Dual Booting

I've written a lot of posts in the past about different operating systems I've experimented with, whether its Windows, iOS, Android, OS X, or Linux, each offers a slightly different user interface and different features. Many people decide to do what;s called dual-booting, which is setting up your computer so that you have the option to do one or the other, without having to buy a new computer with the other operating system you want. This method has multiple advantages to it that make it a common trend among people who use their computers a lot. This trend has also been translated to the corporate world, where rumors are popping up about pre-set dual booting machines.

Dual booting operating systems has a of of advantages to it. Personally, I am running Windows and Ubuntu on my desktop. I like this configuration because I can have the drivers and support I need for some of my software on Windows that I wouldn't be able to get on Ubuntu. Likewise, since Unbuntu is open source I can go outside the box on Ubuntu like Windows does not allow you to. The combination, though I favor Windows, provides the perfect combination for me to keep my work efficient and to mix it up every now and then with new learning experiences on Ubuntu. I have also yearned for the combination of OS X with Windows, because there are a lot of things whichI like doing on Mac better than I like doing on Windows. Unfortunately Apple makes this a bit difficult since they make you buy an Apple product first in order to do that.

Recently there has been talk of machines coming pre-built with dual-boot capabilities. Huawei announced they were making a phone that could dual-boot Windows and Android, which hasn't really been done before that I know of, short of a hacker's version I saw once. HP also announced creating a computer that could dual-boot Windows and Android. In both these cases, the project has been scrapped because Google and Microsoft didn't want both of their operating systems on one device. Personally, I don't understand the reasoning for this, as it seems as though it would help both companies, because instead of a competition for customers and what operating system they could choose, you work together to upsell your shared product. Seems like a win-win to me, less work on competition at the very least. Now I see the obvious flaws in my reasoning like monopolizing the marketplace and lack of innovation in the absence of competition, but it would seem like a viable option to just have few of these machines on the market!

Dual booting allows users to put all of the advantages of multiple operating systems on one device, instead of having to go out and buy separate devices for each one. This is very helpful to the user, as well as continues the learning curve for computers if you were born in the generation where you need that stimulation. Companies have started to catch on and develop machines that dothis without any work by the user, which have been scratched at the moment, but which I dearly hope will arise again because its a very good practice.