It’s easy to look back warmly on the heyday of MS-DOS. In the distant past, a simple series of characters launched any favorite program. This command dealt with all of the inner functions that permitted the code to function. Basically, you simply had to type a string of characters on a completely blank screen with a single cursor. The fancy operating systems we all know and love today developed in response to the consumer demand to click on graphical icons. To the person that knows little about computers, this seems much easier than typing a text command. However, this transition caused a whole new wave of headaches to the computing experience.
First of all, graphical representation of your software environment uses system resources. While this may not seem significant for the average user, this can become a massive issue if you plan on stress your system to its full capacity. As more people began to purchase these operating systems, software developers decided to include more services that anticipate the user’s software. If the operating system were built with your favorite software in mind, this would make for a much smother computing experience. Unfortunately, most software designers attempted to anticipate every single possible application that any user might choose to use. This slows your computer down much like having extra programs running.
Linux has gained a dedicated user base because it permits for setups that do very little. Many versions of Linux work in minimalist fashion; you have to adjust for programs and dependencies as you need them. While this might feel annoying for most of us, it’s great when you plan to use your machine to its full potential. Many technically minded users prefer a lighter operating system. However, if you want to jump right into your favorite programs without much work, the resource heavy systems will be a better fit for your needs.
Microsoft’s Windows Vista was arguably the pinnacle of the bloated operating system. Its services anticipated nearly anything a user could attempt to throw at it. Ironically, this led to an opposite inspiration for Windows 7. Windows 7 employs a lightness of resource use that can finally compete with the lightweight Linux.
Current trends in the tech world seem to be inspired by the desire to do more with less. In the future, developers will push the limits of technology to satisfy both of these interests. The newest operating system releases by all of the major players in the field speak to this public demand. There will always be a need for a clever balance between compatibility and operating system memory use.
Luckily, we are lucky enough to have a robust market of operating system providers. Each round of releases offers different advantages. There are arguments for using every modern operating system which depend heavily on user needs. When choosing your operating system, you should carefully look into its compatibility with software that you intend to use. Each operating system aims to satisfy a certain market. You will likely be represented by at least one of the recent releases at any time. Look to others that use the same software for advice on which operating system to buy.
Geek Choice is a national computer repair company that works hard to help consumers make good decisions about hardware and software. Slow computer performance could be the fault of spyware, malware, or viruses, or it could just be a matter of using the wrong operating system or hardware to meet your needs. Geek Choice offers on-site service for any computer issue. If your operating system is interfering with your favorite programs, give us a call at 1-800-GEEK HELP (433-5435).
