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The Right Operating System for You

Vista or XP? Windows, Mac, or Linux? How about all of the above? With improved virtualization technology, you might not have to settle for just one OS.

Once, you were either a Mac person or a Windows user. Or maybe you were a Unix geek. Whichever your poison, you likely had only one operating system in your life. Thanks to the ubiquity of the Intel processor and the hard work of untold legions of software developers, however, those days are over. Now, Apple's machines can run Windows XP. Windows Vista is available on brand-new computers, but you can also boot the same PC with an Ubuntu Linux disc that you downloaded and burned for free. And if you like Ubuntu, you can install it alongside Windows in a few clicks.

Drastic improvements in virtualization software, along with hardware advancements and standardization on x86 CPUs, allow any operating system to play host to virtual versions of other OSs.

Every machine still needs a primary operating system, but mixing and matching them is now much easier. My home office contains a mix of Macs running OS X and PCs running Windows XP, Windows Vista, Ubuntu, and OpenSuSE Linux. And my next system will likely be a Mac with three or more of those OSs installed--maybe even running--at the same time. If you can afford Apple's hardware, that's the choice I'd recommend. Why? Check out our operating systems comparison chart below (click the icon) for a breakdown of the major contenders' strengths and weaknesses, and read on for a look at the state of each OS.

Desktop Operating Systems: You Can Have Them All

Multi-OS options like dual-booting and virtualization software have made it easier than ever to use whichever OS is best suited to the task you need to perform. Here's our take on the strengths and weaknesses of the major contenders.

Interface

Security

Software

Hardware price/performance

Virtualization

Bottom line

Windows XP
Windows XP logo

Familiar and responsive, even on older machines.

It's not always intuitive, but you probably know how to get around the OS pretty well by now.

Lacks consistency. Menus, dialog boxes, and appearances can vary widely across different applications.

Lacks hardware acceleration and 3D effects present in Vista and OS X; virtual desktops available only through third-party software.

Rudimentary file search feature, especially without an add-on like Windows Live Desktop.

GOOD

Unpatched, Windows XP can't connect to the Internet for more than a few minutes before worms attack and crash it.

It will remain the biggest malware target for years to come.

Requires Service Pack 2, third-party bidirectional firewall and antivirus software, and who knows how many future patches and upgrades for safe online usage.

Windows XP Professional Edition supports file and folder encryption.

FAIR

Included utilities, such as Outlook Express and Windows Media Player, offer minimal features but do the job.

Free upgrade to the more-secure Internet Explorer 7 Web browser.

Lots of top-notch free and commercial software available, including Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Office.

Gaming platform of choice for now.

EXCELLENT

Performs fine with slower processors and limited RAM and disk space, allowing you to minimize expenditures on new hardware or put them off indefinitely.

Until Vista drivers improve, XP will remain the preferred choice for gamers and others concerned with performance.

EXCELLENT

Linux boot managers allow easy multiboot setups.

Can host most x86-compatible operating systems (except Mac OS) via third-party virtualization tools like the free VMWare Server or Microsoft's free Virtual Server 2005 R2.

Runs in virtual machines hosted on Intel-based Macs and PCs.

GOOD

By now, you know it and you either love it or hate it. If you're okay with XP, there's no pressing need for you to switch. Five years of updates have made Windows XP as secure as it's going to get, though not as safe as Vista, OS X, or Linux. Minimal hardware requirements will make it the top gaming platform until DirectX 10 takes over. If you're not dying to buy a new PC, XP will be a fine OS for at least another year or two.

VERY GOOD

Windows Vista
Windows Vista logo

Still confusing to navigate, but in new and different ways. Some Control Panel apps contain useful new settings, but many are unchanged from XP and lurk in new locations.

Transparency, animation, and other effects provide helpful visual cues about files and programs.

Flip 3D program switching lets you scroll through a three-dimensional animation of all your running apps.

Systemwide search and indexing finds files, programs, and Web pages on or beyond your PC's hard disk.

VERY GOOD

Improves on XP's security with User Access Control and ActiveX tweaks, but remains a major malware target.

Still requires a third-party bidirectional firewall, since its own firewall settings for outgoing connections are for experts only.

Includes Windows XP's file- and folder-level encryption options. The Business and Ultimate Editions' industrial-strength Bitlocker encryption protects your entire hard disk from tampering.

GOOD

- Preparing for Windows Vista
- The Importance of Rapid System Recovery
- Bridging Windows Vista's Security Gaps
- Secure System Retirement
- Solid Windows Vista Protection
- Secure System Retirement
- A Blueprint for Managing the Windows Environment
- Managing the Windows Vista Migration
- Increasing Enterprise IT Confidence Through Virtualization
- Preparing for Windows Vista

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The Right Operating System for You