In the past year, I’ve used Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Ubuntu (8.04 and 8.10), and now OS X, on various computers laying around. It’s easy enough to burn an iso and load it up, and if it’s a spare computer, there’s not much to lose/backup/etc. Since I work online, it’s important for me to have each machine setup so that, if needed, I could work from it. Thus, as I’ve been tinkering and experimenting with these various operating systems, I’ve discovered that I’m basically OS-agnostic.
How so? Well, as long as I can load up Firefox and install the Foxmarks plugin, I have access to all of my bookmarks, usernames, and passwords, and they’re synced between the various computers. I can, for instance, wake up and grab my old Gateway MX6956, which is dual-booting Windows 7 and Kubuntu currently, and go through my RSS feeds in Greader, check my Gmail, and bookmark the stories I need to cover today. I can then get out of bed, walk to my office, and fire up my Dell XPS M1330, open Firefox, and open those stories in tabs with just a few clicks. Since Firefox is available for Windows, Linux, and OS X, it works fantastically.
The only ‘gotcha’ is in media. Of course, I can play back my MP3s, movies, etc in any computer, but what about content creation/editing? Currently, Windows is king for that, since I have Photoshop and Ulead Video Studio. Ubuntu’s video editing tools are basically non-existant, so that rules that out pretty quickly. I’ve only just started exploring OS X, and I’m working on getting iLife ’09 to check out. That might be the deciding factor, we’ll see.
In any case, when you think about it, most consumers are the same as me – OS-agnostic, as long as it has a decent web browser. That fact brings up some interesting possibilities. I’ll be reporting back on iLife ’09 later.
Ricky Cadden 
Agree. I continually go between different OS’s at home and work. While I have my preferences, the reality is that I pretty much use the same couple of apps 98% of the time. As long as they run, it makes little difference to me…
That being said, im off to load up Win7 🙂
Agree. I continually go between different OS’s at home and work. While I have my preferences, the reality is that I pretty much use the same couple of apps 98% of the time. As long as they run, it makes little difference to me…
That being said, im off to load up Win7 🙂
I’m right there with you man, Firefox is the true enabler of that. However, I beg to differ on the Ubuntu video editing. Kino is a GREAT video editor, easily matching up with it’s closed source competitors (at least at the consumer level).
It’s available in the standard Ubuntu repos.
-ollysk2
I’m right there with you man, Firefox is the true enabler of that. However, I beg to differ on the Ubuntu video editing. Kino is a GREAT video editor, easily matching up with it’s closed source competitors (at least at the consumer level).
It’s available in the standard Ubuntu repos.
-ollysk2
Interesting… I am much the same myself, minus the Ubuntu which I’ve found to be totally redundant given that it’s kind of like OS X but without the good bits! As you know I’ve settled on OS X which shines at the kind of things I like to do in my spare time. I do use both Vista and XP daily however.
What does this mean Ricky? What does it say about me, you and the future of computing?
Here’s my take of some of these themes…
From the blog…
“Think for a moment about the pocket computer of 2012, it has a virtualisation capable multi-core CPU running at speeds in excess of 3Ghz, it has over a Terabyte of local storage, it has a wireless internet connection of 100Mbit/s. What OS the device shipped with will become almost immaterial. Thanks to the marvels of virtualisation, versions of Symbian, OSX, LiMo, Ubuntu Mobile, Android and Windows Mobile will be mere seconds away from the time you eagerly unbox your device.
In 2012 the operating system, the application and hardware will begin to fade into the background. What will shine through more vividly than ever before is you. Your creativity will be what truly matters.”
And then by way of prediction…
“In 2010 Nokia will launch their own ‘cloud’ OS, it will be born out of a frustration with Symbian and their experiences with Ovi, it will be the product of a partnership with another device (or OS) manufacturer. Things will start off slowly but build to the point where it becomes their primary OS.
By 2015 most computing will take place in the ‘cloud’. This will have massive implications for all computing and digital devices. By the end of that decade the most popular form of computer will consist of just 4 things, a chip set, a battery, a thin slice of multi-touch e-ink paper (with a resolution of 600 pixels per inch) and a crazy fast internet connection. The native OS of the pocket computer will be totally irrelevant as the primary user interface and top level OS functions will all be streamed via the ‘cloud’ component…”
I love the fact that we live in these time, and that we have the tools to make comment on it.
Interesting… I am much the same myself, minus the Ubuntu which I’ve found to be totally redundant given that it’s kind of like OS X but without the good bits! As you know I’ve settled on OS X which shines at the kind of things I like to do in my spare time. I do use both Vista and XP daily however.
What does this mean Ricky? What does it say about me, you and the future of computing?
Here’s my take of some of these themes…
From the blog…
“Think for a moment about the pocket computer of 2012, it has a virtualisation capable multi-core CPU running at speeds in excess of 3Ghz, it has over a Terabyte of local storage, it has a wireless internet connection of 100Mbit/s. What OS the device shipped with will become almost immaterial. Thanks to the marvels of virtualisation, versions of Symbian, OSX, LiMo, Ubuntu Mobile, Android and Windows Mobile will be mere seconds away from the time you eagerly unbox your device.
In 2012 the operating system, the application and hardware will begin to fade into the background. What will shine through more vividly than ever before is you. Your creativity will be what truly matters.”
And then by way of prediction…
“In 2010 Nokia will launch their own ‘cloud’ OS, it will be born out of a frustration with Symbian and their experiences with Ovi, it will be the product of a partnership with another device (or OS) manufacturer. Things will start off slowly but build to the point where it becomes their primary OS.
By 2015 most computing will take place in the ‘cloud’. This will have massive implications for all computing and digital devices. By the end of that decade the most popular form of computer will consist of just 4 things, a chip set, a battery, a thin slice of multi-touch e-ink paper (with a resolution of 600 pixels per inch) and a crazy fast internet connection. The native OS of the pocket computer will be totally irrelevant as the primary user interface and top level OS functions will all be streamed via the ‘cloud’ component…”
I love the fact that we live in these time, and that we have the tools to make comment on it.