Want to break free from a Microsoft world? Leigh Dyer looks at the alternatives.
Let's be up font about this. PC Authority believes Microsoft's Windows XP Professional is the best operating system for mainstream use. It's not perfect by a long shot, but in the right hands it's a stable platform with exceptional hardware and software support. But it's not alone anymore, with Apple and the open source world providing great alternatives that can even out perform the Microsoft machine in certain areas.
This month, we've looked at the six most common areas of desktop computing and found shinning examples of the best in each class. These aren't just penguins and apples - it's the line up of competition that togther has the potential to eat into Microsoft's dominating market share.
Testing setupIn order to test the level of hardware support available in each distribution, two different test systems were used -- a modern high-end desktop computer with a large amount of on-board hardware, and an older system typical of the desktop machines common in home and office environments.High-end desktop:
Office desktop:
Issue: 133 | February, 2012