Operating Systems

Ten pros and ten cons for choosing the Droid over other phones like the iPhone, the Pre, the G1 or a Blackberry.

Might Windows 8 or 9 actually have Linux under the hood?

They shouldn't be popping the champagne corks at Microsoft over the news that Windows 7 sales are skyrocketing. A well-known management consultant says that Windows 7's success could be the worst thing to happen to Microsoft, and turn the company in the General Motors of software.

Windows 7 first-week sales figures were much better than Vista's, says market researcher The NPD Group. They point to good supply-chain execution and canny discounting as success factors. In IT Blogwatch, bloggers look at worrying trends behind the numbers. Not to mention the latest excellent cover from Jack and Nataly...
(MSFT)

It's not only long-time Linux true believers who say that Linux will eventually wipe out Windows. An former Microsoft employee of 11 years says that "proprietary software is eventually going to be doomed," and believes that Microsoft's future lies in releasing its own version of Linux.

Has Apple decided that among its top potential customers for switching to a Mac are Windows 7 pirates? Based on ads that Apple is buying on Google that might be the case --- search for "download Windows 7" and you'll see an Apple ad urging PC users to switch to the Mac. But search for "buy Windows 7" and you'll see no such ad.

Do you provide technical support for older friends and relatives? Want to make your life easier? Give them Linux.

The newest desktop Linux vs. the newest Windows -- and the winner is ...

Microsoft may find the Family Guy too off-color or off-center for sponsorship, but the company seems to have something of a double standard --- it's spent more than $1 million on ads for South Park, and it pays for ads on shows that feature drug dealing, violence, plenty of sex, and bathroom humor.

The popular Internet voice program Skype is not going open source real soon, but, it is on its way.

The surge of Windows 7 market share in October certainly sounds like good news for Microsoft. But Microsoft shouldn't celebrate so quickly, because there's evidence much of that gain has been driven by widespread piracy in Eastern Europe.

Google, being investigated by the FCC for whether its blocking of phone calls on Google Voice violates the law, has essentially told the agency that it should be let off the hook because it's cut back on the calls it blocks. That's like saying you're only a little bit pregnant.

Open-source software is quickly making its way into the federal government.

The new Ubuntu is more than just a good Linux desktop distribution; it's Canonical's shot at the business server big-time.

Google today introduced a beta of their navigation app for the Android 2.0 powered Motorola Droid. The application is an extension of its Maps.app for Android but it has a lot of the qualities of personal navigation software products from TomTom, Navigon and Garmin.