Snow Leopard versus Windows 7

FOR computer observers, it is an exciting period for operating systems. With the launch of Snow Leopard, Apple's latest incarnation of its Mac OS X last Friday and Microsoft's Windows 7 (rumoured to be released on Oct22), there is bound to be a head-to-head comparison between the two.

Upon closer evaluation, however, these two versions and the strategies behind their releases are as different as Fann Wong and Fiona Xie.

Snow Leopard has little to show in terms of looks and lacks newfangled enhancements but offers major refinements and maturity under the hood.

Windows 7, on the other hand, offers a snazzier user interface and loads of performance benefits.

We group the differences between the two operating systems under three categories: ease of upgrade, technology enhancements and compatibility with existing software.

Snow Leopard
Mac OS X v 10.6

Ease of upgrade
With just a press of a button, Snow Leopard installs onto your Mac with alarming ease. There are no product ID numbers needed or software activations to reckon with.

After about an hour, you have a highly refined turbo-charged system. Tiger (Mac OS X v10.4) users are not left out. They have to pay slightly more but the upgrade is just as easy.

Technology enhancements
No major visible enhancements in the user interface. The subtle refinements surface when doing everyday tasks like starting the computer, searching for files and applications in the hard disk and looking for opened windows. All these are now much faster.

More importantly, Snow Leopard lays the groundwork for the future by upgrading all its applications from 32-bit to 64-bit. This allows for more optimised and faster processing.

Software compatibility
The core kernel in Snow Leopard boots up in 32-bit to ensure compatibility with older applications and device drivers while maintaining performance.

However, it can be forced to boot completely in 64-bit by holding on to the '6' and '4' keys when booting. To date, there are only about 50 applications that are not compatible.

Microsoft Windows 7
Ease of upgrade
There is a plethora of options to choose from. For example, you can choose to upgrade from Windows XP or Vista to 34-bit or 64-bit versions of Windows 7.

Be careful which one you select as every upgrade comes with a fee.

Generally, upgrading from a 32-bit version of Window Vista to a 32-bit Windows 7 is a smooth process.

Problems arise when you want to upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7 or upgrading from a 32-bit Windows Vista to a 64-bit Windows 7.

Technology enhancements
There are many enhancements to help a user navigate the computer and to get to the applications that he wants.

There is an improved Taskbar, with the ability to identify where applications are located. Gadgets like clock, calculator and weather calculator are dropped to the desktop for easier access.

Resizing and arranging open application windows are also much more intuitive. Overall, all these improvements should translate to an increase in productivity.

Less powerful computers with at least 1GB of RAM will also experience speed gains. Boot-up and shut-down are instantaneous and everything from opening applications to Web browsing with Internet Explorer 8 are faster.

Software compatibility
As Windows 7 is still not officially released, it is difficult to ascertain the level of software compatibility. Limited testing with this RTM (Release to Manufacturing ) version of Windows 7 shows a high level of compatibility with popular software such as Microsoft Office 2007 and Adobe Creative Suite 4.

Conclusion
Whether you are a Mac or a PC user, the new operating systems let you undertake computing tasks much faster.

Compliments:Digital Life