Solution Overviews » General Hardware & Software » Operating Systems

Operating Systems

Author: TechShortcut Staff | Article updated: July 9, 2008

2. Option Comparison

	1. Windows	2. Macintosh	3. Linux
Overall Ease of Use Show/Hide details Ease of use can be subjective so here are some general observations. It is important to consider what employees will be more familiar with.	Windows is simple to use, frequently updated and the most commonly used operating system in the world.	Mac software is praised for its graphics, so if your businesses is a creative one, a Mac might be just what you need.	There has been a push to make Linux-based OSs easier to install and configure. Ease of use depends on the distribution of Linux.
Computer Platform Compatibility Show/Hide details Computer platform compatibility is the ability for a computer to work with an operating system.	There are many manufacturers of computers that can run the Windows operating system.	You must have a computer manufactured by Apple to use a Macintosh operating system.	Same as Windows
Hardware Device Compatibility Show/Hide details Hardware compatibility is the ability for hardware to be recognized and usable by the OS. Some hardware devices require special software to communicate with the OS while others don't. Devices that don't require additional "device driver" software are usually referred to as "plug & play". Some devices will only work with specific operating system versions.	Microsoft maintains a list of compatible hardware.	Apple maintains a list of compatible hardware.
Software Compatibility Show/Hide details Some software will only work with specific operating systems.	The Apple operating system can't run on a Windows-based computer.	Apple offers a program called Boot Camp, which allows you to run a Windows operating system on you Mac keeping the original Mac OS too. While many programs designed for PCs are also available for Macs, most of the software designed for Mac OSs is not compatible with PCs, which can be problematic if you are switching between machines or sharing files.	The Apple operating system can't run on a Linux-based computer.
Security	Security could be an issue. Windows is known for having many bugs and suffering crashes and malware attacks. Keeping up with updates is vital. Running Windows Updates helps protect against the many bugs it encounters and, since Windows often drastically revises its OS, running an older version could lock you out of some features.	Mac operating systems are often praised for being more secure against online threats because Windows operating systems are more often targeted by malware writers.	Same as Macintosh
Support	Assistance provided by Microsoft or Microsoft partners.	Assistance provided by Apple or Apple partners.	There is a large array of Linux distributions and consequently a large variety of support options.
Cost Factors	Hardware
	There are many manufacturers of computers that can run the Windows operating system. In general, prices are lower than Apple computers.	You must have an Apple computer to use a Macintosh operating system.	Same as Windows
	Software
	None	None	Some Linux based OS options are free