Recent and controversial benchmarks for Windows 7 leave an important question unanswered: 'Is it faster than GNU/Linux?' Here, at last, is a benchmark that pits Ubuntu, Vista and Windows 7 against each other on the same modern hardware. From install time to GUI efficiency, Ubuntu beats Windows and is often twice as fast.Part of the reason the install time is better is it takes only 7 mouse clicks to install the current Ubuntu 8.10 compared to 12 for Vista and 14 for Windows 7. Furthermore, it takes ~800-900 seconds to install Ubuntu verses 1200-1400 to install either Vista or Windows 7. A full Ubuntu install requires 2.3 gigabites of space whereas both Vista and Windows 7 require 8.
Again, these are not the perfect objective tests that cover all the bases. But do recognise, in many respects, installing Ubuntu is easier. (The performance benchmarks faovr Ubuntu as well. :) )
Unless of course you want to install a driver for a piece of hardware. Most times you have to recompile the kernel in Ubuntu to get the driver to work. In Windows you just have to install the driver and reboot (though not always, usually they just work), not reinstall your system.
ReplyDelete(granted this doesn't happen all the time with every driver but it happens too frequently).
Most of the time I don't care how fast it is as long as it works, works right, works the first time, and does it every time.
And if it breaks, I don't want to have to edit the registry to fix it (and then recompile the kernel).
What's funny about this comment is, if you read the article: "Vista failed to detect the network card during install, leaving us without an internet connection until a driver was downloaded on another computer."
ReplyDeleteWith Windows you do have to go out of your way to find, download and install the drivers. Linux supports far more hardware out of the box. And, almost everything that is not supported by default is supported by some Ubuntu package which is easy to download. It is rare these days to have to recompile the Linux kernel.
*Why this is hard for many to see.*
1. Most people's only experience with Windows is with a computer for which Windows was pre-installed so that some Dell or HP person has done the work for them.
Now, if you have a pre-installed Linux machine, like a Laptop from Dell, the driver issues are 0, just like Windows.
=>
FACT: Pre-installed Linux has just as few driver issues as pre-installed Windows.
2. If you find a computer for which Windows was not pre-installed, or unless you have the special Windows CD for that machine, Windows has more driver issues than Linux. Linux works on more hardware then Windows.
FACT: Linux usually works better on hardware where it was not pre-installed then Windows does on hardware it was not pre-installed.
Like my Toshiba laptop, without the special Windows version that came with it, I can't connect to the internet, the sound doesn't work and I can't use various keyboard keys, etc... With Linux at least I can connect to the internet and the sound works.
Or my wife's brother. To get his camera to work connecting to his Windows computer he had to have a special Windows CD. It just worked with Linux, no CD required.
It is true there is some hardware where you have serious issues, I won't deny that, but these situations are really becoming rare. But this can happen in the Windows world too.
I will admit sometimes, but again this is improving, the Windows drivers are better then the Linux version. Furthermore, Linux needs better codec support, which again is improving.
The test is free and requires absolutely no alteration to your computer.
ReplyDelete1. Download the Ubuntu Live CD.
2. Run the live CD.
3. See what hardware is not supported.
I think many will find there weren't many hardware issues. I admit there is still some improvement that needs to happen before Linux is "ready" for the general masses, but its pretty good. Definitely good enough to just try the Live CD.
But Quantumleap42, I am glad for your concerns because raising concerns about Linux is needed for the OS to improve. I am happy to report it is improving and is often better than most people think. :)
ReplyDeleteBut again, don't take my word for it: (proof is in the pudding)
http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download