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CowboyTeal writes:
"Windows 8 is still being disputed as either the product of a genius or a nerdy sadist but that doesn't mean Windows 9 isn't in the works. That said, how would you guys improve Windows if you could change anything about it? Has windows 8 improved or degraded your overall experience of the Windows platform? If you're not a Windows user, what features would you like to see in Windows for possible assimilation?"
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Grelb's Reminder:
Eighty percent of all people consider themselves to be above
average drivers.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by hash14 on Sunday March 02 2014, @05:30PM
I'm not sure I agree that the kernel isn't a problem (though I agree that it's not THE problem). From a technological standpoint, the Windows kernel just isn't as advanced as the Linux kernel and you can see it in all sorts of ways. Linux is more responsive, has better task scheduling ie. is less likely to freeze up when processes become resource intensive (CPU, disk and memory I/O), has better admin/management utilities (though I have never admined a Windows box myself), supports dozens more file systems (nearly all of which are far, far superior to NTFS) and rarely requires restarts. Generally speaking, it's just more responsive, secure and modular than the Windows kernel.
I understand that people who use Windows often don't care about these sorts of things, but Macs are successful because they try to emulate the Linux kernel (or at least what it does well). The only thing that Windows may do better than Linux is graphics hardware support, and yet given Linux's open community model, people are constantly contributing support to improve it (e.g. Valve). The primary difference is that Windows is built to make money, and Linux is simply made to be as good as can be.
It may not be noticeable to average users, but it is to me.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by jt on Sunday March 02 2014, @06:22PM
I think it's fair to say that the various kernels have pros and cons for any given situation. The Linux kernel is undoubtedly excellent, modern, and can be tuned/configured to perform well for almost any application. The NT kernel is certainly good enough for desktops and has some strengths in this area, particularly with multimedia applications, and does have modern OS design features. Other alternatives like QNX might be a better choice than the Linux kernel for some hard real-time applications. It's important to remember that 'Windows' implies much more than just the kernel and its these other elements, and the surrounding ecosystem of applications and hardware support, which differentiate Windows from the alternatives.