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We are happy to announce the beta launch of our new public service. You can now request us for any software that is freely available on the internet and which you cannot download on your own because of your bandwidth or time limitations. We will download the software, write the CD/DVD and mail the software to you. As simple as that. The mission of this project is simple - to promote Open Source software among those who have limited internet connectivity. Request your copy of your Favorite Free Software Now Once you request the software through the site, our team will review the software and ensure that the software licenses are compatible with the OSI licenses (http://opensource.org/licenses/alphabetical). After verification we will download the software, write the software CDs or DVDs and send it to you by Registered VPP of Department of Posts.This service is currently available only within India.

We are doing this as a service for the Open Source community and we are not planning to make any profit from the sales. We would, however, like to recover our costs so that we can extend this service the open source community at large. We are not charging for the software but we will be charging for the media and the shipping and handling expenses. Under the VPP postage scheme we will be charging Rs.50 for the first CD, Rs. 60 for the first DVD, and Rs.15 for every additional CD and Rs.25 for every additional DVD. If the cost of the total request goes above Rs. 200 you will have to make a payment for the amount into our ICICI account 038905000454 (Trivandrum, Kowdiar Branch) before we actually ship you the CDs and DVDs

Please use the comments form below to send us your feedback and suggestions

In this document we only discuss Linux deficiencies while everyone should keep in mind that there are areas where Linux has excelled other OSes.

A primary target of this comparison is Windows OS.

Linux major shortcomings and problems:

1. No reliable sound system, no reliable unified software audio mixing, many (old or/and proprietary) applications still open audio output exclusively causing major user problems and headache.

1.1 Insanely difficult to set up volume levels, audio recording ... and in some situations even audio output.

1.2 Highly confusing, not self-explanatory mixer settings.

1.3 By default many distros do not set volume levels properly (no audio output/no sound recording).

2. X system:

2.1 No good stable standardized API for developing GUI applications (like Win32 API). Both GTK and Qt are very unstable and often break backwards compatibility.

2.2 Very slow GUI (except when being run with composite window managers on top of OpenGL).

2.3 Many GUI operations are not accelerated. No analogue of GDI or GDI+. Text antialiasing and other GUI operations are software rendered by GUI libraries (GTK->Cairo/QT->Xft).

2.4 Font rendering is implemented via high level GUI libraries, thus:

2.4.1 fontconfig fonts antialiasing settings cannot be applied on-the-fly.

2.4.2 Fonts antialiasing only works for certain GUI toolkits (see 2.1).

2.4.3 Default fonts (often) look ugly.

2.4.3.1 (Being resolved) By default most distros disable advanced fonts antialiasing.

2.4.3.2 By default most distros come without good or even compatible with Windows fonts.

2.5 No double buffering.

3. Problems stemming from the vast number of Linux distributives:

3.1 No unified configuration system for computer settings, devices and system services. E.g. distro A sets up networking using these utilities, outputting certain settings residing in certain file system locations, distro B sets up everything differently. This drives most users mad.

3.2 No unified installer across all distros. Consider RPM, deb, portage, tar.gz, sources, etc. It adds a cost for software development.

3.3 Many distros' repositories do not contain all available open source software. User should never be bothered with using ./configure && make && make installer. It should be possible to install any software by downloading a package and double clicking it (yes, like in Windows, but probably prompting for user/administrator password).

3.4 Applications development is a major PITA. Different distros can use a) different libraries versions b) different compiler flags c) different compilers. This leads to a number of problems raised to the third power.

4. It should be possible to configure everything via GUI which is still not a case for too many situations and operations.

5. Problems stemming from low linux popularity and open source nature:

5.1 Few software titles, inability to run familiar Windows software. (Some applications (which don't work in Wine) have zero Linux equivalents).

5.1.1 No equivalent of some hardcore Windows software like AutoCAD/3D Studio/Adobe Premier/Corel Painter/etc. Home and work users just won't bother installing Linux until they can work for real.

5.2 No games. Full stop. Cedega and Wine offer very incomplete support.

5.3 Incomplete or unstable drivers for some hardware. Problems setting up some hardware (like sound cards or TV tuners/Web Cameras).

5.3.1 A lot of WinPrinters do not have any Linux support (e.g. Lexmark models). An argument that user should buy a Linux compatible printer is silly since that way Linux won't ever gain even a traction of popularity. Why should I install an OS where my printer doesn't work?

5.3.2 A lot of web cameras still do not work at all in Linux.

5.4 It's impossible to watch Blue-Ray movies.

5.5 Questionable patents and legality status. US Linux users cannot play many popular audio and video formats until they purchase appropriate codecs.

6. Poor or almost missing regression testing in Linux kernel (and, alas, in other Open Source software too) leading to a situation when new kernels may become totally unusable for some hardware configurations (software suspend doesn't work, crashes, unable to boot, networking problems, video tearing, etc.)

7. A galore of software bugs across all applications. Just look into KDE or Gnome bugzilla's - some bugs are now ten years old with over several dozens of duplicates and no one is working on them.

8. Poor interoperability between applications and their components. E.g. many kernel features get a decent userspace support years after introduction.

8.1 Most distros don't allow you to easily set up a server with e.g. such a configuration: Samba, SMTP/POP3, Apache HTTP Auth and FTP where all users are virtual. LDAP is a major PITA. Authentication against MySQL/any other DB is also a PITA.

9. General slowness: just compare load times between e.g. OpenOffice and Microsoft Office. If you don't like this example, try running OpenOffice in Windows and in Linux. In the latter case it will be much slower.

9.1 Slow (libraries) linker. Braindead slow linker. Intolerably slow linker. Win32 OpenOffice being run from Wine starts in a less time than native Linux OpenOffice. Microsoft Office 2003 starts from Wine in a matter of few seconds even on 1GHz CPUs with a slow HDD.

9.2 (Being resolved) No parallel boot of system services. Questionable services for Desktop installations (Fedora, Suse, Mandriva, Ubuntu). No delayed loading of system services.

9.3 (Being resolved) Huge shutdown time.

10. CLI (command line interface) errors for user applications (see clause 4.). All GUI applications should have a visible errors presentation.

11. (Being slowly resolved) Poor documentation.

12. Bad security model: there's zero protection against keyboard keyloggers and against running malicious software (Linux is viruses free only due to its extremely low popularity). sudo is very easy to circumvent (social engineering). sudo still requires CLI (see clause 4.).

13. A very bad backwards and forward compatibility.

13.1 Old applications rarely work in new Linux distros (glibc incompatibities (double-free errors), missing libraries, wrong/new libraries versions, GCC source level errors). Abandoned Linux GUI software generally doesn't work in newer Linux distros. Most well written GUI applications for Windows 95 will work in Windows 7 (15 years of compatibility on binary level).

13.2 New applications linked only against lib C will refuse to work in old distros. (Even though they are 100% source compatible with old distros).

13.3 New libraries versions bugs, regressions and incompatibilites.

14. Enterprise level problems:

14.1 No software policies.

14.2 No standard way of software distribution.

Here's what the official press release won't tell you about Ubuntu 9.04, which formally hit the streets overnight: its designers have polished the hell out of its user interface since the last release in October.

So much so, in fact, that I am starting to prefer using my Ubuntu "Jaunty Jackalope" desktop over the similarly slick Windows 7 beta (which I am currently running full-time on one desktop) and Mac OS X Leopard operating systems, which I also use regularly.

I left Windows Vista, XP, and even Debian lying bruised and battered by the roadside some time ago.

You won't be able to notice the vast improvement in Ubuntu's desktop experience over the past six months by browsing screenshot galleries of 9.04 or looking at new feature lists. What I'm talking about is that elusive slick-and-speedy feel you get from applications launching fast, windows moving around without jerkiness, and everything simply being where it should be in the user interface.

Launching and using Firefox on Ubuntu 8.10 on my 2GHz Core 2 Duo-based machine with 2GB of RAM, a 7200rpm hard disk, and an Nvidia GeForce 8800GTS always seemed to feel like I was going back a few years, to a time when Web browsers were not considered something you always had open to service Web applications like Gmail and Bloglines.

It was the same with Windows Vista.

Now, just like Microsoft has taken the blowtorch to Vista to produce the lightning-quick Windows 7, which so far runs well, even on older hardware, Ubuntu has picked up its own game.

I particularly noticed the Ubuntu difference when I put the operating system to the test by simultaneously launching and using multiple applications, listening to music and more while using my spare CPU cycles in the background to encode high-definition video with Mencoder. Ubuntu still felt very fast--even with traditionally sluggy pieces of software like OpenOffice.org.

It's not just the speed changes, however, that has got me excited about Ubuntu 9.04. It's also the subtle additions to the interface; the logical move of shutdown and reboot options to the far right of the menu; the slick new notifications system; the seamless (finally!) integration of the Nvidia accelerated drivers, and the cleaned-up options and package install systems.

Want Adobe Flash or other proprietary software like multimedia codecs on Ubuntu? Just search for them in the one location, under their own names. No downloading anything from any Web sites. No package management or dependencies. No apt-get. Point and click.

I'm not a Linux novice (in fact, I'm a former Linux and FreeBSD systems administrator), and I've been using Linux on the desktop since the late 1990s. I usually run a combination of Ubuntu and Windows on my PC, and the latest Mac OS X on my laptop.

So I'm in a position to notice step changes in user interface behavior like the one that Ubuntu has brought to the table with 9.04. In short, Ubuntu is now as slick and beautiful as Mac OS X or Windows 7.

As we've noted in earlier articles, Microsoft has also brought its best to the table with Windows 7. However, it's a pity that Apple didn't seem to do so with Leopard. Like some reviewers, I felt that Steve Jobs' latest operating-system opus added a lot of new features, but also some unfortunate erratic behavior that muddied Mac OS X's position as a user interface leader.

As the magazine Macworld has noted, the new Stacks feature in Leopard's Dock is a "mess" and replaced the formerly utilitarian approach to keeping folders in the Dock with a "snazzy but generally less useful pop-up window."

The new "Spaces" feature in Leopard is nothing new; it provides multiple virtual-desktop workspaces, which Unix has had for decades; but I found Apple's implementation erratic.

Then, too, there was the speed price some users paid in Leopard for all the upgrade, though that could just be the older-hardware penalty. On my 1.5GHz G4 laptop with 1280MB of RAM, Leopard runs sluggishly, whereas Tiger runs like a dream. As I don't use any of the new features, the upgrade seemed worthless.

When you consider Microsoft's remarkable rebirth with Windows 7 and the fact that Ubuntu is free, open source, and runs on anything, you would have to wonder what sort of rabbit Steve Jobs will have to pull out of his hat with Snow Leopard to keep growing Mac OS X's share. Sure, there are some apps missing on Linux (say, Photoshop). But the same can be said of Mac OS X in certain areas, and VMware and CrossOver solve a lot of problems.

Looking back to the genesis of Ubuntu 9.04 six months ago, I suspect that its subtle but powerful changes are due to the new user interface team that Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth said at the time he would put in place. If so, that team has already earned its paychecks and even more, and we're looking forward to seeing what another six months of development will produce.

In the meantime, kudos to Ubuntu 9.04: you got game.

Desktop features new taskbar, gadgets

The most significant desktop improvement is the taller taskbar, which combines the functionality of the taskbar and the Quick Launch bar from previous Windows versions. Gadgets no longer live in a sidebar that steals valuable screen space; instead, they can be placed anywhere on the desktop.

Desktop features new taskbar, gadgets

Hover the mouse pointer over a taskbar button to display dynamic thumbnail-sized preview images of all tasks under that button. Hover over one of these thumbnails to display a full-sized preview image—without actually switching to the application. Hovering over an Internet Explorer taskbar button shows each open tab.

Jump list shows documents and tasks

Right-click a taskbar icon to display a “Jump List” of options. Pre¬-Windows 7 applications that use the recent items API (such as all Microsoft Office 2007 applications) display a list of recent documents along with common tasks. Extended APIs in Windows 7 allow developers to add other items, such as favorites or browsing history.

Show Desktop lets you view gadgets

Gadgets are typically used to show information that you need to glance at, but that doesn’t need to occupy prime screen real estate all the time. To sneak a glance, hover the mouse pointer over the Show Desktop area at the right end of the taskbar; Windows leaves the window outlines onscreen as the desktop and gadgets become visible. As in previous Windows versions, click Show Desktop to minimize all windows.

Search across drives with libraries

Windows 7 introduces “libraries,” which are collections of locations with files. Searching a library lets you expand a search scope beyond a single folder and its subfolders. The addition of links to search tags in the search box makes it easy to construct complex queries without remembering search syntax.

Search SharePoint sites

The search scope can include a SharePoint site. This so-called federated search can combine locations on servers and local drives.

Libraries collect files from multiple locations

A library is simply a collection of locations with files. A library may include folders from one or more local drives, network drives, or other locations. In addition to helping with file organization, the library concept makes it easy to expand storage to another drive without moving existing files.

Toggle previews with a single click

In Windows Vista, displaying or hiding the Preview pane requires you to click Organize (!), Layout, Preview Pane; in Windows 7, simply click the command bar button. The Views button (as in Vista, it gives you a slider for setting icon size) is nearby.

Notification area clutter reduced

The ever expanding galaxy of notification area icons gets corralled in a pop-up box, which appears when you click the arrow at the left end of the taskbar section still best known as the system tray.

Manage notification area pop-ups

Notification area icons not only add visual clutter, but many annoyingly pop up messages for the most inane reasons. Control the clutter and tame those pop-ups by specifying whether a notification area icon should display its icon, its notifications, or neither.

Hide unwanted notification area icons

System icons that occupy the right end of the notification area can now be controlled from a single dialog box.

Set power options

Click the Power icon to display current battery status, select a power plan, and set other power options. The box also suggests changes you can make to maximize battery life.

Use Themes for personalizing your system

A single dialog box now gathers links to four theme components—wallpaper, glass, sounds, and screen saver—and shows previews of available theme collections.

Set text size

Setting the text size now has a more intuitive name (this feature is called DPI Scaling in Windows Vista) and a snazzier interface.

Set display resolution

The Display Settings dialog box, which has been largely unchanged since Windows 95, also has a fresh, new look.

Device Stage for device properties and tasks

Device Stage provides an intuitive interface for managing a hardware device—but don’t expect to see it looking this good for pre-Windows 7 device drivers.

WordPad uses a ribbon interface

In its first overhaul since Windows 95, WordPad (the basic word processor included with Windows) now sports a ribbon interface in the style of Word 2007.

Paint also has a ribbon

The capabilities of Paint, the basic image editor included with Windows, remain largely unchanged—but it too now has a ribbon interface.

Calculator features multiply

The applet with the most visible changes in Windows 7 is the lowly Calculator. It now offers four modes (standard, programmer, scientific, and statistics) and a calculation history window (much like the paper printouts from adding machines of yore). Perhaps most interesting is the new pane on the right side, which can perform date calculations, unit conversions, and various financial calculations.

Windows Firewall

Windows Firewall displays its settings for different network profiles in a clear, understandable window. The appropriate profile kicks in automatically when you connect to a network.

Network and Sharing Center

The numerous sharing controls are now gone from Network and Sharing Center, leaving a simpler display with links to all relevant tasks.

Wireless connections require fewer clicks

To connect to a wireless network, click the network icon in the notification area. A box pops up that shows all available wireless networks. To connect to one, simply click it, click Connect, and then (if the network requires it) enter your security password.

Use a homegroup for sharing on a home network

Homegroup provide a simple, secure method for sharing documents, music, pictures, other files, and printers with other users on your home network.

Create a home group

When you create a home group, you specify the resources you want to share.

A password protects a homegroup

When you create a home group, Windows generates a password. You must enter the password on other computers to join the homegroup.

Tweaks for the unloved UAC

Perhaps the most widely anticipated—and welcomed—change to Windows 7 concerns User Account Control (UAC). A slider now lets you control the degree of annoyance you’re willing to endure to increase security.

Solution Center combines security, maintenance

Solution Center incorporates the security monitoring items previously found in Security Center, and adds links to troubleshooting and maintenance tasks.

Reliability Monitor gets a new look

Reliability Monitor continues to log software installations, crashes, warnings, and other errors tracked over time to generate a 1-to-10 stability score. In Windows 7, Reliability Monitor tracks more types of events, offers new options for viewing and working with the monitored information.

Back up and recover files

Backing up and restoring files or complete PC images are tasks for the Backup And Restore Center. In Windows Vista, backup capabilities varied in the consumer and business editions. Microsoft has not yet announced whether all versions of Windows 7 will get the full backup treatment.

Reinstall Windows

If things really get hosed, you can reinstall Windows using a wizard. You’ll need an installation disc or a recovery partition installed by the computer manufacturer.

Manage System Restore disk usage

Unlike previous versions of Windows, with Windows 7 you can specify the amount of disk space that System Restore is allowed to use.

Manage stored passwords

Windows 7 can store logon credentials for websites and servers that require authentication, and it now provides a pretty interface for managing those saved credentials. The same window provides a clean interface to a really obscure (but often necessary) feature: certificate management.

Troubleshoot problems

Windows 7 offers troubleshooting wizards unlike any in previous Windows versions. Accessible from the Solution Center (and, in some instances, from messages that pop up), these wizards ask only a few questions, run some diagnostics, and then, in many cases, resolve the problem. The troubleshooter generates a report that describes the problems encountered and the solution that was applied.

Make old applications work

When you encounter an older program that doesn’t work properly in Windows 7, use the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter. It asks a few questions and then applies a shim that, in most cases, enables the program to run normally.

BitLocker Drive Encryption

BitLocker Drive Encryption protects your files by encrypting an entire drive using strong encryption methods. In the original release of Windows Vista, BitLocker could be used only on the boot drive. Service Pack 1 added the capability to encrypt other hard drives. With Windows 7, you can also encrypt removable drives, such as USB flash drives or external hard drives.

Windows Media Player taskbar thumbnail

Hovering the mouse pointer over the Windows Media Player taskbar icon displays a live thumbnail of the item playing. The thumbnail includes basic playback controls.

Windows Media Player compact view

This space-saving configuration offers access to every control you need.

Play media to any attached device

With the new Play To command, you can play media to other PCs and to other digital media receiver (DMR) devices. Depending on the capabilities of the receiver, you can drive the entire process—even including volume control—from a window on your PC.

Media Center's new visual style

Thedark blue background is familiar, but the typeface used in menus is cleaner and more readable.

Customize Media Center menus

Digital media enthusiasts finally get a built-in way to modify Media Center meus without hacking the registry.

See new recordings in the Media Center gadget

The Media Center desktop gadget can display the names of recently recorded television shows so you know what’s available for viewing.

Media Center gadget supports Internet TV

No TV tuner? No problem. Settings for the Media Center gadget in Windows 7 support Internet TV as well as shows received via a television tuner card.