Operating Systems

Operating systems news, solutions, and analysis for IT professionals, covering desktop, server, and mobile operating systems, including Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Android, and iOS

Microsoft server and tool upgrades demand CIOs' attention

Posted May 25, 2012 - 10:03 am

CIOs and IT directors tracking the barrage of major upgrades for Windows and Office also need to stay tuned to the refresh cycle for Microsoft's servers and tools, including Windows Server 2012, SQL Server 2012, System Center 2012 and Visual Studio 11.
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How to make PHP apps scale

Posted May 25, 2012 - 6:09 am

The most popular language for Web apps, PHP tends to buckle under heavy loads -- unless you opt for cloud scaling and a NoSQL back end
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What's the best Linux server for you?

Posted March 12, 2012 - 9:50 am

Trying to chose between Red Hat, SUSE, Ubuntu, and a host of other competitors? Whatever your size, there's a distribution that fits.
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What you should expect from Windows 8

Posted February 21, 2012 - 7:14 am

Early insights into Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 Consumer Preview should give IT a lot to chew on when the bits arrive
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Eight features Windows 8 borrowed from Linux

Posted February 9, 2012 - 4:24 pm

Microsoft has always been accused of stealing left and right from the open source community. Is this holding true today?
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10 devices to test drive Windows 8

Posted January 19, 2012 - 12:18 pm

Off-the-shelf devices that Microsoft uses in its labs to put Windows 8 through its paces
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Four great Mac OS X services you don't know about

Posted January 11, 2012 - 12:44 pm

Once you know the basics about services, OS X’s underused shortcuts, your next question is inevitably: Where can I find more? You can add -- and even create -- your own services. Here are four of the best:
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Canonical CEO: Ubuntu tablet OS will battle Android, iOS

Posted January 11, 2012 - 7:06 am

Jane Silber believes there's plenty of room for a new player in tablets, TVs, and maybe even smartphones
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How iOS multitasking really works

Posted January 7, 2012 - 8:00 am

There’s one bit of iOS misinformation that I keep hearing. Even supposedly authoritative sources such as Apple Geniuses don’t seem to get it. It has to do with how multitasking works in iOS.
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Special report: Introducing Windows Server 8

Posted December 14, 2011 - 11:15 am

Microsoft rolls out one of its most significant updates with the next version of Windows Server 8; find out what it means for your company
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8 reasons why CIOs shouldn't race to Windows 8

Posted December 6, 2011 - 9:38 pm

Windows 8 touts many new features, but there are a number of things such as cost, testing, compatibility, and training that CIOs need to consider before racing to migrate.
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Parallels Desktop vs. Boot Camp: Which is best for running Windows on a Mac?

Posted November 28, 2011 - 4:59 pm

Parallels Desktop 7 promises Apple users the best Windows experience on the Mac through virtualization. But is it actually better than running Boot Camp? We put both solutions to the test.
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Google Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich -- a new era for Android

Posted November 25, 2011 - 9:03 am

Google's Android 4.0 operating system is more than just another upgrade.
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Linux loses its luster as a darling among developers

Posted November 14, 2011 - 11:39 am

The simplicity of Apple's OS X development tools, if not their price, is enticing enough to cause some developers to leave Linux behind. Insider (registration required)
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4 strange places to find open source

Posted November 7, 2011 - 9:00 am

Open source is about more than code: it's about unlocking all possibilities. Here are four unusual projects made possible by open source.
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Windows 8 Deep Dive Report

Posted October 31, 2011 - 10:57 am

Find out what Microsoft's forthcoming OS means for developers, admins, network security, mobile usage, and more
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Microsoft's greatest successes and biggest failures

Posted October 29, 2011 - 8:02 am

Give Microsoft credit; it never does anything small. Its successes rock the world. And when it screws up, it screws up big time.
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This week in pictures: Ballmer slams Android

Posted October 21, 2011 - 3:47 pm

Also, MC Hammer challenges Google at search, Android 4.0 arrives, iPad 3 rumors swirl, and the US avoids cyberwar with Libya.
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Running Windows on a Mac, part 3: The complete how-to

Posted October 17, 2011 - 11:07 am

Need or want to run Windows on a Mac? We walk you through the entire Windows 7 setup experience, driver hacks, troubleshooting tips, and how to get Windows 8 running smoothly.
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Open source roars on OS X Lion

Posted September 27, 2011 - 9:10 am

The battle for the desktop may have turned into more of a heated argument, thanks to energy shifting to mobile platforms, but that doesn't mean that open source hasn't staked out some territory. Brian Proffitt offers this update on the state of open source apps available on the latest version of OS X.
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Silverlight's fate: Don't let Microsoft's silence fool you

Posted September 26, 2011 - 6:18 am

Developers have faith in its longevity, but they wish Microsoft would lay out a clear commitment
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Developers giddy over Windows 8

Posted September 19, 2011 - 6:10 am

Microsoft's emphasis on touch cited as new opportunity for developers looking to target tablets in the post-PC era
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Running Windows on a Mac (Part 2): The good, the bad and the ugly

Posted September 12, 2011 - 7:36 am

Tempted by the beautiful Mac hardware? Need or want to run Windows? This 3-part series is your ultimate guide to running Windows on a Mac.
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Microsoft's 5 biggest weaknesses

Posted September 1, 2011 - 6:36 am

Microsoft's position as the dominant provider of software to consumers is at risk. Here are five reasons why.
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Running Windows on a Mac (Part 1): Lion vs. Win7 performance shootout

Posted August 31, 2011 - 3:26 pm

Tempted by the beautiful Mac hardware? Need or want to run Windows? This 3-part series is your ultimate guide to running Windows on a Mac.
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Operating SystemsWhite Papers & Webcasts

White Paper

A Comparison of PowerVM and VMware vSphere (4.1 & 5.0) Virtualization Performance

This technical white paper presents benchmark results showing greater VM consolidation ratios than demonstrated in previous benchmarks and demonstrating the extent of the performance lead that PowerVM virtualization technologies deliver over x86-based add-on virtualization products.

White Paper

Consolidating Lotus Domino x86 Workloads on IBM Power Systems

Read the white paper to learn how moving up to Lotus Domino 8.5 and consolidating with IBM Power Servers can help you boost performance results and ROI.

Webcast On Demand

Best Practices in Monitoring VMware

The benefits of virtualization are unassailable: increased agility, scale, and cost savings to name a few. However, so too are the monitoring challenges posed by these environments-including complexities, lack of visibility and control, and inefficiency.

White Paper

How Nimsoft Service Desk Speeds Deployment and Time to Value

For years, many support teams have been hamstrung by their traditional service desk platforms, which require complex, time-consuming coding for virtually every aspect of customization. This complexity makes it costly and difficult for support organizations to adapt-and places an increasingly substantial burden on the agility and efficiency of the business as a whole.

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