It is becoming obvious that Windows Vista is good but still a marketing kludge – a rushed and incomplete upgrade in which great bodily harm was done to Windows credibility and marketability:
1)Windows somewhat shaky performance and efficiency – this is bloatware demanding doubling or more upgrades to hardware to run effectively while other OS like Mac/OS, Linux and Solaris deliver equivalent effectiveness at current hardware sizes and levels;
2)Windows improving but still fragile security and reliability – the number of zero-day hacks of Windows OS and apps continues to trend upward while Vista imposes harsh trade-off for greater security. Microsoft imposes unexpected and nagging confirmations to operations handled with aplomb in other OS like Mac/OS, Linux and Solaris.
3)Because of look and feel plus security changes Windows Vista and Office 2007 are hardly “People Ready” but rather have significant retraining time and costs.
4)Windows problems of Rot and Clot were left largely untouched and unresolved – over a 2-5 hour session Windows memory, handles and other resource objects start to accumulate such that in order to get good response time one has to stop and restart the system. This is Rot.To what extent it is apps misbehavior versus Windows shortcomings is hard to pin down. Users just have to reboot. Likewise, over weeks and months of usage Windows Registry, virtual memory swap files, tray contents, Explorer and Outlook popup menus and other OS utility resources increase in size and/or clutter gradually slowing down the system. The fix is drastic: to upgrade or re-install Windows. This is Clot. Linux in particular has a good message on both fronts.
5)Windows continues to cede its pricing advantages both in ongoing operational costs and initial cost including price/performance clarity on which of 6 system to buy. Patches and updates are a monthly problems of major impact for organizations. And now Vista imposes find the driver problem or pay for a peripheral upgrade. Finally there will be retraining costs. I would love to see what numbers the Yankee Group or Forrester would get on the relative TCO of Windows Vista versus Linux now. Perhaps some “non-sponsored studies” are due from these analyst shops.
And in fact that is the great opportunity on the desktop for Linux vendors. So one would think that the Linux blogs and magazines would be doing the Gold Standard Benchmarks of Linux versus Vista. Lets see what is available:
Desktop Linux – the best Vista review let alone Vista versus Linux – a must read
Linux Format – good British mag had a good read in last July; but really bring that up to date
Linux Journal – A issue on tools and methods for Windows Out-Migration to Linux
Linux Magazine – small 6 paragraphs on Why Windows Wins
Linux Magazine 2 – an interoperability with Vista article
Linux User – Nothing
Linux World – Nothing
Freesoftware Magazine – Nothing
Linux Gazette – Nothing
Linux Today – Nothing
Novell – a detailed comparison but really this is to be expected
Well well well – the Linux Press is absolutely dormant with the notable exception of Desktop Linux fine review of Vista versus MEPIS/Ubuntu and Linux Journals issue devoted to Windows out migration tools and methods. Everything else is a write off. Maybe there is a price to pay for so much fragmentation in the Linux space.
(c)JBSurveyer 2007
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