Windows 7 or Ubuntu?

After a month or so living with Ubuntu Net Book Remix, it was time to move to Karmic Koala. Whilst normally I'd jump at the opportunity to get the latest and greatest I didn't actually feel the need to update on the release date.

So far I have been really impressed with Net Book Remix. It seems to fit the screen very well, only a few functions didn't seem to work well. Connecting an external monitor is one of them. I don't use it often but when I did need it it wasn't there. Other than that minor niggle (I'm sure there'll be a way of getting around it but I haven't had the time to work it out or visit the forums !!) it works brilliantly.

I still use windows on my net top (Acer Revo) and had the opportunity to upgrade to Windows 7 for a small fee and whilst it is a vast improvement over the Vista that it came with I'm starting question what strikes the OS's apart. So far I have worked on the basis that....

• Both work - Fundamental really but worth pointing out
• Windows is a more polished product
• Ubuntu suits those who may want to tinker
• Ubuntu updates slowly in a continuous improvement / kaizen methodology whilst Microsoft produces innovation type updates - smaller steps versus bigger leaps (sometimes the leaps are in a wobbly direction)
• Software for Microsoft OS's is great. Ubuntu is good but not quite as good for specialist software (Ham Radio Deluxe springs to mind). Yes, there are alternatives available and no doubt one day they will exceed the Microsoft versions but Microsoft just pips it.

Here's a question, why can't the OS's work with everything? HRD on Ubuntu would probably seal it for me as Office runs under wine.

Fundamentally both the OS's work for me, just in different applications. My netbook will carry on running Ubuntu. It is running Open Office and Evolution as well as XBMC and a few others like Fldigi on a small screen and it works well. The net top runs Windows 7 for MS Office and HRD, MCE and others. Crucially they both run Dropbox, Picasa and Firefox

I'm still waiting for the cloud to deliver what it promised and then I wonder if I'll need an OS at all. Especially if it means long battery life and energy efficiency.