Feature

Ability to
customise

Windows
You can change the
background and
general colour
scheme and fonts
for your windows
desktop.

Linux
You can rewrite
the code for
Linux so that you
can customise it
further, meaning
that you can
have a
completely
different layout
than everyone
else.

DOS
You can
download
expansions for
DOS so that
you can
customise it.

Support for
connectivity
for portable
media

Windows supports
connectivity for
different media,
including USB
drives, CD/DVD,
Syncing, Bluetooth
and Wi-Fi.

Linux doesnt
have as wide a
range of support
for connectivity
but you can
download a
software
development kit
to improve its
connectivity.

DOS doesnt
provide much
connectivity,
from the fixed
HDD only.

Security

Windows has an
administrative user
that can make
changes to the
computer, but it
has other users
that can perform
small tasks. You
need the
administrators

For Linux you

have to enter
the
administrators
password in
order to make
changes or
download things,
so it is harder for
harmful

DOS does not

support
multiple users
so there are no
threats from
other user on
the computer.
DOS didnt
really have
much security

Comparison
Overall Linux is the
most customisable
because it is open
source and you can
alter the codes for
DOS can also be op
source, but there is
GUI to customise.
Windows is relative
customisable, but
fully. You can main
just change the
colours and looks o
things slightly.
With Windows bein
the most popular O
out of the 3, it has
more connectivity
available, and
expansions availab
to enable more
connectivity. You ca
also download
expansions to mak
Linux more suppor
for connectivity, bu
there are not as m
things available as
windows. As DOS i
an old OS and isnt
really used anymo
it doesnt really ha
any support for
connecting media.
Newer versions of
DOS might, becaus
they are built with
Windows on top of
them.
The most secure
would be Linux,
because of its abili
to customise, virus
wouldnt be able to
access the comput
because it wouldn
be specific enough
Because of Window
popularity, it make

password to
change anything if
on another user.

programs to gain
access to your
computer. You
can also change
the codes to
make it more
secure.

when it first
came out,
because of the
low threat.

Stability

Windows is
relatively stable,
but vista is more
unstable than other
versions. Vista
didnt sell because
it crashed when it
was launched, and
Microsoft released
windows 7 soon
after it.

Linux operating
systems are
stable, because
you can rewrite
the codes for it.

DOS doesnt
have a user
interface, so it
is much more
stable because
it doesnt have
to produce
graphics.

Reliability

Windows is not that

reliable, with it
crashing/needing to
be restarted all of
the time. Windows
Vista was
particularly
unreliable, which is
why it didnt sell
very well.

Linux is very
reliable and is
known for being
run for months
or even years
without needing
to be rebooted.

DOS is not very

reliable
because it
crashes easily if
a program
doesnt open
properly or a
wrong
command is
put in.

Ease of
managemen
t

Because Windows
is so popular,
people are more
familiar with the
way it works so it is
fairly easy for

Later versions of
Linux have
greatly improved
in their ease of
management
side, but

DOS isnt very

easy to
manage unless
you know the
commands to
perform

the most vulnerabl

to attacks. This is a
because you cant
edit the code. DOS
has the least secur
because it was ma
before viruses
existed.
Overall I think that
Linux is the most
stable, because it
doesnt have as m
software and other
things running as
Windows, and it is
more popular than
DOS, so it is better
tested and improve
Windows crashes a
and needs rebootin
lot because of the
amount of program
running on it. DOS
stable, because tak
up a small amount
memory, and does
have a GUI so it
reduces problems.
Linux is the most
reliable out of the
because it doesnt
need rebooting or
crash all of the tim
It can run for mont
or even years with
need to be reboote
If programs dont
open correctly in D
then the system ca
crash, because it w
designed for the
correct commands
be entered and
nothing else.
Windows is probab
the easiest to man
because of tutorial
available to teach
users and how mos
people are taught

everyone to use.

because it is
open source you
have to know
how to write
programming
language to alter
things.

different tasks.

Associated
utilities

Windows is the
most popular OS,
so it has a much
wider range of
utilities.

Linux has a wide

range of utilities
available to
download.

DOS doesnt
have many
associated
utilities,
because it isnt
very popular
any more.
There arent
many utilities
available
because it
doesnt have a
GUI as well.

Cost

The latest version

of windows costs
around 100. You
also have to pay for
other software you
want on windows.

Linux is free to
download, so it
doesnt cost you
anything. There
are software
downloads that
are free, such as
open office etc

Because DOS
isnt actively
developed any
more, it is free
of charge.

Support for
the user

Windows has its

own help section,
and
websites/forums
where you can talk
to people and gain
information about
windows. There are
also books
available for each
version of windows

Linux has books

available for
help and also
online forums.

There are
websites and
forums
available for
help with DOS,
but they
provide more
basic
information
because DOS
isnt very

use Windows over

other OS. Linux is
simple as well to a
extent, but you ha
to know the
commands to man
things past a certa
point. DOS is purel
command driven s
is easy to manage
things if you know
codes.
Windows has the
most associated
utilities, developed
Microsoft and man
other companies.
Linux has a lot, bu
not as many, with
many people writin
their own because
is open source. DO
has the least
associated utilities
because it isnt use
for applications
because it is just
code.
DOS is free of char
to download, and s
Linux. This is bette
than Windows, whi
costs to download.
Further software fo
Windows also costs
and with the other
operating systems
software costs a lo
less or nothing at a
There is most supp
available for windo
with a help section
actually in the OS a
with many website
and books and oth
sources. Linux has
lot of support as w
but not as much as
Windows. DOS has
the least amount o

to help you.

popular.

support available.
Windows users nee
the most support
because of its
stability.