OS Face-off: Windows 8 vs. Mac OS X Lion

The PC operating system wars have been raging for nearly 3 decades. Ever since IBM picked Microsoft's DOS for its PCs, other OSes have endeavored to push their way into the market. Undoubtedly, Windows continues to rule the roost, but Apple is fast catching up in the OS landscape.

Will Windows 8 roar like a Lion? Or Lion will bite the dust with the arrival of new Windows? Let’s find out who will emerge as the winner in this battle.

Design aspect
Mac OS X Lion and the upcoming Windows 8 share a major design aspect: they both take cues from the respective mobile OS versions. While Mac OS X Lion is heavily influenced from iPad’s iOS platform, Windows 8 takes the cue from Windows Phone 7.

Interface
Multi-Touch gestures in OS X Lion make it feel as though you’re controlling your content more directly than ever before. So when you scroll down on your trackpad or Magic Mouse, your document scrolls down.

Windows 8 too makes a heavy use of touch interfaces. It is being designed for interaction with keyboards (both real and virtual), mouse, joystick, trackpad and touch screen. In addition, gone are the pastels and goofy looking icons of Microsoft. They have been replaced by a high contrast black and white menu with slick, modern looking icons.

Platforms
One striking difference between the two platforms is their compatibility with other devices.

While Mac OS X Lion is specifically targeted at Apple’s computer arm and won’t include iPhone and iPad; Microsoft, on the other hand, is creating one OS for tablets and desktops and may have its ideas for a grand unified OS for all devices. It is reported that next generation of Windows operating system not only work on Intel and AMD but will also run on ARM, making it a desirable choice for tablet makers.

App Store
Apple has already found success in iTunes and the different App Stores for its Macs and ‘i’ range of devices.

Microsoft too has unveiled a prototype App Store for Windows 8. The new marketplace for Windows apps will be prominently featured on the OS Start Screen.

The aforementioned features clearly signal that both Windows 8 and Mac OS X Lion have a lot more in common but there are, of course, important differences between Microsoft and Apple's overall OS strategies.

So which OS will emerge out on top as the dominate presence in the computing world in the years to come? Any guesses!!