Comparison of user features of operating systems: Difference between revisions

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Microsoft introduced an [[operating environment]] named ''Windows'' on 20 November 1985, as a graphical [[operating system shell]] for [[MS-DOS]] in response to the growing interest in [[graphical user interface]]s (GUIs).<ref name=aboutcomnov>{{cite web |url=http://inventors.about.com/od/mstartinventions/a/Windows.htm?rd=1 |title=The Unusual History of Microsoft Windows |access-date=22 April 2007}}</ref> Microsoft Windows came to [[dominance (economics)|dominate]] the world's personal computer (PC) market with [[usage share of operating systems|over 90% market share]], overtaking [[Classic Mac OS|Mac OS]], which had been introduced in 1984, while Microsoft has in 2020 lost its dominance of the consumer operating system market, with Windows down to 30%, lower than [[Apple Inc|Apple]]'s 31% mobile-only share (65% for desktop operating systems only, i.e. "[[IBM PC compatible|PCs]]" vs. Apple's 28% desktop share) in its home market, the US, and 32% globally (77% for desktops), where Google's Android leads.

Apple came to see Windows as an unfair encroachment on their innovation in GUI development as implemented on products such as the [[Apple Lisa|Lisa]] and [[Macintosh]] (eventually settled in court in Microsoft's favor in 1993). {{As of|2023|January}}, on PCs, Windows is still the most popular operating system in all countries.<ref name="statcounter-os">{{Cite web|title=Operating System Market Share Worldwide|url=https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share#monthly-202012202301-202012202301-mapbar|access-date=56 JanuaryFebruary 20212023|website=StatCounter Global Stats|language=en}}</ref><ref name="statcounter-desktop" /> However, in 2014, Microsoft admitted losing the majority of the overall operating system market to [[Android (operating system)|Android]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2490008/microsoft-gets-real--admits-its-device-share-is-just-14-.html|title=Microsoft gets real, admits its device share is just 14%|last=Keizer|first=Gregg|date=14 July 2014|website=[[Computerworld]]|publisher=[[IDG]]|quote=[Microsoft's chief operating officer] Turner's 14% came from a new forecast released last week by Gartner, which estimated Windows' share of the shipped device market last year was 14%, and would decrease slightly to 13.7% in 2014. Android will dominate, Gartner said, with a 48% share this year|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821210826/http://www.computerworld.com/article/2490008/microsoft-windows/microsoft-gets-real--admits-its-device-share-is-just-14-.html|archive-date=21 August 2016}}</ref> because of the massive growth in sales of Android [[smartphone]]s. In 2014, the number of Windows devices sold was less than 25% that of Android devices sold. This comparison, however, may not be fully relevant, as the two operating systems traditionally target different platforms. Still, numbers for server use of Windows (that are comparable to competitors) show one third market share, similar to that for end user use. <!--Server share varies by types of servers, web server numbers most easily attained.-->

{{As of|2020|10}}, the most recent version of Windows for PCs, [[tablet computers|tablet]]s and [[embedded system|embedded devices]] is [[Windows 10]], version 20H2. The most recent version for [[Server (computing)|server computers]] is [[Windows Server]], version 20H2.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/search?alpha=Windows%20Server%20version%202004%20(Datacenter%20Standard))|title=Microsoft|website=support.microsoft.com|access-date=28 May 2019}}</ref> [[Xbox One system software|A specialized version of Windows]] also runs on the [[Xbox One]] [[video game console]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wccftech.com/xbox-one-architecture-explained-runs-windows-8-virtually-indistinguishable/|title=Xbox One Architecture Finally Explained – Runs OS 'Virtually Indistinguishable' from Windows 8|work=WCCFtech|date=20 April 2014 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906020456/http://wccftech.com/xbox-one-architecture-explained-runs-windows-8-virtually-indistinguishable/|archive-date=6 September 2015}}</ref>

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Popular Linux distributions<ref>{{cite web|url=http://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=major |title=DistroWatch.com: Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD. |last=DistroWatch |website=distrowatch.com |access-date=30 December 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130402195650/http://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=major |archive-date=2 April 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cio.com/article/3023349/linux/best-linux-distros-of-2016-something-for-everyone.html|title=Best Linux distros of 2016: Something for everyone|last=Bhartiya|first=Swapnil|newspaper=CIO|access-date=30 December 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231170119/http://www.cio.com/article/3023349/linux/best-linux-distros-of-2016-something-for-everyone.html|archive-date=31 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tecmint.com/linux-distributions/|title=10 Most Used Linux Distributions of All Time|website=TecMint|access-date=6 February 2023}}</ref> include [[Debian]], [[Fedora (operating system)|Fedora]], and [[Ubuntu]]. Commercial distributions include [[Red Hat Enterprise Linux]] and [[SUSE Linux Enterprise Server]]. Desktop Linux distributions include a [[windowing system]] such as [[X11]] or [[Wayland (display server protocol)|Wayland]], and a [[desktop environment]] such as [[GNOME]] or [[KDE Plasma 5|KDE Plasma]]. Distributions intended for [[server (computing)|servers]] may omit [[computer graphics|graphics]] altogether, or include a [[solution stack]] such as [[LAMP (software bundle)|LAMP]]. Because Linux is freely redistributable, anyone may create a distribution for any purpose.<ref name="what">{{Cite web|title=What is Linux?|url=https://opensource.com/resources/linux|website=Opensource.com|language=en|access-date=12 May 2020}}</ref>

Linux was originally developed for personal computers based on the [[Intel x86]] architecture, but has since been [[porting|ported]] to more [[computer hardware platforms|platforms]] than any other operating system.<ref>{{cite news |author=Barry Levine |title=Linux' {{sic|22|th|nolink=yes}} Birthday Is Commemorated – Subtly – by Creator |url=http://www.cmswire.com/cms/information-management/linux-22th-birthday-is-commemorated-subtly-by-creator-022244.php |access-date=10 May 2015 |publisher=Simpler Media Group, Inc |date=26 August 2013 |quote="Originally developed for Intel x86-based PCs, Torvalds' "hobby" has now been released for more hardware platforms than any other OS in history." |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518155152/http://www.cmswire.com/cms/information-management/linux-22th-birthday-is-commemorated-subtly-by-creator-022244.php |archive-date=18 May 2015}}</ref> Because of the dominance of the Linux-based [[Android (operating system)|Android]] on [[smartphone]]s, {{as of|2023|January|lc=y}}, Linux also has the [[Usage share of operating systems|largest]] [[installed base]] of all [[general-purpose operating system]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|urlname=https://gs."statcounter.com/-os-market-share|title=Operating" System Market Share Worldwide|website=StatCounter Global Stats}}</ref><ref name="marketshare.hitslink.com">{{cite web|url=http://marketshare.hitslink.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=8&qpcustomd=1&qptimeframe=M|title=NetMarketShare:Mobile/Tablet Operating System Market Share|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006070701/http://marketshare.hitslink.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=8&qpcustomd=1&qptimeframe=M|archive-date=6 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=McPherson|first=Amanda|date=13 December 2012|title=What a Year for Linux: Please Join us in Celebration|url=http://www.linuxfoundation.org/news-media/blogs/browse/2012/12/what-year-linux-please-join-us-celebration|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417232521/http://www.linuxfoundation.org/news-media/blogs/browse/2012/12/what-year-linux-please-join-us-celebration|archive-date=17 April 2014|access-date=16 April 2014|publisher=Linux Foundation}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.linuxfordevices.com/c/a/News/Trolltech-rolls-complete-Linux-smartphone-stack/ |title=Trolltech rolls "complete" Linux smartphone stack |access-date=12 January 2017 |last=Linux Devices |date=28 November 2006 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120525231448/http://www.linuxfordevices.com/c/a/News/Trolltech-rolls-complete-Linux-smartphone-stack/ |archive-date=25 May 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Although it is, {{as of|2023|January|lc=y}}, used by only around 2.9 percent of [[desktop computer]]s,<ref name="statcounter-desktop" /> the [[Chromebook]], which runs the Linux kernel-based [[ChromeOS]], dominates the US [[K–12]] education market and represents nearly 20 percent of sub-$300 [[Laptop|notebook]] sales in the US.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zdnet.com/article/chromebook-shipments-leap-by-67-percent/|title=Chromebook shipments leap by 67 percent|author=Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols|work=ZDNet|access-date=29 September 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929055809/http://www.zdnet.com/article/chromebook-shipments-leap-by-67-percent/|archive-date=29 September 2015}}</ref> Linux is the leading operating system on servers (over 96.4% of the top 1&nbsp;million web servers' operating systems are Linux),<ref>{{cite web|title=OS Market Share and Usage Trends|url=http://www.w3cook.com/os/summary/|website=W3Cook.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150806093859/http://www.w3cook.com/os/summary|archive-date=6 August 2015}}</ref> leads other [[Big iron (computing)|big iron]] systems such as [[mainframe computer]]s, and is the only OS used on [[TOP500]] [[supercomputer]]s (since November 2017, having gradually eliminated all competitors).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/linux-totally-dominates-supercomputers/ |title=Linux totally dominates supercomputers |last=Vaughan-Nichols |first=Steven J. |year=2017 |publisher=ZDNet |publication-date=14 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171114211600/http://www.zdnet.com/article/linux-totally-dominates-supercomputers/ |archive-date=14 November 2017 |access-date=25 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9142007/IBM_s_newest_mainframe_is_all_Linux_ |title=IBM's newest mainframe is all Linux |last=Thibodeau |first=Patrick |year=2009 |publisher=Computerworld |publication-date=9 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111053745/http://www.computerworld.com/article/2521639/computer-hardware/ibm-s-newest-mainframe-is-all-linux.html |archive-date=11 November 2016 |access-date=22 February 2009}}</ref><ref name="rules_supercomputers">{{cite news | title = Linux rules supercomputers | url = https://www.forbes.com/home/enterprisetech/2005/03/15/cz_dl_0315linux.html | last = Lyons | first = Daniel | access-date = 22 February 2007 | work = Forbes | date = 15 March 2005 | url-status=live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070224235804/http://www.forbes.com/home/enterprisetech/2005/03/15/cz_dl_0315linux.html | archive-date = 24 February 2007 }}</ref>

Linux also runs on [[embedded system]]s, i.e. devices whose operating system is typically built into the [[firmware]] and is highly tailored to the system. This includes [[router (computing)|routers]], [[automation]] controls, [[smart home technology]] (like [[Google Nest]]),<ref name="fosscompliance">{{cite web| title=Nest Learning Thermostat open source compliance | url=https://nest.com/legal/compliance/ | publisher=Nest.com | access-date=9 August 2014}}</ref> televisions (Samsung and LG [[Smart TV]]s use [[Tizen]] and [[WebOS]], respectively),<ref name="Linux Smart TVs">{{cite web | title = Linux continues advance in smart TV market | url = http://linuxgizmos.com/linux-continues-advance-in-smart-tv-market/ | website = linuxgizmos.com | author = Eric Brown | date = 29 March 2019 | access-date = 15 May 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Sony Open Source Code Distribution Service | url = http://products.sel.sony.com/opensource/ | publisher = Sony Electronics | access-date = 8 October 2011 | url-status=dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111004171109/http://products.sel.sony.com/opensource/ | archive-date = 4 October 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Sharp Liquid Crystal Television Instruction Manual | url = http://files.sharpusa.com/Downloads/ForHome/HomeEntertainment/LCDTVs/Manuals/Archive/tel_man_LC32_37_42HT3U.pdf | publisher = Sharp Electronics | access-date = 8 October 2011 | page = 24 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120111111044/http://files.sharpusa.com/Downloads/ForHome/HomeEntertainment/LCDTVs/Manuals/Archive/tel_man_LC32_37_42HT3U.pdf | archive-date = 11 January 2012 }}</ref> [[automobiles]] (for example, Tesla, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, and Toyota all rely on Linux),<ref name="Linux cars">{{cite web|title=It's a Linux-powered car world|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/its-a-linux-powered-car-world/|website=ZDNet|author=Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols|date=4 January 2019|access-date=15 May 2020}}</ref> [[digital video recorder]]s, [[video game console]]s, and [[smartwatch]]es.<ref name="LinuxDevices">{{cite web | url = http://researcher.watson.ibm.com/researcher/view_group.php?id=6101 | title = Linux Watch (WatchPad) | access-date = 18 June 2015 | last = [[IBM]] | date = October 2001 | url-status=live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150618153004/http://researcher.watson.ibm.com/researcher/view_group.php?id=6101 | archive-date = 18 June 2015 }}</ref> The [[Falcon 9]]'s and the [[SpaceX Dragon 2|Dragon 2]]'s [[avionics]] use a customized version of Linux.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/google-amp/article/from-earth-to-orbit-with-linux-and-spacex/|title=From Earth to orbit with Linux and SpaceX &#124; ZDNet|website=www.zdnet.com}}</ref>