Linux and Windows

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the current computer operating systems marketplace and shows how Windows is the clear leader. It shows also how and why its decade-old competitor Linux is gaining ground quickly and stands to present a very credible challenge to the Window's monopoly. The paper compares the history and development of Windows to Linux and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

From the Paper:

"According to the Microsoft.com web site, the birth of Windows can be traced to a very specific day: November 10, 1983. On this date Microsoft first announced that a new "extension of the MS DOS operating system" would soon be introduced. Further research shows that this announcement was made at the Plaza Hotel in New York City and that the program would be available for customer purchase sometime in April 1984 (Bellis Part 1). This planned date of release turned out to be a bit optimistic (it would not be the last time this turned out to be the case). Windows 1.0 did not show up in any stores until November of 1985 (Windows History).

In any case, Windows was a long time in preparation. Two years before the 1983 announcement, Microsoft had initiated the development of the operating system. During this 'incubation' period, the company's marketing department had even suggested that the original name "Interface Manager" be replaced. The head of the department, Rowland Hanson, felt that this original one was not quite catchy enough. He then recommended that Bill Gates use the name Windows (Bellis Part 1). From this point forward, pressure built on Microsoft to push their product out into the market as soon as they possibly could. Competitors were already well on their way in this regard. VisiOn and TopView (by IBM) introduced systems very similar to Windows with attractive graphical user interfaces (GUIs) (Windows History)."

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