Windows, iOS or Linux?

[Mark de J]

Hey,

What is the diferent between Windows, iOS and Linux? I only know Windows, never did something with Linux so I want to know. iOS, why not?

[nathanmiller77]

iOS is mobile... Windows\Linux is a broad name that could be mobile(windows phone/android) or desktop.
And for differences; that depends what type of differences you're looking for. Capabilities, organization, file handling, process handling, apps, audience, 3rd party support, first party support, etc. This is a very broad question.

Use what you need to get stuff done; is the standard motto.

[grahammechanical]

Basically, if you buy a computer with an OS pre-installed the OS will either be from Microsoft or Apple and although you have purchased the machine the OS and the other software does not belong to you. It still belongs to Apple or Microsoft. You have simply licensed the software. The user has no access to the computer programming code and is not allowed to modify it in any way or to distribute the code.

There is a completely different approach to the development and distribution of the Linux kernel and the other software that runs with and on it. This development approach is called Free and Open Source Software (FOSS).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_an...ource_software

http://freeopensourcesoftware.org/in...itle=Main_Page

Regards.

[Lars Noodén]

iOS is originally derived from OS X which, like Linux, is a UNIX-like OS. See around 2007:

http://www.levenez.com/unix/

OS X itself is based on Darwin which is based on Nextstep and BSD, with a bit of GNU, on the XNU kernel.

iOS is rather locked down and OS X is getting more that way than it was. If you're wanting to experiment with any level of the OS, then Linux or the BSDs are about your only choice. The Linux kernel + Java would be on your Android devices. QNX, used on the Blackberry, is hyrbid, and at least used to offer the source code but with the restriction that you could not redistribute it.

[kerk_malinson]

It difficult to give explanations in a few words. These are different OS with their own pros and cons. There are a lot of related info available on the Internet.

[linuxyogi]

Download virtualbox for windows. https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads
Download Ubuntu http://www.ubuntu.com/download
Install it in a virtual machine. If you like it install to HDD as dual boot with Windows.

[sammiev]

To try Linux like Ubuntu you can burn a live version to a USB/DVD and try it without installing and without any modifications to your present OS.

[Linuxratty]

Linux is open source,the others are not. Linux uses the Linux kernel,Microsoft uses DOS and Apple uses BSD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVpbFMhOAwE

[Cowboy84]

iOS is Mobile, however diffrence between Linux programs and Windows;Windows (to me) has to much, I perfer Plain, simple and fast. Nothing annoys me than working on something and being irratated by annoying pop ups that have absolutley of no importance to what I what to work on. It's like having a little kid in the computer..".hey dad....dad...dad.." I don't want to register every dang thing I want to use, if i don't want it I want to delete it. However getting used to how Linux operates is a learning curve, one that I'm enjoying learning, with the Ubuntu community giving me support, I feel I can accomplish anything. The real beauty of LINUX is you can choose how technical you want to be by which version you download, Ubuntu, Linux Mint ect ect. I've researched for about 6 months then when I was ready I chose Ubuntu 12.

[Copper Bezel]

Linux is open source,the others are not. Linux uses the Linux kernel,Microsoft uses DOS and Apple uses BSD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVpbFMhOAwE

The Windows kernel is called NT, and it has nothing to do with DOS. DOS isn't even natively multitasking....

Edit: And grahammechanical, it's an extreme oversimplification to say that Windows devices come from Microsoft. Very few do, and that's only a recent development. Most come from other manufacturers with licensed Microsoft branding and software.