Comparison of Windows Vista and some Linux distributions

Windows
Vista

Mandriva Linux

Ubuntu Linux

Installation
10 GB
size

4 GB

Normal file
File system system (C:\,
D:\. etc.)

Strange file system.

Same strange file
As expected from
system.
Linux.

Office
package

Microsoft Office
Real programmers
(because
use Emacs.
Microsoft)

Depends...

Comments

A small installation size

implies not nearly enough
pictures.

It's pretty strange

GEdit

Do you want to be a
businessman or a scruffy
hacker like RMS?

With Linux you can share, on

Vista your desktop is shared
with zer0c00l automatically.

MSE comes
Protection
with it.

GPL infection by
default

None (except these

WMD's [1])

Vista runs all

Choice of
your favorite
software
software!

The OS forces the

user to choose the
software to be
installed from a list

From the bottomless

archive ofapt-get

Every bit of
software is written
by the incredible
hacker Linus
Torvalds. Yup, all
121 million lines of
code.

The Kernel is likewise

written by Linus.
One way or another your
Everything else is
computer will crash like the
written by
US stock/financial market.
this Debian chick.

Software
quality

Drivers

Why do you
think they don't
have a bug
tracking
system? There
are no bugs!
Only features.

You don't know Open Source

Whatever can be
what driver to Drivers that take up found in apt-get, or

Open Source Drivers are

written by evil hackers who

install?
Windows ain't
helping.

5 KB.

that you can compile

yourself.

put backdoors in their code

and use it to control your PC
and your mind to brainwash
you into Communism.

Let's start with the interface, which requires enhanced graphics horsepower to run, thus limiting Vista's
upgradability from many older PCs. The Aero interface displays true 3D elements with a see-through,
glass-like look. And everything else in Vista looks a bit different, too.
Folder and file icons now show thumbnails of their contents. When you switch between open applications,
the windows twist and turn to display in a three-dimensional stack. And the windows are smoother and
rounder and translucent, heightening the sense of depth when you view multiple windows onscreen.
There's even a translucent Sidebar that holds Gadgets, mini-apps dedicated to a particular task.
Under the hood, Vista is designed to run more securely and more robustly than Windows XP. One of the
security featuresmuch maligned by usersis User Account Control, which interrupts even the most
mundane operations to get user approval. The intention was good (to prevent unwanted access to the
system), but the implementation was simply too intrusive for most users.
Even worse, many users had problems upgrading older equipment to Vista. Many older peripherals didn't
have Vista-compatible drivers (a problem with any Windows upgrade, to be honest), and some XP-era
programs never did work right in the Vista environment.
While most users didn't have any problems, the ones who did were quite vocal about it, creating the
general perception that Vista was a failure. I certainly don't feel that way about it, but this perception did
lead Microsoft to fast-track Vista's successorthe upcoming Windows 7.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENT
Theres a lot of FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) surrounding the system requirements that will be
needed to run Windows Vista. Partly, I put the blame for a lot of this confusion at Microsoft's doorstep
and how the Aero user interface is marketed. The fact that there are different requirements for the
Windows Aero interface Now, there is one fly in the ointment: Output Protection Management.

Compared to core Vista is confusing and Microsoft hasn't done a good job of explaining that Aero is an
interface enhancement for Vista.
Nothing scary there (apart from the 800MHz bit - seems so disco, even my old laptop was faster than
that!). The only tripping point might be the graphics requirements.
Helpfully, ATI, NVIDIA, Intel, S3 and VIA have listed their Vista-ready gear. My advice here would be
to make sure that you don't buy something that's too close to the bottom of any of these lists if you
want good performance, and to buy mid-range gear if you want good performance without having to
take out a second mortgage.

Vista vs. Win 7 vs XP

When Windows XP first appeared back in 2001, it was designed to run happily on
300MHz Pentium II CPUs with a mere 128MB of RAM. Thus, it should come as no
surprise that the lightweight OS runs quickly on today's processors. Newer OSes
can optimize for modern hardware and include more powerful features, but is this
extra functionality really just slowing us down?
To find out, we decided to test each operating system's performance on an average
PC. The system is nothing particularly special by today's standards, consisting of an
Intel dual-core E5200 CPU, 2GB of RAM and an ATI Radeon HD4550 graphics card.
We installed XP, Vista and Windows 7 in that order (all 32-bit versions) on the
machine's 500GB hard drive and ran a number of real-world benchmarks to find
out which OS was best.
The boot time test provided no surprises Vista took the longest time to get
started, XP came in second place and Windows 7 was the fastest.

Vista vs Ubuntu
Feature

Company

Ubuntu

Ubuntu

VS

Vista

Microsoft

Logo

Platforms
Ubuntu Desktop/Laptop Edition

Vista Home Basic

Ubuntu Server Edition

Vista Home Premium

Vista Business
Vista Ultimate

ITComparison Team Comments

Ubuntu:
Ubuntu installation is easier and faster. There are Free upgrades available every 6 months. It is an
open source operating system, free to download and install.
Ubuntu has a great and unique option of Live CD installation on any other operating system. Just
boot the computer with the Ubuntu CD and you can use Ubuntu without actually installing it on the
computer.
Vista:
Product available in four versions each with its own specific features which can be confusing for a first
time user
Vista takes longer to install with many updates required before installation is completed. There are
paid upgrades from one version to another. Each version has own specific features which can be
confusing for a beginner.
-:Ubuntu vs MS Windows Vista :-

Looks & Apperance

ITComparison Team Comments

Ubuntu:
Very Slick clean look. The way its drop menu organized by categories rather than by
vendor make life lot easier to find what you need.
Vista:
-: Ubuntu vs MS Windows Vista :Vista appearance is as good as Ubuntu and it has quite few widgets for the desktop like
the weather widget, sticky-notes, and a clock. We were not so happy with how software
are categorized though as it made it a bit harder to find.

Virtual Desktops

Yes

No

ITComparison Team Comments

Ubuntu:
Ubuntu has upto 36 virtual desktops (called workspaces) each of which can be individually named by
you according to the applications/documents you place in them. This helps you declutter your desktop
and help you navigate better. It is a great multitasking tool. Click here to heck it out Ubuntu Virtual
Desktops Image
Vista:
-: Ubuntu vs MS Windows Vista :-

Not applicable

Parralization

Yes

No

ITComparison Team Comments

Ubuntu:
Ubuntu now can offer the ability to run windows applications as being at home. Check
The image below. The procedure is explained
at: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SeamlessVirtualization. It might not be the
easiest to setup, but hey it work great.

-: Ubuntu vs MS Windows Vista :Vista:

Vista still lagging on this. No similar feature is offered.

Touch screen

Yes
Yes

ITComparison Team Comments

Ubuntu:
Requires third party software
-: Ubuntu vs MS Windows Vista :Vista:
Navigation Use is integrated

Built-in Security

Anti-Virus

No

No

Firewall

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

Networking Wired / Wireless

Anti-Spyware

Protect Root Access

ITComparison Team Comments

Ubuntu:
It is one of the safest operating systems around as no ports are open by default which is

one of the main hacking breaches other operating systems suffer.

Ubuntu is not only hack-proof, there are no recorded spyware infections. It is a very
secure operating system. Its FireStarter firewall by default blocks all sites not listed safe
by you.
Ubuntu by default does not offer access to the root directories to be modified, unlike VISTA, making
Ubuntu safer and more stable as an operating system.
Vista:
Shares require password protection to be enabled (not enabled by default), a great hole most
newbie's fall in and make their data available to every one not just hackers. When a data share is
setup then your laptop/PC is hooked up directly to the internet without enabling the password
protection (b/c you don't know or forgot to) your data will be open to the whole world. A small scan on
your ISP Range will show you how many of these Vista users are there with the shares open to the
public enjoy the surf :).
Some shares are enabled by default!!!
Vista suffers more security loopholes and hacking breach than Ubuntu, running out of the box. Comes
with Windows Defender for internet security (almost useless). A third party security program is
essential.
-: Ubuntu vs MS Windows Vista :-

Backup

Konserve
Backup & Restore Center.
Previous Version.
Shadow Copy.

ITComparison Team Comments

Ubuntu:

-: Ubuntu vs MS Windows Vista :-

Directory to Directory Backup is available in Ubuntu. The backup can be stored in a variety of Media
including FTP.
Vista:
Vista has a similar backup but without the ease and efficiency.

Programs Inbuilt

Windows Mail
Evolution

Messenger
Pidgin Instant Messenger

IE 7 browser

Firefox

Calendar

Photo Gallery
Tomboy
Movie Maker
F-Spot

Open Office Suite

ITComparison Team Comments
Ubuntu:
More than 16,000 different packages are available for free which is mind blowing.
Firefox is the default web browser. It is a faster and more secure browser than Vistas Internet
Explorer 7.
Tomboy is a reminder plugin that you get as a helpful deskbar, giving you quick access to programs.
Open Office comes inbuilt for free. You do not have to pay anything extra to create documents,
spreadsheets or presentations.
Vista:
Number of applications & features vary depending on the Vista versions.
MS Office suite is not free but has to be purchased separately and installed.
No Free software library is available for Vista, which give an edge advantage for Ubuntu. As Ubuntu has put
a huge collection of software right at a click all you have to do is open you Synaptic Package, where in Vista
you will have to search all over the web for your desired software, which most of them is commercial and at a
higher cost.

-: Ubuntu vs MS Windows Vista :-

Command Line

Linux Command Line

Dos Command prompt. Not much to offer.

ITComparison Team Comments

Vista Command Prompt is not even comparable to Ubuntu Shell. Ubuntu Shell is very powerfull and
give you the ability to perform all of your tasks easily without the need for GUI. Windows Command
prompt is very limiting. That give Ubuntu a better edge in automating tasks than Vista.

Business Tools
Apache2 Web Server

Remote Desktop

PHP5 Scripting Language

Windows Live Meetings

Squid Proxy Server

Windows Live Messenger

MySQL

IIS

FTP Server
SAMBA
Streamtuner
Open Office Write
Open Office Math
Open Office Draw

ITComparison Team Comments

Ubuntu:
Server Installation offers a great many features for a free OS. Streamtuner is a stream directory
browser. Ubuntu has a more comprehensive business package which includes Open
Office. What's even better its mostly for free!!!!
Vista:
Integrated web server is IIS, which suffers from many security & performance holes. You can always
install the lovely Apache if you want. Vista does not come with any inbuilt or out-of-the box preloaded
Office suite package. You will need to install one, usually after paying for it. It is a great
disappointment to know that Vista offers only ancient WordPad and NotePad as text editors. More
disappointing most of business applications which equivalent to what Ubuntu is offering for free will
cost an arm and leg.
-: Ubuntu vs MS Windows Vista :-

Auto Updates

Yes

Yes

ITComparison Team Comments

Ubuntu:
Ubuntu is capable of downloading and installing updates automatically without being attended to.

Vista:
-: Ubuntu vs MS Windows Vista :-

Registration is required. Popup gives options about downloading available updates.

Technical Support

Yes

Yes

ITComparison Team Comments

Both Ubuntu and Vista come with required Technical Support.

-: Ubuntu vs MS Windows Vista :-

Hardware Performance Tools

No

Yes

ITComparison Team Comments

Ubuntu:
Ubuntu gives lesser trouble with 64Bit configuration. Hardware performance tools are unnecessary
with Ubuntu as it is a very stable OS.
Vista:
-: Ubuntu vs MS Windows Vista :Inbuilt hardware assessment tool for hardware optimization. Crashes are common.

Computer Accessories Sharing

Yes

Yes

ITComparison Team Comments

Ubuntu & Vista offers Sharing of computer accessories like printers & Flash Drives.

Bluetooth Capability

Yes

Yes

ITComparison Team Comments

Ubuntu:
Rarely takes long time to configure bluetooth.
-: Ubuntu vs MS Windows Vista :Vista:
Sometimes will not configure properly to the bluetooth even when compatible, and less secure.

Disk Analyzer

Yes

Yes

ITComparison Team Comments

Ubuntu:
Baobab is a tool that can be used to know how your disk space is being used

Vista:
-: Ubuntu vs MS Windows Vista :-

Gaming Network Support

Traditional Disk Analyzing tools like Scandisk, Disk Defragmenter, both of which are lower in
performance than Baobab.

Yes

Yes

ITComparison Team Comments

Ubuntu:
Most Windows based games can be run using emulator, in the addition of Linux Based games.
Some of the Gaming Networks supported are Quake4, Unreal Tournament 2004, Doom 3
Vista:
-: Ubuntu vs MS Windows Vista :-

Xbox Live is the gaming network supported.

Media

Windows Media Player

Sound Juicer
(Rip audio from CD)
Rhythmbox
(Music Organizer)
Serpentine
(Allows authoring Audio CDs, Also plays your
movies and help in sound recording)
Totem is the official movie player for the
GNOME Desktop

ITComparison Team Comments

Ubuntu:
Programs are divided into different and specific categories like Audio Rippper, Music Organizer and
Media Player. A wider variety for free players is included.
Vista:
One combined media player is offered by Vista.

Flexibility on Desktop Choice

Yes

No

ITComparison Team Comments

Ubuntu:
Ubuntu offers many desktop environment, which allow you to choose the one best fit
your need. Few examples:
Your can run WindowMaker of Fluxbox for maximum performance
KDE or Gnome is there for configurability and features.
Vista:
-: Ubuntu vs MS Windows Vista :-

Vista interface is AERO and only AERO. You don't have a choice, so if your machine is not
a high end one then Vista maybe not the right choice for you.

System Requirements
Processor

300 MHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor

1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor

RAM

At least 64 MB

Vista Basic - 512MB

Home Premium / Business / Ultimate - 1GB

Disk Space

At least 2 GB

Vista Basic - 20 GB hard drive with at least 15 GB

of available space
Home Premium / Business / Ultimate - 40 GB hard
drive with at least 15 GB of available space

ITComparison Team Comments

Ubuntu:
Ubuntu can be used on almost any specification computer. Lower specification (older) computers can
use different versions of desktop Ubuntu Kubuntu can run even with 64 MB RAM, Xubuntu can run
on even 48 MB RAM. Recommended RAM is 192 MB for optimal performance of any Ubuntu. Even a
300 MHz processor can support Ubuntu. You just need to use Alternate Installation CD of Ubuntu.
You do not need a high-end, latest specifications computer to run Ubuntu, which proves once more
that it is really an Open Source Operating System in the real sense of the words. Any one with any
system can use Ubuntu for free.
Vista:

-: Ubuntu vs MS Windows Vista :-

Performance On equivalent hardware +

Stability

All Vista versions including: Vista Basic, the Home Premium / Business / Ultimate need a higher
amount of System requirements

High

Lower

ITComparison Team Comments

Ubuntu:
Ubuntu is one of the most stable operating systems available today, even when compared to paid
OS.
Ubuntu load much quicker than Vista. Ubuntu was able to load up fully in 45 seconds
comparing to 2 minutes for Vista on the same box: ( Intel Core 2 Duo 1.2 Ghz, 1GB RAM).
Vista:
Vista is a resources HOG and will not operate well with less than 2 GB of RAM. It can have few
crashes every now and then, which is common with Windows. There was some improvement after
many patches being released.
Vista has a bad tendency to crash when using standard applications like notepad++, and when try to
open java pages with IE7 before installing Java on your machine.
When Vista hang up then you will require a reboot, which is not required for Ubuntu thanks for the
ability to restart X using "X restart"
Vista waste a lot of resources on its 3rd interface, that make application load way slower than they
used to on XP. In turn Ubuntu with all its 3rd effects does not sacrifice as much resources..

-: Ubuntu vs MS Windows Vista :-

Intended Users

if you a good computer skill, if you don't own a

brand new PC which is faster than Intel
Core2Duo, or if you require an operating system
which just work then Ubuntu is for you

If you are new to computers, or only familiar with

XP and had no time to learn a new OS. In addition
you have the budget for a high end PC then Vista
might be for you.

Free

Vista Price starts from US$150 at amazon.com

Pricing

ITComparison Team Comments

Ubuntu:
Ubuntu is absolutely Free. There are no licensing, update, upgrade, or sharing fees.
Vista:
-: Ubuntu vs MS Windows Vista :-

Price varies depending on the Vista Version, and its not cheap.