Q: Which Operating system will everyone use in the future? Will it be
Windows? Mac? Linux? BeOS? Who will win this clash of the titans?
A: And the winner is ... no one! Just when you thought Windows would take
over the world, it gets sued by the government. Steve Jobs comes back to rescue
Apple with colored plastic.
Linux emerges as the operating system of choice for geeks. So who will win?
Not a one. They all will win. How, you ask? You can thank the Internet and
soon, wireless technology.
The fact is, in the not-too-distant future, it won't matter which operating
system you use for most common applications. This is because all the new
innovations occurring in software are over the Internet. For example, Windows
people are always pouncing on Mac users with the old line, "There are more
software titles for Windows."
That's true. You cannot buy a copy of TurboTax for the Macintosh, but it doesn't
matter now. Run TurboTax via a Web browser on a Mac, and presto!--you have access
on the Macintosh. This is a trend that is likely to continue.
The point is that it will matter less and less which operating system you
use. That's good news for users. It will create more choices when deciding which
computer to buy.
We are seeing a large number of mobile professionals opt for a Palm Pilot
instead of a laptop. That's not so crazy anymore. As wireless technology becomes
more useful, it will be hard to lug a laptop around just to send an e-mail. Of
course, the holy wars of Mac versus PC will never end, but they're fun to watch
anyway.
Q: What happened to Novell? Is Windows NT a better networking system?
A: For many network techs, Novell is a robust and reliable network operating
system. Its directory structure is arguably superior to Windows NT. So why is
Novell getting the crap beaten out of it in the networking world? History is full
of stories of technologies that were superior but ended up in the dustbin of
history.
Take the difference between VHS and Beta: Beta is technically better, but
somehow VHS became the standard. GSM is a superior mobile phone technology used
in Europe, yet we find ourselves here in the States using an inferior technology.
So why is Microsoft's WindowsNT enjoying such success?
Microsoft is like a Japanese company. They're not very creative, but they
listen to what consumers want and they give it to them. We gripe about security
holes, but they plug them eventually.
You also have to admit it: Microsoft is a great publisher--they have the best
and most detailed manuals, knowledge bases, and support. Of course you have wait
on hold for two hours for phone support, but everybody in the industry wishes
they had so much business.
In the end, it's all of the other things like support, documentation, and
ease of implementation that determine the winner. Geeks sometimes forget that.
Q: I heard that I can now get a 1GHz computer. Should I? What are the
benefits? Are there any?
A: Of course not! This is a pure ego play on the part of AMD and Intel. It's
like the Year 2000--it's only symbolically significant. Besides, you'd also be
paying an arm and a leg for a processor that will be much cheaper in a few years,
so don't sweat it.
Here's a joke for ya:
Q: What is the main benefit of a 1GHz processor?
A: Your computer will now crash twice as fast.
Contributing writer Robert Stephens is the chief inspector of the Geek Squad, a Minneapolis-based tech support
firm, and author of "The Geek Squad's Guide to solving Any Computer Glitch."
