Comparison between Windows 7 and Windows XP

Features Windows 7 Windows XP

User Interface

- opaqueness : - Support transparency - Support opaqueness

a transparent
border for
applications like

-taskbar for - Support large icon and unlimited number - Support only small icon and only allow
quick launch of icon pin on the taskbar limited icon to be displayed, the rest will go
icons to drop down list

-application - Support application preview -Doesn’t support application preview

preview : a - it enables user to close or switch
preview of the between application by just moving the
window you mouse to the application icons on the
have opened taskbar

- side bar : side - Support side bar and user can download - Doesn’t support any side bar
bar to display more from the web
gadget like
clock, weather,
calendar etc.

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-Jump List : - Support jump list. -Does not support jump list
Open the - Enable user to access the recent
programs and documents of that application.
files you use
most in just a
click or two in
taskbar

File Organization and Search

-Libraries: user- -Support better file organization
defined -User can add virtual location to the
collection of Library, network folders, folder from other
contents drive can be place in Library. It allows you
to access all the virtual folder and files.
-Does not support, for Win XP it is
Documents and Setting.
- User only can create shortcut which will
redirect to the location of the file, not the
virtual location.

-Find files and -Support instant search -Do not support instant search.
programs -Result will be shown as you type the -User has to enter the entire word and click
instantly: word at the search column. And you can on the search button to start searching.
instant result on easily customize and filter your searches
file searching using file name, author, file type and file
size. Besides, file can be tagged to be
sorted out accordingly.

-Desktop - Support and it’s improved in processing
Search: -User can search for programs or file at
searching file is the start menu or the window explorer
much faster with the help of search index, the file that
was search previously could be found
faster.
- Support and you need to download the
program separately.
-It would take a longer time as it doesn’t
have search index.

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Remote Access

-VPN - Support -Doesn’t support

Reconnect:
links users to
corporate
resources from
the road
without a virtual
private network
Mobile - Support -Doesn’t support
Broadband
RemoteApp & - Support -Doesn’t support
Desktop
Connections

Security and Compliance

-BitLocker - Support BitLocker Driver Encryption -Does not support

Drive - it’s a volume encryption system where a
Encryption: virtual lock is put on the files, it ensures
help prevent or the integrity of the boot path, preventing
loss of data the physical attack or boot sector malware
-BitLocker To - Support -Doesn’t support
Go: protects
data on
removable
devices
Multiple Active - Support -Doesn’t support
Firewall Profiles
Granular Audit - Support -Doesn’t support
User Account - Support -Doesn’t support
Control
Domain Name - Support -Doesn’t support
SystemSecurity
Extensions

Management

Scripting of - Support -Doesn’t support

Group Policy
Settings
Windows - Support -Doesn’t support
Recovery
Environment
Windows - Support -Doesn’t support
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Troubleshootin
g Platform
Unified Tracing - Support -Doesn’t support
Problem Steps - Support -Doesn’t support
Recorder
Remote Access - Support -Doesn’t support
to Reliability
Data

Deployment

Deployment - Support -Doesn’t support

Image
Servicing&
Management
Dynamic Driver - Support -Doesn’t support
Provisioning
Volume - Support -Doesn’t support
Activation
Multicast - Support -Doesn’t support
MultipleStream
Transfer
VHD Image - Support -Doesn’t support
Management &
Deployment
VHD Boot - Support -Doesn’t support

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Windows. “See why Windows 7 is better: Compare version”. 2009.
<http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/compare/versions.aspx>

2. Wikipedia. “Windows 7”. 7 August 2009.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7#Hardware_requirements>

3. Gralla,P. “Computer World: Seven reasons for upgrading to Windows 7”. 13 August
2009.
<http://blogs.computerworld.com/14541/seven_reasons_for_upgrading_to_windo
ws_7>

4. Smith, W. “Windows 7 Review: XP vs Vista vs 7 in 80+ Benchmarks”. 19 October 2009.

<http://www.maximumpc.com/article/reviews/windows_7_review>

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5. Top-Windows-Tutorials.com. “Master the basics of Microsoft Windows 7 and find out
what’s new in the latest version of Windows. Windows 7 tutorial 15 – Search is
everywhere in Windows 7 too”. 3 August 2010.
<http://www.top-windows-tutorials.com/windows-7-tutorial15.html>

Question 2

History Of Linux
The History of Linux began in 1991 with the commencement of a
personal project by a Finnish student, Linus Torvalds( as shown in the
picture on right), to create a new operating system kernel.Since then the
resulting Linux kernel has been marked by constant growth throughout its
history. Since the initial release of its source code in 1991, it has grown
from a small number of C files under a license prohibiting commercial
distribution to its state in 2009 of over 370 megabytes of source under the
GNU General Public License.

Events that leads to creation of linux

The Unix operating system was conceived and implemented in the 1960s and first released in
1970. Its availability and portability caused it to be widely adopted, copied and modified by
academic institutions and businesses. Its design became influential to authors of other systems.
In 1983, Richard Stallman started the GNU project with the goal of creating a free UNIX-like
operating system. As part of this work, he wrote the GNU General Public License (GPL). By the
early 1990s there was almost enough available software to create a full operating system.
However, the GNU kernel, called Hurd, failed to attract enough attention from developers leaving
GNU incomplete.
Another free operating system project in the 1980s was the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD).
This was developed by UC Berkeley from the 6th edition of Unix from AT&T. Since BSD contained
Unix code that AT&T owned, AT&T filed a lawsuit (USL v. BSDi) in the early 1990s against the
University of California. This strongly limited the development and adoption of BSD.
MINIX, a Unix-like system intended for academic use, was released by Andrew S. Tanenbaum in
1987. While source code for the system was available, modification and redistribution were
restricted. In addition, MINIX's 16-bit design was not well adapted to the 32-bit features of the
increasingly cheap and popular Intel 386 architecture for personal computers.
These factors and the lack of a widely-adopted, free kernel provided the impetus for Torvalds's
starting his project. He has stated that if either the GNU or 386BSD kernels were available at the
time, he likely would not have written his own.

The Creation of Linux

In 1991, in Helsinki, Linus Torvalds began a project that later became the Linux kernel. It was
initially a terminal emulator, which Torvalds used to access the large UNIX servers of the
university. He wrote the program specifically for the hardware he was using and independent of an
operating system because he wanted to use the functions of his new PC with an 80386 processor.
Development was done on MINIX using the GNU C compiler, which is still the main choice for
compiling Linux today (although the code can be built with other compilers, such as the Intel C
Compiler).

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The Name
Linus Torvalds had wanted to call his invention Freax, a portmanteau of "freak", "free", and "x" (as
an allusion to Unix). During the start of his work on the system, he stored the files under the name
"Freax" for about half of a year. Torvalds had already considered the name "Linux," but initially
dismissed it as too egotistical.
In order to facilitate development, the files were uploaded to the FTP server (ftp.funet.fi) of FUNET
in September 1991. Ari Lemmke, Torvald's coworker at the University of Helsinki who was one of
the volunteer administrators for the FTP server at the time, did not think that "Freax" was a good
name. So, he named the project "Linux" on the server without consulting Torvalds. Later, however,
Torvald consented to "Linux".

Linux Features

1. Low Cost
- Linux and majority of the Software is GNU General Public License. Besides, there
a variety of high quality software are easily downloaded from the website.

2. Stability
- Linux is more stable as it doesn’t turn lag or slow down due to the over time of
usage.

3. Performance
- Linux works well on workstations and networks. It can handle large numbers of
users simultaneously, and can make old computers sufficiently responsive to be
useful again.

4. User-friendly networking
- Linux was developed by a programmer over the net, so it has a stronger support
for network functionality. Client and server system can easily set up with Linux on
the computer.

5. Flexibility
- For Linux, you can install the components needed for a particular use instead of
the complete application.

6. Compatibility
- It runs all common Unix software packages and able to read all common file
formats.

7. Choice
- There are variety of Linux distribution, each of it is supported by a different
organization. User can choose the suitable ones to be installed.

8. Fast and easy installation

- Majority of Linux distributions come with user-friendly installation and program
setup environment.

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9. Full use of hard disk
- Even when the hard disk is almost full, Linux could still functioning as normal

10. Multitasking
- Linux is designed to do many things at the same time without making the
interrupting the background programs.

11. Security
- Linux is one of the most secure operating systems. “Walls” and flexible file access
permission systems prevent access by unwanted visitors or viruses.

12. Open Source

- Linux`s source code is free. It allows user to alter the code for any purpose. Most
Linux applications are Open Source as well.

Differences between Linux and Windows

Features Linux Windows

Formats Linux file formats can be
accessed in a variety of ways
because it is a open source
OS.
License agreements Linux is open source so you
violation are unlikely to violate any
license agreement.
Transparent vs -Linux is based on UNIX.
Proprietary -Linux GUI is based on
industry-standard network-
transparent X-Windows.
Network and Linux has a better network
processing capabilities features as a development
platform, in data processing
capabilities, and as a scientific
workstation.
Flexibility -Linux can boot from either a
primary partition or a logical
partition inside an extended
partition
- Linux can boot from any hard
disk in the computer
Mobility - Linux stores all user data in
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Windows on the other hand makes
you lock your own data in secret
formats that can only be accessed
with tools leased to you at the
vendor’s price.
With MS Windows you likely
already violate all kinds of licenses
and you could be pronounced a
computer pirate if only a smart
lawyer was after you. The
worldwide PC software piracy rate
for 2004 is at 35%.
- MS Windows is based on DOS
-MS Windows Graphical User
Interface (GUI) is based on
Microsoft-own marketing-driven
specifications.
MS Windows desktop has a more
friendly appearance, simple
general business applications, it is
more commercialized.
-Windows must boot from a
primary partition.
-Windows must boot from the first
hard disk.
- Windows allows programs to
 the home directory making it store user information (files and
much easier to migrate from an settings) anywhere.
old computer to a new one. -This makes it impossibly hard to
- You can even upgrade from backup user data files and settings
one version of Linux to another and to switch to a new computer.
without having to migrate user
data and settings
Proven Security Simply because its code has Windows code are protected, so it
been open source for more is only tested by a single
than a decade, tested by development team. When there is
people all around the world. an invasion of virus, it takes longer
This leads to a lightning fast time to develop the anti-virus as
finding and fixing for the man power is limited.
exploitable holes in Linux
Full access vs. no The fact that Linux belongs to The codes are protected.
access the GNU Public License
ensures that users can access
(and alter) the code to the very
kernel that serves as the
foundation of the Linux
operating system.

Bibliography

1. Wikipedia. “History of Linux”. 3 August 2010.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Linux>

2. Haas, J. “About.com:Linux: Linux, the Ultimate Unix”. 3 August 2010.

<http://linux.about.com/cs/linux101/a/linux_2.htm>

3. Wallen, J. “10 fundamental differences between Linux and Windows”. 26 August 2008.
<http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=406>

4. Chris. “10 Major Differences Between Linux and Windows”. 3 March 2007.
<http://rangit.com/operating-systems/8-major-differences-between-linux-and-windows/>

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