being sure of anything! So my opinion? UAC, good idea; Implementation? Half-assed. Luckily you can indeed do it the Unix way if wished, by simply turning off UAC, creating a limited user account and use the “Run As…” feature in your right-click menu. But you can also do that in Windows XP, so that’s not really an advantage. Perhaps the other big thing that has changed from XP is the user interface. Vista definitely has a great interface in my opinion, and is an excellent improvement over XP. Although in my opinion it still doesn’t really compare to beauty and ease of OS X, but its still great in my opinion. The only major downside of this beautiful piece of eye candy is the demanding resources required to have it in the first place.

It’s really hard for me to find a good reason or advantage to move on up Vista from XP. Unless you like eye-candy and the charm of a rather slick user-interface (one which I personally think was more than inspired by Mac OS X), everything else is rather the same. The one and only reason I can think of upgrading to Vista is the simple reason that you’ll have to. Microsoft will eventually discontinue XP, vendors will eventually drop support for XP, and its simply the way of life. I’m hoping that Windows 7 will offer some promising and significant improvements, and maybe if we’re lucky, there shall be some innovation as well.

The modern Linux distribution.

The “modern Linux distribution” I’m referring to is the current flock of distributions designed to be a fully usable system upon installation, catering to what hopefully would be what the modern consumer wants in a computer. The distributions that include various graphical applications to make managing the system easier for those not skilled in the art of the bash shell. The distributions that now have hardware support and detection that rivals and in some cases, even exceed that of Microsoft’s Windows. The main distribution of note is the ever popular Ubuntu Linux. Relatively a newborn to the world in 2004, it has since grown to become one of the most well known, successful, and largely maintained distribution in the world, spawning many successful spin offs as well. This is no doubt due in part to financial funding from Canonical Inc, which many other distributions could only aspire to have a portion of. But another major reason why its been so successful has been the amount of development and hype that has been layed upon it. It is unlike many previous distributions I’ve tried before and has really redefined the standard of a Linux system for many people, including me, and none of this is evident until you’ve tried it.

To me Linux has always been a ‘geeks’ system. Someone that is quite literate in computers and can comfortably accomplish the same tasks using either a command line interface or a GUI, and would at the same time have fun doing so. Someone who doesn’t freak out when something goes wrong or doesn’t work correctly, and actually wants to have the fun of fixing the problem themselves. The adventurer, the explorer… And I think this has been typically the personality that has been associated with the average *NIX user over the pass couple of decades. Sort of like an elite and eccentric group of people. And the various *NIX operating systems were typically built around these types of personalities and mirrored them. That was always the main reason why Linux never really caught on with the masses. The people wanted to be able to set their computers up with a few clicks of the mouse, a cup of coffee, and a good movie on the TV as they waited for the system to configure itself. That was the exact opposite of the persona of an average Linux desktop. The installation of any Linux system a few years ago, would beckon your presence and ask you to configure devices, services, file systems, and all that other paraphernalia that would make the average geek fill with hormones and happy feelings.

Now however, the tables have changed. I’ve recently tried out Linux Mint and Ubuntu Desktop 8.04, eventually settling in Ubuntu because it seems to auto-configure itself a tad bit better and the huge amount of support that comes along with the distro. The installation process was as easy as Windows if not better. Recently many distros have moved from a conventional text based installation (which includes the earlier versions of Ubuntu) to a live CD setup that includes a graphical installation program within. I find this ingenious because as well as providing a comfortable environment for people to set things up, it also allows you to try out the distribution before you make the choice to install. It allows you to get comfortable with the environment of things without messing up or at all, touching your hard disk. You probably won’t see this in the Windows world anytime soon, not with the amount of memory required atleast (unless you want that WinMin command line…) This little feature in my opinion adds to the user friendliness of Linux and makes it easier for consumers to accept it as a possible alternative to Windows, rather than be scared off by the black, white, and eye-scorching blue of the installers of yesteryear.

Another peculiar change that Linux has undergone has been hardware support. Traditionally Linux has made a rather negative reputation of itself for not supporting all your hardware, and this was the fact for a long while. I could still remember trying to configure my Wi-Fi card back in Fedora 7, and I could also remember how much of pain it was and how I never managed to actually get it working. It was a major roadblock for the wider adoption of Linux, the scary prospect that you’de be unable to use the hardware that you’ve invested in. However, that has also seen the winds of change. Both Linux Mint and Ubuntu Linux detected all the hardware of my ThinkPad T61p without any hiccups, and had configured things properly. The only hurdles were hardware the required specific proprietary drivers, which wasn’t really a hurdle at all because all one has to do is to tell it to download the drivers and everything else would be done for you. This was even simpler than the installation of Windows Vista! The biggest reason for this change has been the integration of the Internet into Linux. Rather than seeing it as an operating system for the computer, think of it as an operating system for an internet connected computer. Updates are downloaded and installed automatically upon the first start, drivers are automatically (or when authorized by the user) downloaded and configured if necessary, and nearly all the software one needs can be downloaded from the repositories of Ubuntu. This also leads to another, in my opinion, great feature of every Linux distribution. Package managers and repositories. You know longer have to manually locate software, figure out which version is appropriate, and worry about the costs of things. Using package managers, in Ubuntu’s case that would be Synaptics apt (correction, Synaptics would be the GUI frontend for aptitude and apt-get), you can find software and it will automatically download it along with all necessary dependencies, and install it seamlessly. All software in the standard selection of repositories are free, under the GPL license, and therefore open source. While there are in some cases software that you’ll need to download manually and install using the Debian Package Manager (dpkg), most of the time you are bound to find what you’re looking for if you search in the repositories, especially after you enable access to all repositories (restricted, proprietary, etc.) in the settings.

The user interfaces of Ubuntu and Linux Mint are, in my opinion, very well laid out and everything blends together very well. Linux Mint offers more graphical eye-candy, specifically the Grub bootloader, which is defaulted to non-graphical mode in Ubuntu’s install. Both run the GNOME desktop manager, which offers a nice amount of customization and usability, although old computers should take a look at alternatives like window managers such as Fluxbox and Xfce, as GNOME is rather hardware intensive. Another interesting thing of note in terms of the interface in Linux is Compiz Fusion, which allows for spectacular window effects that in my opinion are more impressive and nicer than those of Windows Vista. It is an awesome feature that must be seen. It gathers up the great graphical effects of Mac OS X and then improves upon it. The end result, in combination with GNOME, is a top notch user interface that should allow for a more comfortable and impressing environment for Windows residents.

In terms of the problems that I’ve found that still plague Linux, there are still a few spots that I would like to see polished off. One complaint I have towards Ubuntu is its configuration for Grub. Ubuntu itself is rather complete package and has a lot to offer beginners of the Linux world. However, I don’t understand why they couldn’t make the Grub loader pretty out of the box, like what Linux Mint has done. Another issue I encountered with Ubuntu was when I attempted to replace the bootsplash with something prettier. It was a pain to say the least, and required searching for various documentations, until I finally figured out the problem was due to faulty symbolic links. The bootsplash in Ubuntu based distros are typically handled by Ubuntu’s house grown Usplash program, which I really wish they would have included a configuration tool for. The system is rather complex to modify for the beginning user, however when things finally worked, I think it was worth it. These are all rather small issues, but nevertheless it would be nice to see them eventually fixed.

Other than the few complaints, I am rather satisfied and impressed with the latest iteration of Linux distros that have been coming out lately. In addition to Ubuntu and Mint, there are also quite a long list of other distributions that have made significant progress and has been noted in other comparisons and reviews, specifically PCLinuxOS which has been garnering rave reviews for its ease of use. Finally, Linux has managed to become a viable alternative for the average user that seeks to use it for their everday computing. Aside from gaming, which Windows still has a strong hold over, the modern Linux OS should be more than capable of handling everday activities that the average computer user would need to accomplish.

Mac OS X on PC and a Mac. Yes, a Mac.

Mac OS has long been the alternative to Windows, and as of late they have enjoyed a tremendous growth due in part to the popularity of their MacBook line of notebook computers that has enjoyed positive reviews and has been adopted by many college and university students. The sudden adoption of Macs have been influenced in part due to the negativity surrounding Windows Vista and people’s willingness to try a different approach and alternative to things. Its as much about the computer as it is about the operating system. Mac OS X is a splendid operating system in my opinion and is beautifully designed. As a UNIX based system, I do have to concede that Apple has toned it down, and has managed to wrap the underlying layer with a beautiful skin that is Aqua. It offers the power of a true *NIX command line when you need and the simplicity of a GUI when you don’t. Sort of like a hard core sports car hidden within a luxury car. In more ways than one, the dual personality of OS X is what Linux has been striving for in my opinion, and its and excellent personality, one that appeals to a multitude of consumers.

It is now possible to bring this wonder of an operating system over to the PC, not without kinks of course, but it more or less perfectly simulates a Mac on the right hardware. While the basics worked under my ThinkPad, it had incompatible audio and graphics hardware. So other than the fact that there was no audio, a lack of hardware graphics acceleration, and that wireless was a pain to get working, it worked rather well like a true Mac. Although there is no hiding the truth that Mac OS X wasn’t designed to run on the average PC, and that this is still an experiment in progress. But despite the kinks, it was still pretty funky to see OS X on a ThinkPad, and it was still wonderful to use.

When on a real MacBook (in my case a MacBook Pro), its even better. You really understand the hype surrounding OS X when you’ve had a chance to use it. Its a wonderful operating system that can be as simple as you want and as powerful as you want. Combining an astonishing user interface with the powerful under pinnings of a *NIX derivative was no brainer. I absolutely love the cleanliness of the interface and how everything is pretty and fits together. I also like the fact that to set things up they have made wonderful tools and wizards that are easy to use, so that you won’t have to go through the Terminal. But when you do have to use the Terminal, it isn’t a watered down version designed to perform the basic necessities (which is what Microsoft has done with their Command Prompt). It is the real deal, a real shell that will make system administrators skilled in command line systems smile with a big grin.

The next great thing about Mac OS X is that there is an excellent selection of software, especially multimedia software that will fulfill your creative side of the brain. There is certainly a bigger market for proprietary software on the Mac than on Linux. As much as I believe that open source is a good thing, some specific proprietary software are simply a lot more refined than their open source variants. Mac OS X will allow you access to both sides of the story.

Mac OS X is really my ideal operating system, one that I’de gladly live on everyday. I really wish they would release a version of OS X for the PC, however from a business point of view Apple doesn’t have any reason to. They have no need to release it for the PC. They’re making money through the sales of their computers, and there isn’t a slowdown in the market for MacBooks. In addition to that, I really do believe that locking their operating system to their hardware is the key to their success here. They’ve basically eliminated the variables that can spoil the experience. They don’t have to worry about incompatible hardware as much, and even less so on their notebooks. Its an experience that they hold dearly and that they’ve consistently advertise as a main advantage over the PC. The overall user experience that they advertise is a huge draw for me, and I’de hate to see such a thing spoiled. If I had to criticise OS X, it’d be mainly on the Mac’s fault.

There has really been only one thing that has been a roadblock to me buying a Mac and adopting OS X for my own personal use. That has been the price of Apple’s range of computer. Even with a student discount, an equivalent system from Apple to my ThinkPad T61p, would have costed another $1000. While the MacBooks has seen increasing adoption by students, teachers, and school, it has mainly been within the entry level MacBook models. While the MacBook is certainly an excellent laptop, I do have some iffies with it, specifically the integrated graphics and the glossy screen, the latter of which I loathe. The only way to get away from these two is to move up to the MacBook Pro lineup, which have higher-end features and a higher-end price. What I really wanted was a cross between the two lineups. Take the MacBook, get rid of the gloss, stick a dedicated (or even better, a hybrid) video card in there, and gimme the more powerful processor. If there was a Mac like that, for a resonable price, I would’ve certainly chosen it. However it is unresonable to speak of the price of MacBooks in comparison with a T61p, without saying that the ThinkPad indeed was on a massive sale, in order for Lenovo to sell off their stocks of laptops and make way for their new Montevina based notebooks. Although I believe that Apple is also attempting to do the same with their special offer of a discount on their iPods when buying a Mac.

Conclusion.

In the end, my OS of choice would be Mac OS X if possible. But because its not, my other choice would have to be Linux. Its just such a nice operating system to reside in, and I still haven’t tired of its special effects and features. Currently I just switch between Windows Vista and Ubuntu Linux depending on mood and what I want to do for the session, and I’m a happy camper with this arrangement, that is until Apple makes a notebook that fits me and for the right price. =]