Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (Precise Pangolin)<\/strong><\/h2>\nMy favorite version of Ubuntu was unquestionably Lucid Lynx. Things started getting awkward when the interface began to take on a more mobile personality \u2013 more or less turning your desktop into a giant smartphone. Obviously Ubuntu isn’t the only one to go in that direction with its UI \u2013 each of the soon to be released versions of OS X and Win8 are similarly mobile-optimized. That said, rather than going on a rant about how a desktop is a desktop and a tablet is a tablet, we’ll judge the UI’s by which one makes for the best platform-agnostic experience.<\/p>\n
![\"windows-8-ubuntu\"](\"https:\/\/www.techwalls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/windows-8-ubuntu.jpg\" "\\"windows-8-ubuntu\\"")
<\/p>\n
Ubuntu is ultimately designed to be the end-user’s Linux distro<\/a>. In its earlier years, whether or not it truly was so user-friendly was debatable. With Canonical’s assertions that its OS is effortlessly transitioned to from Windows, it seems like an endless amount of kids in their mid-teens are wiping the family PC’s hard drive and installing Linux.\u00a0 When they install all the updates and something goes wrong \u2013 like the display being stuck in low-graphics mode (or not working at all) and various hardware not functioning, along with the lack of support for their Microsoft software \u2013 they usually (in a rage) migrate back to Windows in no time.<\/p>\n![\"linux-kid-fail\"](\"https:\/\/www.techwalls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/linux-kid-fail.jpg\" "\\"linux-kid-fail\\"")
Good job, Kid.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nUbuntu’s most recent updates though, especially 12.04, make this flavor of Linux undeniably more friendly than its distant cousins like Arch Linux and RedHat.<\/p>\n
Although I’m not a huge fan of the Unity dock, I have to admit that it seems perfect for the less tech-savvy crowd, and just as suitable for even the most advanced computer users as well. The thing that gets me about Unity is its overall lack of customization. Maybe I just didn’t dig deep enough into Precise Pangolin, but I saw no built-in means of changing the positioning of the dock or even any extensive customization options like transparency and other similar tweaks. It looks alright as-is, but I like to be able to change things up from time to time \u2013 especially with Linux.<\/p>\n
As a whole though, Ubuntu 12.04 is a solid operating system \u2013 it’s still my favorite Linux distro, no doubt. Aside from the dock, Unity is alright with me. The OS has always mimicked OS X a little bit, and with the way maximized windows merge into the top panel in Unity, that’s now more apparent than ever.<\/p>\n
I love the Windows 7 style window snapping feature<\/a> included in Pangolin \u2013 allowing for a much smoother experience when doing things like word-processing in Libre Office while researching information in your browser. That’s the one thing that really bugs me about OS X; the window buttons are pretty useless in the first place \u2013 a snapping feature would be great, is all I’m saying.<\/p>\n![\"ubuntu](\"https:\/\/www.techwalls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/ubuntu-techwalls.jpg\" "\\"ubuntu")
<\/p>\n
The new Ubuntu Software Center has a nice feel to it, although it’s not a huge change from the previous version. It feels a lot like the Mac App Store, but more Linux-ey. I like the idea of Ubuntu One integration as well, but I think (for the price) Bitcasa will eliminate the need for that, once it’s released into the wild.<\/p>\n
Another high-point of Ubuntu, or just Linux in general, is how amazingly lightweight it is. Canonical has always had a goal to make the entire Ubuntu install fit on a regular CD-R, which is just crazy when compared to the size of Win8 and Mountain Lion. Moreover, I didn’t want to make yet another partition on my HDD, so I’ve just been running it with VirtualBox, and it runs flawlessly. I can even switch over to another one of my Mac’s desktops and play a full-screen HD video no problem.<\/p>\n
Windows 8<\/strong><\/h2>\nLike I said earlier \u2013 I’ve always despised <\/em>Windows. Pretty much everyone has used Windows 98 back in the day, Millennium was a joke and XP was a little better, but still not something I’d ever be able to use every day. We all know how big of a failure Vista was, before being overthrown by Win7 \u2013 which was actually a decent OS, but same as XP; I couldn’t ever see it as something I would use on a daily basis.<\/p>\nWindows 8<\/strong><\/a>, however, blew me away. Yeah, the actual desktop looks pretty similar to Win7 \u2013 but I’ve always loved that look anyway… I just hated that stupid Start menu. It makes launching programs a little faster, but most Windows users that I’ve seen have a desktop crammed full of shortcuts anyway. What’s more, if you use the Start bar to launch everything, you have to sift through the unreasonable amount bloatware to find what you’re looking for.<\/p>\nThe Windows Phone 7 style Start menu is perfect \u2013 and along with the lack of bloatware this OS comes with, the entire experience is dramatically smoother and more enjoyable. I didn’t realize how attractive such a simple menu, comprised of multicolor squares, could be. I liked it so much that I actually bought Launcher 7 for my MyTouch \u2013 and I’ve never been the type to try to make one OS mimic another, but I’ve also never seen such a clean and elegant menu design.<\/p>\n
![\"windows-8-start\"](\"https:\/\/www.techwalls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/windows-8-start.jpg\" "\\"windows-8-start\\"")
<\/p>\n
Without a button in the bottom panel, you might be wondering how you would go about navigating to the Start screen. A handy new feature introduced in this OS is something they call Charms. <\/em>Somewhat like OS X’s ability to perform certain tasks when your cursor reaches a set corner of the screen, Windows 8 brings up the \u201cCharm bar\u201d when you hit the top-right corner \u2013 allowing access to search and sharing functions, as well as your control panel, devices and Start menu, of course.<\/p>\nI’ve been seeing a lot of mixed opinions regarding the Metro interface of Windows 8, more disapproval than approval \u2013 but I think it’s the best thing Microsoft has ever done to Windows. It’s one of those optimized-for-tablets things, but it looks great in desktop form too. It’s simple, but not too simple like Apple sometimes gets. I think the Metro-themed, Windows Phone 7 style Start screen will ween a lot of complete end-users off of filling the desktop up with icons \u2013 you <\/em>get to choose what your Start screen has on it, which pretty much eliminates the need for both a Start menu on the actual desktop as well as the habit of becoming overcrowded with icons.<\/p>\nNot too long ago, Internet Explorer was considered by most to be one of the worst stock browsers out there. IE9 was a huge improvement, but it just wasn’t up to par with Chrome or even Firefox. Windows 8 ships with IE10, and I was completely taken by surprise at first glance \u2013 I quickly installed Chrome afterward, but IE10 was actually a decent browser. I wouldn’t use it as my primary means of surfing the Web, but the full-screen version is pretty nice.<\/p>\n
Windows Live ID is also integrated, giving Win8 some cloud functionality. I didn’t actually get to test it out, but I do like the idea of carrying your settings and files from one computer to another, all with your Live ID.<\/p>\n
Overall, Windows 8 is (in my opinion) the first acceptable version of Microsoft’s Windows. Beyond that, it’s not only acceptable, but enjoyable.<\/em> The Metro theme looks amazing, and that ridiculous Start bar is pretty much dead, finally<\/em>.<\/p>\n![\"windows-8-screen\"](\"https:\/\/www.techwalls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/windows-8-screen.jpg\" "\\"windows-8-screen\\"")
<\/p>\n
OS X Mountain Lion (10.8)<\/strong><\/h2>\nStrangely enough, Mountain Lion<\/a><\/strong> is my least favorite of the three \u2013 and I’m a Mac guy. I just really don’t like where Apple has been headed lately. I’m not saying \u201cSteve Jobs died, so now Apple sucks\u201d, because I have no idea what really goes into the company’s decision to do this or that. What I am <\/em>saying though, is that it seems like Apple is just turning into another Microsoft.<\/p>\nA lot of people have always just assumed that Macs can’t get any kind of virus whatsoever, but with this recent Flashback malware threat, we all know that’s not the case. It’s definitely a lot more difficult to contract something on OS X, but the threats are constantly growing. That’s why Mountain Lion ships with a new virus protection program, Gatekeeper.<\/p>\n
By default, Gatekeeper blocks the installation of all third party apps. That seems a little excessive, but you can always disable the setting. Still, it’s strange that an anti-malware application would completely disallow users to install anything but App Store software. I know Apple’s thing is \u201cthink different,\u201d but it seems like they sometimes make it too much of a point to be different than other software companies. Macs have never really had virus protection, and it’s good that they’re showing some concern in that area now, but something more like Windows Security Center would have been fine.<\/p>\n
![\"os-x-mountain-lion\"](\"https:\/\/www.techwalls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/os-x-mountain-lion.jpg\" "\\"os-x-mountain-lion\\"")
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nUbuntu’s most recent updates though, especially 12.04, make this flavor of Linux undeniably more friendly than its distant cousins like Arch Linux and RedHat.<\/p>\n
Although I’m not a huge fan of the Unity dock, I have to admit that it seems perfect for the less tech-savvy crowd, and just as suitable for even the most advanced computer users as well. The thing that gets me about Unity is its overall lack of customization. Maybe I just didn’t dig deep enough into Precise Pangolin, but I saw no built-in means of changing the positioning of the dock or even any extensive customization options like transparency and other similar tweaks. It looks alright as-is, but I like to be able to change things up from time to time \u2013 especially with Linux.<\/p>\n
As a whole though, Ubuntu 12.04 is a solid operating system \u2013 it’s still my favorite Linux distro, no doubt. Aside from the dock, Unity is alright with me. The OS has always mimicked OS X a little bit, and with the way maximized windows merge into the top panel in Unity, that’s now more apparent than ever.<\/p>\n
I love the Windows 7 style window snapping feature<\/a> included in Pangolin \u2013 allowing for a much smoother experience when doing things like word-processing in Libre Office while researching information in your browser. That’s the one thing that really bugs me about OS X; the window buttons are pretty useless in the first place \u2013 a snapping feature would be great, is all I’m saying.<\/p>\n The new Ubuntu Software Center has a nice feel to it, although it’s not a huge change from the previous version. It feels a lot like the Mac App Store, but more Linux-ey. I like the idea of Ubuntu One integration as well, but I think (for the price) Bitcasa will eliminate the need for that, once it’s released into the wild.<\/p>\n Another high-point of Ubuntu, or just Linux in general, is how amazingly lightweight it is. Canonical has always had a goal to make the entire Ubuntu install fit on a regular CD-R, which is just crazy when compared to the size of Win8 and Mountain Lion. Moreover, I didn’t want to make yet another partition on my HDD, so I’ve just been running it with VirtualBox, and it runs flawlessly. I can even switch over to another one of my Mac’s desktops and play a full-screen HD video no problem.<\/p>\n Like I said earlier \u2013 I’ve always despised <\/em>Windows. Pretty much everyone has used Windows 98 back in the day, Millennium was a joke and XP was a little better, but still not something I’d ever be able to use every day. We all know how big of a failure Vista was, before being overthrown by Win7 \u2013 which was actually a decent OS, but same as XP; I couldn’t ever see it as something I would use on a daily basis.<\/p>\n Windows 8<\/strong><\/a>, however, blew me away. Yeah, the actual desktop looks pretty similar to Win7 \u2013 but I’ve always loved that look anyway… I just hated that stupid Start menu. It makes launching programs a little faster, but most Windows users that I’ve seen have a desktop crammed full of shortcuts anyway. What’s more, if you use the Start bar to launch everything, you have to sift through the unreasonable amount bloatware to find what you’re looking for.<\/p>\n The Windows Phone 7 style Start menu is perfect \u2013 and along with the lack of bloatware this OS comes with, the entire experience is dramatically smoother and more enjoyable. I didn’t realize how attractive such a simple menu, comprised of multicolor squares, could be. I liked it so much that I actually bought Launcher 7 for my MyTouch \u2013 and I’ve never been the type to try to make one OS mimic another, but I’ve also never seen such a clean and elegant menu design.<\/p>\n Without a button in the bottom panel, you might be wondering how you would go about navigating to the Start screen. A handy new feature introduced in this OS is something they call Charms. <\/em>Somewhat like OS X’s ability to perform certain tasks when your cursor reaches a set corner of the screen, Windows 8 brings up the \u201cCharm bar\u201d when you hit the top-right corner \u2013 allowing access to search and sharing functions, as well as your control panel, devices and Start menu, of course.<\/p>\n I’ve been seeing a lot of mixed opinions regarding the Metro interface of Windows 8, more disapproval than approval \u2013 but I think it’s the best thing Microsoft has ever done to Windows. It’s one of those optimized-for-tablets things, but it looks great in desktop form too. It’s simple, but not too simple like Apple sometimes gets. I think the Metro-themed, Windows Phone 7 style Start screen will ween a lot of complete end-users off of filling the desktop up with icons \u2013 you <\/em>get to choose what your Start screen has on it, which pretty much eliminates the need for both a Start menu on the actual desktop as well as the habit of becoming overcrowded with icons.<\/p>\n Not too long ago, Internet Explorer was considered by most to be one of the worst stock browsers out there. IE9 was a huge improvement, but it just wasn’t up to par with Chrome or even Firefox. Windows 8 ships with IE10, and I was completely taken by surprise at first glance \u2013 I quickly installed Chrome afterward, but IE10 was actually a decent browser. I wouldn’t use it as my primary means of surfing the Web, but the full-screen version is pretty nice.<\/p>\n Windows Live ID is also integrated, giving Win8 some cloud functionality. I didn’t actually get to test it out, but I do like the idea of carrying your settings and files from one computer to another, all with your Live ID.<\/p>\n Overall, Windows 8 is (in my opinion) the first acceptable version of Microsoft’s Windows. Beyond that, it’s not only acceptable, but enjoyable.<\/em> The Metro theme looks amazing, and that ridiculous Start bar is pretty much dead, finally<\/em>.<\/p>\n Strangely enough, Mountain Lion<\/a><\/strong> is my least favorite of the three \u2013 and I’m a Mac guy. I just really don’t like where Apple has been headed lately. I’m not saying \u201cSteve Jobs died, so now Apple sucks\u201d, because I have no idea what really goes into the company’s decision to do this or that. What I am <\/em>saying though, is that it seems like Apple is just turning into another Microsoft.<\/p>\n A lot of people have always just assumed that Macs can’t get any kind of virus whatsoever, but with this recent Flashback malware threat, we all know that’s not the case. It’s definitely a lot more difficult to contract something on OS X, but the threats are constantly growing. That’s why Mountain Lion ships with a new virus protection program, Gatekeeper.<\/p>\n By default, Gatekeeper blocks the installation of all third party apps. That seems a little excessive, but you can always disable the setting. Still, it’s strange that an anti-malware application would completely disallow users to install anything but App Store software. I know Apple’s thing is \u201cthink different,\u201d but it seems like they sometimes make it too much of a point to be different than other software companies. Macs have never really had virus protection, and it’s good that they’re showing some concern in that area now, but something more like Windows Security Center would have been fine.<\/p>\n<\/p>\nWindows 8<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n<\/p>\nOS X Mountain Lion (10.8)<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n