Test Drive Discussion

Although 90% of all desktop computers use Windows as their operating system, there are two popular alternatives - Apple's Mac OS and the Linux open-source operating system. In this assignment, you will investigate an operating system other than the one you usually use to see how it handles common operating system functions.

1. Find a friend, relative, or co-worker with a computer that uses an operating system that you don't usually use (Windows, Mac OS, or Linux). Try out the operating system, and observe how it works compared with the operating system that you normally use. Pick the 4 or 5 things you do the most and use those in your comparison. Some examples might be organizing files, creating documents, accessing the Internet, using e-mail, uninstalling software, etc. Do not compare two different Windows systems (for example, Windows 8 and Windows 10).