Which OS is Best for Your Business? August 25, 2009
Making an OS Decision
Windows 7, Google Chrome, Windows XP. How do we decide? Vista is out - it never caught on as a viable OS for businesses. Windows XP has remained the primary OS for most business laptops and desktops. Windows 7 comes out October 22, but a hasty jump to the new OS is not likely for most organizations. And Google Chrome is on the horizon, promising to provide an OS focused on Cloud Computing and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS).
The Best Business Decision?
How do you make the best long-range decision for your business? Let’s consider the options further. Again, we’re assuming that Vista is not truly in anyone’s conversion plans, so that’s ruled out immediately.
Windows XP presents a different problem because Microsoft ended mainstream support for XP on April 14. When Windows 7 comes out on October 22, it will be the beginning of the end for XP. However, 70% of corporate desktops still run XP so it’s not going to die quickly. I personally keep a laptop available at all times running Windows XP just to maintain a certain ‘comfort level’ but even I’ve made a full switch in my consulting practice to Mac OS X, completely circumventing the ‘normal’ business world’s infatuation with all things Microsoft.
Google’s Chrome OS, which promises to be out on machines by late 2010, provides a very interesting option for smaller organizations. With MS Office coming out as a web-based application offering Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote applications running inside the browser, most small business can run a majority of what they need right off the web for free.
Predictions
If Google Chrome catches on, cloud computing will be even more firmly entrenched in our business culture as Web 2.0 concepts strive to utilize the web to it’s fullest as the powerful, economical and green business tool of the future.
The applications in the business communities for Windows 7 and Google Chrome will both exist - even co-exist. Your choice will depend on your needs and the needs of your business and quite possibly the customers you serve. Windows 7 will likely become the easy replacement for Windows XP in the large corporate world and Google Chrome will probably grab a large segment of the home and small business market.
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