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Leopard Wins PC Magazine's OS War 2008

Leopard Wins PC Magazine's OS War 2008

by , 12:55 PM EST, February 18th, 2008

PC Magazine's March issue pitted Mac OS X 10.5.1 against Windows XP, Vista, and Ubuntu Linux 7.10 in every imaginable category, price, installation, interface, security and more. Leopard won four of the eight categories and was the overall winner.

Leopard won the installation, interface, bundled software and security categories. Ubuntu Linux won on price. Windows XP won the third party software, drivers, and networking categories. Vista didn't win in any of the categories.

PC Magazine concluded: "Mac OS X 10.5.1 is the product to pick for our mythical average user who wants something secure, easy to install, and easy to master. That you can run Windows and Ubuntu on today's Intel-based Macs -- enabling you to use all these OSs on the same PC -- is just gravy."

In the final tally, Leopard received a 4 out of 5 rating, XP SP2 3.5, Ubuntu 3.5 and Vista 3 out of 5.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:Guest
Subject: So... Where is the article

I followed the link to pcmag.com, poked around, but never did find the story.

Might there be a link to the article coming?

Close Name:j.martellaro -   TMO Staff Posts: 97 Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Subject: PC Mag

PC Mag is late updating their Website link: Current Issue.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: I can't find the article nowheres...

Why the heck didn't they supply the link to the article in the story her. What the heck is up with that?

Close Name:Guest
Subject: 3?

if Vista "didn't win in any of the categories" how did it manage a 3 out of 5 rating?

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Leopard User..OS does NOT win

I can't understand how you had Leopard win??? I am a Mac owner (imac 2.8 gig extreme processor, 4 gig ram, 24" screen, running leopard 10.5.2).

Leopard is the worst operating system I have ever used (I have used unix, vms, windows 3.0, 95, xp, 2000, etc).

Mac has the worst networking I have ever seen and yet you rated it 4.5? what are you thinking...You should try using a product before rating it.

lets see where to start:

I have win xp bootcamped and running through vmware fusion.
My Mac drops my internet connect (can't surf, can't ping, etc) on a regular basis...however if I start up the xp through VMWare it still works.

There is no easy way to map a network drive at logon. Lots of cheeeezzeeey ways to simulate but all have disadvantages ( I am using a util called automountmaker).

I have multiple user accounts on the mac (my wife, and me). When we switch between accounts (leaving the other active)...the volume that was mounted in the other account shows on desktop...and gives us "permission denied"...unmounting it removes it from the other active account (fabulous..read sarcasm here).

I have a DNS-323 disk array (Raid 1) to keep all my photos...try getting your mac to use a drive other than the internal for most apps...it hates to do that.

It shows my DNS-323 as a mounted volume (once I run the automountmaker script). It does not add the volume to the device list in finder unless I drag it there (which I have to do EVERY time I log on).

When I connect my camera (cannon es550) it automatically starts up crappy iphoto (don't get me started)...and when I shut down iphoto...there is no camera shown as a device....can't browse it, can't see it...nada.

Wireless keyboard...what moron decided that because I wanted to be wireless...that I only wanted half a keyboard...excuse me but a 24" monitor is not a portable laptop...Tried to return my keyboard..but it turns out you CAN'T...not without shipping the whole mac back to apple for a new one (try it..it sounds ridiculous but it's true)...full keyboard please!

XP for all it's flaws is clearly the best OS for a variety of uses. Perhaps if you titled the article..."who wins the I am a lone user of a non-network computer..who want's to make home movies OS WARS"...perhaps maybe...just maybe Leopard could win.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Leopard User..OS does NOT win

I can't understand how you had Leopard win??? I am a Mac owner (imac 2.8 gig extreme processor, 4 gig ram, 24" screen, running leopard 10.5.2).

Leopard is the worst operating system I have ever used (I have used unix, vms, windows 3.0, 95, xp, 2000, etc).

Mac has the worst networking I have ever seen and yet you rated it 4.5? what are you thinking...You should try using a product before rating it.

lets see where to start:

I have win xp bootcamped and running through vmware fusion.
My Mac drops my internet connect (can't surf, can't ping, etc) on a regular basis...however if I start up the xp through VMWare it still works.

There is no easy way to map a network drive at logon. Lots of cheeeezzeeey ways to simulate but all have disadvantages ( I am using a util called automountmaker).

I have multiple user accounts on the mac (my wife, and me). When we switch between accounts (leaving the other active)...the volume that was mounted in the other account shows on desktop...and gives us "permission denied"...unmounting it removes it from the other active account (fabulous..read sarcasm here).

I have a DNS-323 disk array (Raid 1) to keep all my photos...try getting your mac to use a drive other than the internal for most apps...it hates to do that.

It shows my DNS-323 as a mounted volume (once I run the automountmaker script). It does not add the volume to the device list in finder unless I drag it there (which I have to do EVERY time I log on).

When I connect my camera (cannon es550) it automatically starts up crappy iphoto (don't get me started)...and when I shut down iphoto...there is no camera shown as a device....can't browse it, can't see it...nada.

Wireless keyboard...what moron decided that because I wanted to be wireless...that I only wanted half a keyboard...excuse me but a 24" monitor is not a portable laptop...Tried to return my keyboard..but it turns out you CAN'T...not without shipping the whole mac back to apple for a new one (try it..it sounds ridiculous but it's true)...full keyboard please!

XP for all it's flaws is clearly the best OS for a variety of uses. Perhaps if you titled the article..."who wins the I am a lone user of a non-network computer..who want's to make home movies OS WARS"...perhaps maybe...just maybe Leopard could win.

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

Are you kidding me... Windows XP over Leopard... that's like comparing a 1901 Model T Ford to a 2008 Farrari... Doesn't sound like you know much about your Mac and Leopard. Leopard has the most advanced networking capabilities in the world, if you take the time to research a little before whining you might find out that you do not have to have iPhoto open, but it sure is a nice feature that most normal folks appreciate, and by the way PhotoShop which costs about $600 doesn't even let you organize a library of photos, but iPhoto lets you store up to 25000 and is fast, not WinDOSE SLOOOOW, and genius there is no problem using external drives for anything, programs or data, are you telling me that putting programs and registries everywhere is a good thing (read sarcasm here). lastly Mr. Einsten Apple has pictures of the Wireless Keyboard on their website, ever take the time to research before you whine? (read sarcasm here again)

Close Name:Guest
Subject: thanks

Post my comment thank you test test

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