Operating systems Reviews

Ubuntu 6.06 LTS review

Review Ubuntu is a powerful, free, ready-to-run desktop Linux distribution that's eminently suitable for mainstream use. Although the complexities of the system impose a steep learning curve on Windows users who plan to support an installation themselves, our experiences with version 6.06 LTS suggest that this is manageable.

Inside Windows Vista beta 2

Photos Microsoft has released the first public beta of its new Windows Vista operating system. Here's a screenshot gallery showing some of the key features.

Windows Vista beta 2: a first look

Preview Microsoft has released the first public beta of its new Windows Vista operating system.

Apple Boot Camp (beta)

Preview Apple gives the people what they want: Windows on Macs. Geeks proved it could be done through a variety of complicated hacks; now Apple has made it straightforward with a free download. We take Boot Camp for a test run.

Installing Windows on a Mac with Boot Camp

Photos Apple has released a public beta version of Boot Camp, software that lets Intel-based Macs run Windows XP natively. Here's a screenshot gallery.

Fedora Core 5 review

Review This distribution delivers the latest Linux gizmos in an easy-to-install package. It's aimed at enthusiasts and developers, and is not for novices; nor is it something you’d want to run your business on.

Inside Windows Vista February CTP

Photos Microsoft's latest CTP release of Windows Vista focuses on enterprise deployment, but there are some noteworthy end-user features too.

Windows Vista February CTP

Preview Microsoft's latest Community Technology Preview (CTP) release of Windows Vista focuses on enterprise deployment.

Windows Vista December CTP

Preview Microsoft's December Community Technology Preview release of Vista brings the fledging operating system one step closer to being feature complete. Learn what Vista has in store for you.

Desktop Linux for small business

Group Test Is your business ready to take the open source plunge? We test five leading desktop Linux distributions and come up with one winner.

Ubuntu Linux 5.10 review

Review Ubuntu is a well integrated, practical and absolutely free Linux distribution. There may be worries about support, but the Canonical organisation is building a good reputation and the head of steam in the wider Ubuntu community should provide decent local support from third parties, too.

Apple Mac OS X on x86: a first test

Tech Guide Steve Jobs might not approve, but Apple's latest operating system can be installed on any x86 hardware. How well does it function? Read our preliminary labs test to find out.

Inside Windows Vista Build 5231

Preview The latest build of Windows Vista includes more tools for system diagnostics and connection, plus a more finalised Internet Explorer 7. Here's a screenshot gallery.

Windows Vista: Build 5231

Preview The latest build of Windows Vista includes more tools for system diagnostics and connection, plus a more finalised Internet Explorer 7. Here's a preview and a recap of Vista's progress to date.

Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 review

Review It's not perfect, but Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 makes pen-based computing feasible for the average worker.