Hello,

I'm doing a presentation about Windows and Linux for my high school. It'd would be like comparation of these 2 systems, advantages, disadvantages etc

I thought it would be good enough to say something general about an operating system first, then something about the history of these 2 systems and after it would come the final comparation which incudes the price, window managers and command line, security, stability, applications and games and hardware.

I'm planning to use the newest version of Slackware and Windows 7 for it.

What else should I mention in the work?

Thanks
Regards

One relevant factor you have not mentioned is the skill base -- the users and support people with a working knowledge of each system (including on-line support like LQ )

Honestly, I'm not totally sure what to say about it.

The Linux is Not Windows article might give you some more ideas.

If you were choosing the OS and apps for use within an organisation then an important factor would be whether existing or future users knew how to use them and the availability of technical support including on-line and physically coming on-site. To make this more real in a high school situation, can you imagine how it would be if all the school and student computers were migrated to another OS and apps overnight? How much work would get done the next day?

<nitpick> ...use of the word comparation instead of comparison will lose you marks...</nitpick>

Note that you are asking in a place in which people will be better at seeing the advantages of Linux than of some other systems, so you may wish to balance the input that you get from here with input that you get from some other place...You are probably doing that already?

Good enough? I have no idea of what would be good enough for your particular stage of education, but I would suggest that you add something about the philosophy of FOSS software, in general, ie, the Freedom (freedom, as in freedom, rather than just the zero-cost aspect) that you can get with FOSS in general, and that proprietary software usually finds it necessary to deny to you.

It might (...possibly not, depending on acceptable length of the work that you are preparing...) be worth mentioning, in passing, that Linux is not the only FOSS operating system (BSD) and that operating systems are not the only FOSS software available (Firefefox, OpenOffice) and that it is possible to run FOSS software on proprietary OSs and proprietary software on free operating systems.

If it was me, I wouldn't be comparing Slackware without pointing out that it is but one example of a Linux distro, of which there are many, and that you have a choice in quite a different way from any choice that you have in Windows (you could run a prior version of Windows, if you want to, but not much else, and, if you do run a prior version, there is an issue concerning the availability of software updates)

(Of course, choice isn't unambiguously good: for some people, not having to choose will save them effort.)

Now, I don't really know what your focus is, but there would be a different list of things to include if you were trying to tell people how to get started with Linux (probably not?) to an academic comparison which might get people interested, but isn't a 'cheat sheet' for practical elements to consider. Another thing you might be considering is to say something about the day-to-day experience of using and administering the system - I'm guessing that this is probably more than you'd include at this level (whatever that is).

As this is looking for a comparison and is not a technical question, I have moved this to General. You may also want to glance through the megathread which has been going for a while - hopefully you can winnow through the chaff and find some discussion points there.

Were you forced into doing this presentation or something?

You thought to include price but not closed source/open source? *Nice*. In my book, that simply says you're unfit to compare the two operating systems.

Here are the breaking points.
1) Games. You're going to lose their interest when it comes to games.
Possible solutions: Try to let them know that they can make their own games and show them an example. Blender has online videos.
2) The ubiquitous flash dependency. Yeah, it sucks.
Possible solution. Show them the flash decoder and how they can edit the files. FFMPEG is a good one. That they can change it from one format to another would get their attention.
3) Ease of installation. Unless they are willing to learn- I was a stoner-punk-nerd-with-depression (long story I'll repeat it another time). So don't assume according to social caste- you'll have to introduce easier options.
Possible solutions. You guessed it. Ubuntu, Fedora, and Open Suse.


Points that will get their attention.
1) Security. Let them know that nothing can be executed without the proper path. Rootkits are a fear. Show them that that the system can be secured. LiveCD saving.
2) Design. Make it how you want it will get their attention.
3) Choice. See number three above.


I haven't actively used NetBSD in a year but, you could have chosen- my opinion only- FreeBSD or NetBSD and shown them it can use windows or Linux binaries through emulation.

You'll get some converts and they won't be who you think they are.

Hey there,


No, I was not forced into doing it in case it makes a difference.

Of course I will mention this, only because I forgot to include it in the first post it doesn't mean I won't say anyting about it as this is someting very important.

1) Only a couple of professors will watch this so I don't need to get them to use Linux instead of Windows. Will mention/show Wine though.

2) It is a nice suggestion

3) I thought to do it, installation + creating ext3 and swap partitions and explain what they are. Will consider using Ubuntu instead of Slackware.

4) That's what I meant to include in the security part - chmod, chown and using su.

5) I'd show them how a window manager can be edited in the way I or someone like etc

Thanks for suggestions guys. It's much appreciated.

How long is this presentation going to last? Seems like there are enough suggestions floating round for a week's workshop! Even if the audience is small, smart, computerate and motivated if there's new material and they want to understand it they will need time to digest and assimilate it and perhaps ask clarifying questions, maybe take notes. Those things slow down the rate at which we can deliver information.

If you want to produce a meaningful presentation, you need to focus upon a particular scenario, and discuss points that are actually relevant to that scenario.

And, basically, that will just consist of doing research to find out what other people are saying, to whom they are saying it, and why.

The selection of what opeating system is best in a particular situation isn't a political statement. And, "nothing's actually free." Mr. Gates earned his fortune. So, if any of these talking-points are key to your presentation, remind me not to come.

On games, mention that there ARE a number of games on Linux, that can certainly keep casual gamers happy. Wine, crossover, and cedega provide access to some of the Windows gaming library. In fairness, new versions of Windows don't run all older games properly. Mention that flash is usually fine, so flash games in web browsers can be played, though there are some complications with 64-bit.

Slackware may not be the best choice, since IMHO a key advantage of most Linux distributions is package management.

Bring up Linux on the server if you have time.

In general, I'd say be honest and balanced, recognise that both OSes have their strengths and weaknesses.