Factor in the type of hardware required to run these systems, the cost of OS licenses, the time required to find device drivers, required software licenses (such as anti-virus), and so on, the divide between the two systems widens dramatically. For me, it takes more than shadow-copy functions to make up for the cost factor alone. And I'm not so sure that a decent back-up utility would be that difficult to implement in Ubuntu.
Both Vista and Ubuntu are amongst the top choices around right now but one is more readily available to 90% of the world's population than the other (at least without violating any ULAs - Vista sales in China speak to this point). Ubuntu specifically and linux in general will continue to eat away at MS's market share on this point alone. Granted, MS has special pricing available to counter this, but free is really, really tough to beat.
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As for me, I'm looking forward to what they come up with for the letter X, and I'd like to be the first to suggest Xanthic Xerbus.
OS X = Ubuntu = Vista.
If you've got the cash, you've got options. Sort of like everything else.
HR has been complaining about the barbed-wire outside my door...this may be the perfect alternative.
Factor in the type of hardware required to run these systems, the cost of OS licenses, the time required to find device drivers, required software licenses (such as anti-virus), and so on, the divide between the two systems widens dramatically. For me, it takes more than shadow-copy functions to make up for the cost factor alone. And I'm not so sure that a decent back-up utility would be that difficult to implement in Ubuntu. Both Vista and Ubuntu are amongst the top choices around right now but one is more readily available to 90% of the world's population than the other (at least without violating any ULAs - Vista sales in China speak to this point). Ubuntu specifically and linux in general will continue to eat away at MS's market share on this point alone. Granted, MS has special pricing available to counter this, but free is really, really tough to beat.