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Comparison Of Linux/Unix And Windows Xp

Introduction
When an organization decides to invest in an operating system, there are many considerations to take into account. Cost-benefit analysis would play a large part in making such a decision. Market share could also play a part. A company, whose products are more readily available and supported, might seem like a more solid platform to go with. On the, other hand, market share is not all telling, and in some cases can hide the best kept Information Technology secrets. Another item an organization will take into account when making these decisions would be hardware requirements. Understanding exactly what will be required to run the operating system is absolutely necessary to make an informed decision. Other items to consider might include file systems supported, file processing, and backup capabilities. Programming and application software availability is another important feature that would play a role in such a decision.
This paper will discuss how the Windows XP and Linux/UNIX operating systems perform in terms of cost and market share. This paper will compare and contrast the two operating systems in the file processing, programming capabilities, user interface, and application software availability. The differences between the Windows XP and Linux/UNIX will be outlined, comparing and contrasting the two operating systems. The team will draw our conclusions from examination of a sample case where a decision is required between a Windows or Linux/UNIX architecture for a 500 person system.
Cost
Determining costs in the world of Unix/Linux with its mixture of proprietary and open source applications can be difficult. This is especially true when compared to Windows XP, which is so widely distributed. In the end the cost is primarily in the service, rather than in the product, and comparisons need to take long-term issues of maintenance and support into account.
In real situations, the makeup of total cost of ownership is unique,...