It’s easy to look back fondly on the era of MS-DOS. In the distant past, a simple set of letters and punctuation was all you needed to launch a favorite program. This command dealt with all of the inner functions that allowed the code to work. Basically, you merely needed to type a string of characters on a completely blank screen with a single cursor. The shiny operating systems we all know and love today developed in response to public demand for a graphical icon. To the person that knows little about computers, this seems much simpler than writing a command. However, this transition brought about a whole new wave of problems to the computing experience.

First of all, a graphical representation of your software uses system resources. While this may seem insignificant for most users, this can be a serious problem if you hope to stress your machine to its full abilities. As more individuals and businesses began to purchase these operating systems, software developers decided to include more services in an effort to anticipate the user’s software. If the operating system were designed with your favorite software in mind, this would be a good thing. Unfortunately, many software designers took on the impossible task of trying to anticipate every single conceivable application that any user might think to try. This slows your computer down much like some spyware or virus infections.

Linux has always remained a successful option because it permits for builds that do very little. Many versions of Linux work in minimalist fashion; you will have to select programs and dependencies as you need them. While this might feel like a pain in the neck for most users, it is great when you plan to use your machine to its full potential. Many technically minded users prefer a lighter operating system. However, if you are looking to dive right into your favorite programs without much research, the resource heavy systems have better general compatibility.

Microsoft’s Windows Vista was arguably the perfect example of the extravagant operating system. Its massive code base anticipated nearly any software function. Ironically, this led to an opposite inspiration for Windows 7. Windows 7 has a streamlined, resource light structure that can finally compete with the lightweight Linux.

Recent tech trends appear to be inspired by the desire to do more with less. In the future, developers will push the limits of technology to satisfy both of these desires. The newest operating system releases by all of the major players seem to speak to this public demand. There will always be a need for a balance between compatibility and operating system memory use.

Thankfully, we are lucky enough to have a robust market of operating system providers. Each generation of operating systems brings different advantages. There are arguments for using all of the various modern operating system which depend heavily on their intended use. When deciding on your operating system, you should carefully look into its synergy with software that you intend to use. Each competitor looks to satisfy a specific niche market. Your market will be served in at least one of the major releases at any time. Ask others who have similar needs to your own for advice on which operating system to install.

Geek Choice is a nationwide computer repair company that works hard to help our customers get the most out of their computers. Slow computer performance could be the fault of spyware, malware, or viruses, or it could just be a matter of using the wrong operating system or hardware to meet your needs.