I recently purchased a new (very cheap) computer with Microsoft Windows 7 (Home Premium edition) pre-installed. As many of you know, I have used Linux for a long time, specifically Ubuntu. I decided to jump on the bandwagon and give my comparison of the two operating systems.
First of all, the edition of windows installed on the computer (a Compaq) was full of crap. Trialware and “helpers” that only got in the way. I decided to reinstall windows from a real DVD.
The install was fairly easy and straightforward, but it was not as good as a Ubuntu install. For example, in Windows, you have to choose your time zone from a drop down menu, then later choose your local settings. This isn’t hard, but it is not as good as when installing Ubuntu. There you just click a world map where you live. (Maybe Americans would not be able to read the map… :\)
Another difference is that Windows has to reboot a number of times, whereas Ubuntu only once.
Once you are in the operating system for the first time, there are a number of other differences. In Windows, you now have to (find and) install all your programs, especially anti-virus (I use Microsoft Security Essentials) , office package (Libre Office), PDF reader (foxit or Acrobat Reader), and so on… It also seems like every time you install something the computer needs to reboot.
Next you should do any updates. Again, windows needs to reboot, but not just reboot multiple times, it waits before it shuts down, telling you it is installing updates, then it pauses before getting into windows, telling you it is installing updates… WTF
Compare this to Ubuntu. Ok, it is not quite fair, you don’t need an anti-virus (for several reasons I will not get into here…), and office, pdf reader, etc are installed by default, but I do need to install a couple of extras: Digikam, Gimp, ubuntu-restricted-extras, etc. but while these are installing I can keep using the computer (same as windows) but there is no reboot required. Then I do the updates (and as an aside note, this will also update most, if not all the software on my computer) and again, no reboot required.
With Ubuntu I do not like the default Unity interface, so I have to log out, and choose Gnome Classic (This will make sense if you are using Ubuntu). I also like to change a few defaults, such as changing double click to single click, and changing the theme. You can do some of this with Windows, but it is a lot less customizable.
I will say windows does interface with my mp3 player (Sandisk Sansa) a little better than Ubuntu, and it looks, at first glance, a little better. ( I will argue that Ununtu is better integrated, more on that later)
OK, this post is a bit longer (and a bit more of a rant than I intended) I will continue it later….