Windows VS Linux

Today there is battle between Windows OS and open-source Linux OS. Everybody now wants to know which is better in terms of speed ,stability ,Desktop look  and functionality. I have tested several OS  like Windows XP, Windows Vista , Windows 98, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, PCLinuxOS, OpenSuse, Fedora, Puppy, Vector Linux, Sabayon, Mandriva. Today I am going to share my experiences with Windows and Linux OS.

Windows OS : Windows XP and Vista (Windows 98 is so old not taken).

Linux OS : KDE 4.X- Mandriva 2009.1 Spring, OpenSuse 11.1.

                 Gnome 2.x- Linux Mint 6 (which is a modification of Ubuntu 8.04)

My Test Machine:
AMD64 3000+ Processor
MSI Motherboard
512 DDR II Ram
ESPON C 58 Printer
Samsung Monitor.

Installation:

OS	Installation time (Including drivers & office)	Booting Time	Shut Down Time
Windows XP	48 minutes	40 Sec.	22 Sec.
Windows Vista	1 hr. 15 minutes	1 min. 10 Sec.	30 Sec.
Linux Mint 6	24 minutes	38 Sec.	21 Sec.
OpenSuse 11.1	28 minutes	42 Sec.	22 Sec.
Mandriva 2009.1	29 minutes	44 Sec.	22 Sec.

Ease of use (installation):

Windows XP : 3/5. (Live CD-No.)

Windows Vista: 2/5 (Worst, Live CD-No)

Linux Mint 6: 4.2/5  (Live CD option)

OpenSuse 11.1: 4.4/5 ( Live CD plus lots of option)

Mandriva 2009.1: 4/5 (Live CD-No.)

Desktop Experience:

Windows XP:

Best you think about Gaming as all drivers are available by vendors. Prone to virus attack easily, least secure and stable in our list. It requires a good anti virus that you have to pay, but a good anti virus will not provide Linux like secure environment. For free anti virus I think Avast, AVG and Avira is the best. Windows Firewall is think useless. Overall you can run application on it.

Windows Default Application:

IE :

World most used Browser but failed to pass acid test and it’s the most risky browser. IE6 and IE 7 tested but acid test result was 20/100.

Window Media Player 11:

Exceptional user interface but you can’t play most of the video and audio format. Installing VLC or Mplayer will solve the problem.

IM:

Windows Live messenger is best but support only MSN only. Try Pidgin or trillion.

E-mail Client :

Outlook express and MS outlook is a good application ,but can’t compete Thunderbird.

Rating : 3.5/5.

Windows vista:

Worst you think about Gaming as all drivers are not available. Prone to virus attack , secure than XP and stable in our list. It requires a good anti virus that you have to pay, but a good anti virus will not provide Linux like secure environment. For free anti virus I think Avast, AVG and Avira is the best. Windows Firewall in Vista is think quite efficient but its annoying every time you open a 3^rd part programme. Overall you can run application on it.

Windows Default Application:

IE :

World most used Browser but failed to pass acid test and it’s the most risky browser. IE 8 tested but acid test result was 20/100.

Window Media Player 11:

Exceptional user interface but you can’t play most of the video and audio format. Installing VLC ,Mplayer  or Vista codec (freeware) will solve the problem.

IM:

Windows Live messenger is best but support only MSN only. Try Pidgin or trillion.

E-mail Client :

Windows Live is a better application, but can’t compete Thunderbird.

Rating : 3/5

Linux Mint 6:

Better than XP and Vista. If you have graphics card you can play a lots of available like open arena, vega strike...
Stable,secure and if you activate firewall than it will be extra ordinary. Comes with Gnome Desktop.

 Default Application:

Firefox 3 :

World most trusted Browser passed acid test with 86/100. 

Media Player:

 Totem which  is  good video player and can play anything you want but lacks some features. Mplayer is also there so there is no tension, and for music Rhythmbox is exceptional.

IM:

Best IM Pidgin  there.

E-mail Client :

Awesome Thunderbird 2.

Rating : 4.2/5

Detail review can found here 

Mandriva 2009.1 Spring:

Better than XP and Vista. If you have graphics card you can play a lots of available like open arena, vega strike...
not so much Stable,secure and if you activate firewall than it will be extra ordinary. Latest KDE 4.2 is there

Default Application:

Firefox 3 :

World most trusted Browser passed acid test with 86/100. 

Media Player:

Dragon Player is a good video player and can play anything you want but lacks lots of  features. SMPlayer and VLC comes out of box.

IM:

Best IM kopete  there.

E-mail Client :

Awesome Thunderbird 2.

Rating : 4.3/5

Detail review can found here 

OpenSuse 11.1:

Better than XP and Vista. If you have graphics card you can play a lots of available like open arena, vega strike...
Stable,secure and if you activate firewall than it will be extra ordinary. Latest KDE 4.2 is there. Its most stable in KDE 4.2 class and have expectational features.

Default Application:

Firefox 3 :

World most trusted Browser passed acid test with 86/100. 

Media Player:

Dragon Player is a good video player and can play anything you want but lacks lots of  features. SMPlayer and VLC  not comes out of box so you have to install it via Pacman. Mp3 Support is present there.

IM:

Best IM kopete  there.

E-mail Client :

Awesome Thunderbird 2.

Rating : 4.3/5

Latest review can found here 

Winner :

Its a close call between Mint, Suse and Mandriva.  In this test Mandriva is winner.

1. Linux Mint 6
   
2. OpenSuse 11.1
   
3. Mandriva 2009.1
   
4. Windows XP
5. Windows vista
   

 Read my Next blog Resource Utilization by These Five Distro. Hoping you like this blog, If you have information to share then please comment that can be a valuable to our open source community.