Operating system showdown

Home Office Computing, Sept, 1999 by Rick Broida

Windows and the Mac OS are improving with age, and Linux is making waves-but is it time to make a change?

IF THE CPU IS THE BRAWN of a computer system, the operating system (OS) is the brain. It's the liaison between hardware and software applications, the ingredient--far more than the processor, hard disk, or spreadsheet--that makes computing possible. It dictates virtually every aspect of a computer's operation, from launching programs to copying files to running a local area network.

Big deal, right? We know there's a filter inside the furnace, but who cares about its shape or size as long as it gets the job done? Well, there's always the issue of getting your job done quicker, easier, or with fewer problems--and that's why it makes sense to reconsider your operating system options from time to time.

Lately, those options have become a bit more varied, with more cracks appearing in Microsoft's near-monopoly--though we think it's the rare user who'll be motivated to make a major change. If you're a Windows 95/98 customer, you'll have to decide whether to stick with your current platform, adopt Windows 98 Second Edition, or wait for Windows 2000 Professional.

Or maybe you've had it with Microsoft, in which case you might be tempted to try the cult craze and media darling Linux; it's not just for gearheads anymore, although it's still more for Web servers than office desktops. Finally, there's the island that is Macintosh, which is looking better than ever for home office workers who value elegance and ease of use over the widest possible software selection.

We put all four of these platforms through their paces, taking into consideration overall simplicity and the availability of software and peripherals. This last point is a key consideration (and the main reason we skipped the even-more-esoteric-than-Linux dark horse BeOS): The greatest operating system in the world isn't of much value if it's hard to find a word processor or Web browser to go with it.

Windows retains its huge lead here, but those considering the Mac platform should check out the growing availability of cutting-edge applications and accessories. As for Linux, the OS itself has matured nicely, but there's still very little third-party support. The more that changes (and it is changing), the more Linux will be a Windows alternative worth considering.

Apple Mac OS 8.6

8.4

8   8   9   9
V   P   E   S

Windows' pit-falls have long been the subject of ridicule from Macintosh users, who love to tout the ease and stability of the Mac OS. Take it from us--the zealots doth protest too much. Macs do crash. Macs serve up cryptic error messages without explaining how to resolve them. Macs don't always work logically or intuitively. That said, Steve Jobs and company will get back the iMac they loaned us when they pry it from our cold, dead fingers.

That's because we like the machine, not because we're particularly enamored of the operating system. Like Windows, it has some annoying idiosyncrasies that heighten the learning curve. To remove a CD, for instance, you can't just press the eject button on the CD-ROM drive--you have to drag the CD icon to the trash can or click Command+Y. And although Windows 98 stupidly forces you to click Start to shut down, the Mac OS sends you to the Special menu. Hey, Steve and Bill--how about a "shut down" button?

With version 8.6, Apple has effected minor but worthwhile improvements to the OS. Sherlock, the nifty combination Internet and system search tool introduced in version 8.5, now includes more than 25 plug-ins for culling Web sites such as Amazon.com, AltaVista, CNN, Hotbot, and Rolling Stone, and can now search Adobe Acrobat and HTML files stored on your hard disk. One gripe: When you perform an Internet search, you must manually select each plug-in; there's an Uncheck All button, but no Check All button.

Also new in this upgrade is improved support for USB and IEEE 1394 (also called FireWire) peripherals and for DVD-RAM drives. AppleScript has been pumped up to allow Inter-net-oriented scripts, for automation of file uploading and downloading. PowerBook users will enjoy up to 25 percent more battery life, Apple claims, thanks to new power management techniques.

Mac OS 8.6 also promises faster overall performance, particularly with Java programs, though we didn't notice a stunning difference. On the other hand, we ran plenty of applications simultaneously without noticing any evidence of Mac-bashers' claims that the OS's multitasking is less robust than Windows 98's.

So who should adopt this uppdated OS? If you already own version 8.5, you can download 8.6 for free from Apple--it's worth doing just to get the souped-up version of Sherlock. If you're using an earlier release of the Mac OS, an upgrade is definitely in order.

And if you're shopping for a new PC, consider the tasks that lay ahead of you, both now and in the future. If they're skewed more toward basic productivity and creative print and Web publishing than heavy-duty business tasks--and you can live with fewer choices among third-party treats such as speech recognition and PDA links or multi-function peripherals--then do yourself a favor and opt for a Mac. It's not a perfect platform, but overall it's easier to use and more reliable than Windows 98.