Operating system platform preference

[WizardHawk]

Which is your platform of choice? Windows only person? Mac lover? Linux freak? All of the above?

 

[WizardHawk]

I don't know why, but I've always hated Mac. I know my way around it, but never cared for how they do things. Linux has their downsides, but free is freaking awesome and linux allows you to take older computers and give them new life again.

Google? Please. BSD? Was cute for a minute back in the late 90's maybe. Amiga?

I'm no fan of Micro$oft, but until another OS comes along that is as universal it really is the best choice for most people. And yes I know there are jobs where Macs can kick ass so who blames those folks for having one?

 

[KansasSooner]

VAX/VMS Best damn OS ever!

 

[Banned 10x]

I use Windows at home and Mac at work. I prefer Mac.

 

[KansasSooner]

I find the differences between Windows, MAC OS and Linux (Ubuntu) to be so slight anymore if you can use one you can use the other. It really is just a matter of preference.

 

[WizardHawk]

I find the differences between Windows, MAC OS and Linux (Ubuntu) to be so slight anymore if you can use one you can use the other. It really is just a matter of preference.

To me the differences aren't about moving around or using the GUI, it's about how you work under the hood. Maybe I'm just old and set in my ways, but I was using DOS long before there was a windows 3.1 and working around MS CLI is kind of second nature. Root on some flavors of *nix can be a pain to do what is a simple task in powershell or even the command prompt. And while Unix has gotten better, the issues with drivers and installing shit make it less useful than windows too.

 

[KansasSooner]

The issue with drivers falls back on the manufacturers though, not the OS. Even back on mainframes and minis there were issues with hardware.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

Windows is what I learned first, and know the most about. Love Linux, but until driver issues disappear will remain in second. Mac, it is ok, but the closed garden approach they use, leaves me a bit cold to them. I do own a MacBook and a couple of IPads and really feel Apple is more hype then actually good. I think they lived off the anti MicroSoft attitude more then any thing.
I sure anyone who learn on Apple first would feel different then me.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

I use Windows at home and Mac at work. I prefer Mac.

Expand.

 

[KansasSooner]

Windows is what I learned first, and know the most about. Love Linux, but until driver issues disappear will remain in second. Mac, it is ok, but the closed garden approach they use, leaves me a bit cold to them. I do own a MacBook and a couple of IPads and really feel Apple is more hype then actually good. I think they lived off the anti MicroSoft attitude more then any thing.
I sure anyone who learn on Apple first would feel different then me.

The only driver issues I have is with the newest hardware (printers, etc), and the fact that sometimes on a laptop Ubuntu won't load the wireless driver until you have installed Ubuntu and connected with a wired connection first. ATI drivers are bigger issue than Nvidia but the newer cards seem to work a lot better with the latest Linux. Fact is most manufacturers do not make Linux drivers so the Open Source people have to come up with them in due time on their own, sometimes it takes a year or longer.

 

[4down20]

I use windows 7 for my PC. It is best IMO.

I use linux for servers at work. It's 2nd best.

I use MAC because Apple is a bunch of greedy assholes who force anyone who wants to release software/apps for iphone/ipad/mac to own one in order to upload those things to itunes connect. Apple can kiss my ass, and I hope a big hole opens up in cupertino and they fall in.

 

[WizardHawk]

The only driver issues I have is with the newest hardware (printers, etc), and the fact that sometimes on a laptop Ubuntu won't load the wireless driver until you have installed Ubuntu and connected with a wired connection first. ATI drivers are bigger issue than Nvidia but the newer cards seem to work a lot better with the latest Linux. Fact is most manufacturers do not make Linux drivers so the Open Source people have to come up with them in due time on their own, sometimes it takes a year or longer.

My problem with linux is we were saying those exact same things 15 years ago. I remember saying if they just made it easy to install, work with most standard hardware without major issues or hassles to set it up, and make a reasonable amount of software run on it they might have something.

They have made progress on some of that, but it has been very slllllooooooowwwww going.

 

[KansasSooner]

My problem with linux is we were saying those exact same things 15 years ago. I remember saying if they just made it easy to install, work with most standard hardware without major issues or hassles to set it up, and make a reasonable amount of software run on it they might have something.

They have made progress on some of that, but it has been very slllllooooooowwwww going.

For the most part, except for the latest video cards or MF devices they have. It's quite easy to even setup wireless cards now as they don't change as fast as they used to. But like I said before, Open Software Foundation has to do a lot of the work the manufacturers won't do and they sometimes have patent issues to work around. As for software, the OSF catalog has all the major types of software needed, even financial. It's just a little different and anything different scares people off. Witness Windows 8.

 

[WizardHawk]

Windows 8 didn't scare people because if was different. It pushed people away because MS didn't learn their lesson with Vista. They forced a new OS on the masses without enough thought of all of their intended audience.

Business users make up a substantial segment of the Windows market. Almost none of them have touch screen PC's at their desks. The first launch of 8 was anything but mouse friendly. The fact that they had to scramble and make some significant changes for 8.1 to help make up for it is proof it wasn't ill conceived.

They thought business users would flock to it because of the experience of having the same UI on their phones, tablets, and computers. Nearly no one has all 3. At least I don't know even one person that does. It was pushed in our faces to MAKE us adapt and switch and it has instead been much like Vista only to a smaller degree. It is getting a bad rep and many flat out will not even consider going to it.

 

[JDM]

I'm leaning toward switching from Mac to Linux, because Mac has started moving their desktop OS to be more restrictive than I would prefer. I'll take anything over the POS that is windows.

 

[KansasSooner]

I'm leaning toward switching from Mac to Linux, because Mac has started moving their desktop OS to be more restrictive than I would prefer. I'll take anything over the POS that is windows.

Ubuntu has made some choices lately that are the same way. It was never as customizable as Windows really, but lately they have been locking down some choices that can only be described as WTF?

 

[UVA_Guy81]

I use Windows. Right now since my laptop is going on 5 years, I still have Vista but definitely prefer Windows 7 by far. I've also tried Windows 8 and just hated it.

I tried using a MAC back at college over 10 years ago. I didn't think much of it but I'm sure it's probably something that the more I used it, the more I'd probably like it.

 

[HammerDown]

I'm leaning toward switching from Mac to Linux, because Mac has started moving their desktop OS to be more restrictive than I would prefer. I'll take anything over the POS that is windows.

Spoken like the true snob you are!

 

[JDM]

There are very probably 1000 OSs that destroy windows.

 

[JDM]

Ubuntu has made some choices lately that are the same way. It was never as customizable as Windows really, but lately they have been locking down some choices that can only be described as WTF?

Odd. The whole spirit if Linux is control.

I'd personally be aiming a lot lighter. I had a flavor called crunch bang (#!) for a bit that I liked. Nice and light.