Windows

Microsoft Windows is the most widespread system. 

Despite the snags that will be discussed, it is undeniable that Windows is a system adapted to the general public.

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Although many may grumble against Windows, that operating system can really meet any need. That doesn't mean that it does it well, but he does anyway. In that sense, Windows has doesn't seem to have a real specialty and its omnipresence generates a wide range of available software, a phenomenon that makes angry Ubuntu and Mac followers who accuse Windows of not deserving its place for its real innovation. Windows costs a few hundred dollars but it is also often included in the price of computers in which it is pre-installed. It is pretty hard to buy a computer without buying Windows today anyway...

The world of Windows doesn't seem to be the one generate "buzz" like Mac and Ubuntu that move abnormal troops of fanatics. The old start menu is probably not the most intuitive to access programs and files but it still works fine. The recent Windows 7, uses a software dock which is very intuitive and apparently inspired by what Mac used for years. When someone comes to play with the options of Windows, it can often be a nightmare for new users. Not to mention the bad habit Windows has of changing drastically its interface with each new version which often disrupts many users that are rarely unanimous and satisfied. That contrasts with Mac for example that tends to improve its system in a notion of continuity. Overall, Windows experience is not the most friendly but it is still very well for a wide range of needs.

If there is a point where Windows is the leader, it is compatibility since Windows is monopoly, it is very rare to find a software, a part or a gadget that is not compatible with Windows. This is not really due to quality of Windows itself since Microsoft does not need to make efforts, it is the builders and programmers who make their products compatible. However since Windows 7, the installation of equipment simplified to the point that it often ask nothing to the user, which is almost equivalent to the experience on Ubuntu.

With a fresh install, Windows includes a broad range of tools and options for every need, from the backup to the calendar. It is sometime more gadgets than real flexible tools, but we can still congratulate the existence of these tools even if they do not replace some essential software that are lacking in Windows, like a good photo manager and a email software, which yet existed in previous versions of Windows. Therefore there a good software choice from the start, but a few essential things are missing.

This is another subject that is no secret, Windows security is a real problem since its very beginning and that can be explained by poor software conception and because Windows is the ideal target for virus due to its monopoly and the ease with which it can be infected that has already exceeded the threshold of indecency especially in Internet Explorer, the Windows web browser. Fortunately, Windows seems to follow the example of Ubuntu and Mac since the last 5 years and now includes enhancements that exceed our expectations. Unfortunately this is not enough for Windows to catch up against Mac and Ubuntu due to the time it takes to Microsoft to patch security vulnerabilities and the quantity of vulnerabilities in Windows. Windows is the only one to requires a user to buy and use an antivirus each year and its security, although being sufficient, is less good than its concurrence.

Windows is no winner on this because each new version is slower than the previous one. It is quite normal because every new version has more features. However, this phenomenon is excessive when compared to Ubuntu and Mac in whom the difference from one version to another is not so evident. The space Windows takes versions after version is also an eloquent demonstration of this problem, Windows 2000 took 900Mb while Windows 7 now takes 7800Mb of space. Another unpleasant problem on Windows is the decrease in performance over time, due to many factors including uninstalling software on Windows that is often unclean. It is a good reason only to install software when really necessary on Windows.