It may be a brave opinion but I predict that Ubuntu Linux and Windows Vista are going to be the two operating systems that will take over the largest chunk of the desktop OS market during the next couple of years

I use Ubuntu Linux as my primary OS. However for a moment, I was pleased to have kept Vista around. How can I meaningfully discuss the merits or pitfalls of Ubuntu without experiencing Ubuntu's primary contemporary competitor, Vista, firsthand?

Mac OSX Leopard 10.5.2 and Windows Vista Service Pack One were both released in February of 2008. Linux Ubuntu released the latest version of its operating system, nicknamed Hardy Heron, in April. I tried out each of these three operating systems to see how they compared.

It may be a brave opinion but I predict that Ubuntu Linux and Windows Vista are going to be the two operating systems that will take over the largest chunk of the desktop OS market during the next couple of years. This comparison is based on my experience with both systems during the last couple of weeks on two different computers.

As you may recall, outgoing PC Magazine editor Jim Louderback had almost nothing good to say about Vista in his most recent column. Just about everyone I know that has used Vista is going to stick with it and Information Week poses the reasons why that not so strangely, I agree with.

"In a recent interview with Microsoft's COO Kevin Turner, the executive was asked about the future of Windows. In response, Turner had this to say: "Certainly, this last year has been an unprecedented year for Vista and Office and the launch," Turner said. "And we are still committed to the desktop. There will be another release and launch of a Vista-type operating system.

It is hardly a fluke that Ubuntu really began to attract former Windows users roughly around the same time as Windows Vista came out. Despite the number of Windows migrants who eventually floated back to Windows XP, the fact is that projects like Wubi make it really easy to slide into a Linux mindset.

I bought a new laptop with the standard Vista installed. I dislike Vista and I would have to go through a costly upgrade to everyone of my programs.

All things are set for today’s epic battle. Two major release versions of two major Linux distributions will take the stage for what could be the fight of the year. Dubbed as the Battle Royale, it’s Ubuntu 8.04 vs. openSUSE 11 for our mega main event.