Comparison of Different Companies Operating Systems (Essay Sample)

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Operating Systems Comparison
An operating system (OS) is a software that handles the overall computer functionalities by scheduling the tasks to be handled by the processor. Operating systems can either be obtained commercially by purchasing them from the vendors or downloading them for free from the internet. Windows is a commercial OS provided by the Microsoft Corporation in 1985, and it gives users periodical updates (Carpenter). Linux is a UNIX-based open-source software that was developed by Linus Torvalds in the early 1990s and made available for users to modify and re-distribute customized codes that suit specific needs (Pro). Both Linux and Windows are dominant operating systems, though most standard users prefer running the latter.
Linux allows users to customize and even resell the source codes without any restrictions. The OS can be modified to address specific end-user needs, whether domestic or at commercial levels. Windows OS, on the other hand, does not allow standard-user modifications on the software. Microsoft provides the license for each copy, which does not grant users access to the software’s source code (Carpenter). This distinct feature makes Windows to be preferred over Linux due to its consistency. The Application Programming Interface (API) and .NET frameworks of a Windows OS remains compatible after every upgrade to ensure that applications from the previous version still run seamlessly on the new software (Pro). Linux has a fixed API that requires the importation of new applications’ settings for every upgrade. This becomes challenging for non-technical users who often opt for the predefined Windows OS.