Timeline of a PCs Profitability

Lately I have been pondering on the topic of profitability in relation to the personal computer and operating systems. I have realized that the business and economics associated with the operating system and PC are fading quickly. If you look at the history of computing, you can see a pattern emerges from the advancement of technology.

Windows Without Walls...?

Microsoft has a new advertisement campaign with the slogan "Windows: Life Without Walls." There's an advertisement already public supposedly ripping on the "I'm a Mac and I'm a PC" commercials. If you listen to what the people are really saying, you can see the humor in it too. Check these out after the jump.

Does the OS Really Matter?

Based on the evidence read between the lines in the comments of a recent Lifehacker article, I don't think the OS matters at all for the average PC user. Having said that, I believe that the available software as well as the supporting community make a huge difference. The thing that really matters is what you plan on doing with your PC. The following are my suggestions for OS based on purpose.

GUI or Operating System?

I recently came across an article at Lifehacker that asked it's readers "Does the Operating System matter?" As I read through the comments, I realized that the vast majority of the readers fail to understand the difference between the OS and a graphical user interface. So, I want to help inform those that don't know the difference.

Operating System (OS):

The program or collection of programs that enable your software to play nice with your hardware. In other words, the OS is that program that lets your web browser use your modem to connect to the internet. An effective OS is one that goes unnoticed. (I guess they work.)

Graphical User Interface (GUI):

(pronounced "goo-ee") The GUI is an elaborate software program that lets the user access any and all functionality of the OS. For any system, the GUI is the collection of windows, icons, menus and buttons that you manipulate to do things with your computer. Since this is what the user sees, it is often mistaken to be the OS.

Now you know the difference between an Operating System and a Graphical User Interface. -CITguy

[Article: Lifehacker]