As far as I know, Windows XP's user switching stops the applications that one user has running in order to make the switch. This is silly. If I use our computer for something, my wife should be able to use the computer, too, without having me stop using it.
Windows XP Pro is a single-user, multitasking operating system with multiple user profiles and easy profile switching. But it's not multiuser in the common sense of that word.
You can argue that the kernel of Windows XP facilitates several concurrent users, but except terminal services, Microsoft doesn't deliver multiuser functionality on the desktop. There are many multiuser facilities in a standard desktop Linux today, including:
1) X-Windows. When I visit my neighbor, who also uses Linux, I can get my own desktop up and running as smooth as if I was using the computer directly. And my wife may use the computer too at home at the same time.
2) VNCServer. Each user on a computer may start any number of virtual desktops and can choose to connect to any number of those remotely. Think terminal server with multiple logins per user account.
3) The ability to have two keyboards, two mice and two display adaptors in the same computer. This one requires special knowledge to set it up, though, and it requires one mouse and one keyboard to be USB on a standard PC.
And all three technologies can work at the same time and it works really well.
Dybdahl. |
