People who are really into their computers seem to love debating which operating system is best. I’m not sure why people get so heated about this topic, but I thought I would put forth my personal view on the subject: WHO CARES?!

OK, now that that’s out there, let me elaborate. Today, Windows is by far the most popular operating system in the world for home users. According to NetApplications, about 90% of home users are using either Windows XP, Vista or 2000. Only about 5% are using Macs and less than 1% is using Linux. These are June 2007 numbers and I don’t see them changing drastically any time soon.

Windows

People like to harp on Windows. Part of it is probably than human reaction of bashing those who become popular or successful. But, let’s face it. Windows got so popular because it is a GOOD OPERATING SYSTEM. This is not to say it is without it’s faults. It certainly has it’s share of problems, as any follower of Windows security alerts will tell you. I am a recent convert to Windows Vista and I certainly have some things to complain about with that operating system.

That said, Windows is easy for the end user and that is why it is so popular. We live in a capitalistic system here, and the computer world is very capitalist. I don’t care what stories are out there about Microsoft strong-arming people into using it’s products, the truth is that we would not all be using Windows today if the market had not determined it to be that way. And that happened because Windows is easy. We’re all used to the way Windows works, and that’s saying something for an operating system.

As for the security alerts and incompatibility complaints with Windows, sure some of that can be blamed on Microsoft. However, when you have an operating system used by that many people, does anybody think it is easy to make an OS universally compatible? Windows has a big bulls eye on it because it is so popular. And it experiences driver problems because there are just SO many different computer configurations.

I promise, I am not a Microsoft apologist. But, let’s say it like it is.

Linux (namely Ubuntu)

The computer world has gotten a little more “Linux-ized” with the growing popularity of Ubuntu Linux. Ubuntu is marketed as the easy Linux distribution. And compared to some of the other distros out there, it is really easy to use. Nonetheless, I do not think Ubuntu is ready for prime-time in the home desktop market. Here’s why:

* Not all hardware works. There is a higher liklihood of getting everything working under Windows Vista than there is with Ubuntu. I have tried to install certain things to Ubuntu and just can’t get it to work. For example, setting up a dual screen computer is dead easy when using Windows. With Ubuntu, you have to delve into the configuration files of the GNOME desktop using a text editor. Does anyone expect the average home user to do this? I couldn’t get it to work with Ubuntu and I’m not exactly computer illiterate.
* Lack of Software. Yes, there is a lot of software available for Ubuntu. But, it’s all pretty different than the Windows counter-parts. And for Linux to compete with Windows, the software has to be as easy as Windows.
* Still Confusing. One of the major things still weighing Linux down is that it is not that easy to work with for normal home users. There are things you can do via the interface, but there are still many things that require you to open Terminal and “sudo” things and edit text files. That’s just not user friendly. Ubuntu is pretty easy, but there are still a lot of things you need to use the command line for. A good end-user OS should hardly ever need a command line and Linux requires it most of the time.

Ubuntu is great - for Linux. So much so that Dell just recently launched a line of desktops that are shipped with Ubuntu installed. That’s a great help for Linux becoming more of a contender in the world of normal end users. But, it still has a ways to go. I had a spare desktop running Ubuntu and I ultimately had to format and re-install Windows in order to get anything really useful done with the computer.

On the server front, Linux and related variants win hands down. Any Unix variant is far more stable than anything running Windows.

Apple and MacOS

AnimeSynergy is a site dedicated mainly to PC users. However, let’s give props to Apple. MacOS is a very nice operating system that rakes the coals with Windows on many fronts. It is powerful, easy to use, and let’s face it - gorgeous. That said, it still is only used by a small percent of computer users. Why?

It is my opinion that the fault of this is due to Apple itself. Apple isn’t exactly a very open company. They keep everything close to their vest and actively push the concept that you have to go to Apple to do anything to your Apple machine. They haven’t worked to make Apple computers open to everybody. Instead, they have gone the approach of having a smaller user-base, but a VERY dedicated one. Most Mac users are practically in love with their Apples, to the point of probably wishing it could procreate. But, Apples are rather pricey and still remains a bit exclusive. A Mac Mini today will cost you anywhere from $600 to $1,000 and that’s just the box - no monitor, mouse or keyboard. For that price, you can get a fully equipped PC that is actually fairly respectable in terms of performance.

As long as Apple continues to market themselves this way, MacOS will never get much more popular than it is. In my opinion, the one thing that might draw some PC users over is the move to Intel processors and how that has allowed Macs to run Windows software. Today, it is much easier to have a nice Mac system running MacOS, but running Windows inside of Parallels. To me, that is a compelling setup and a reason to buy a Mac.

There are some things Macs are just better at it. Macs are great at multimedia and at graphic and video work. But, I still think Windows has it beat when it comes to normal every day business use and system accessibility to the “normal” computer user.

Having a dual system with Windows and MacOS together would give the best of both.
Can’t We All Just Get Along?

I have never understood why people like to debate which OS is best. It is as if their personal pride depends on whether the world thinks their choice of operating system is the best one out there. It just doesn’t matter that much. There are a lot of different kinds of people in this world, and not one OS is going to be able to cater to everybody.

Macs have certain things which they excel at. Windows has certain things it excels at. And Linux has it’s own market. That’s just the way it is.

Ok, you have come to a very fair conclusion. However your argument has alot of flaws which show that you haven't used the other two oses (linux and os-x) as in depth as you have windows. And so i find your post very biased. I am not gonna say i am not biased in my post (towards linux mainly) but i think i can be a little fairer.
:essay:
Windows

People like to harp on Windows. Part of it is probably than human reaction of bashing those who become popular or successful. But, let’s face it. Windows got so popular because it is a GOOD OPERATING SYSTEM. This is not to say it is without it’s faults. It certainly has it’s share of problems, as any follower of Windows security alerts will tell you.

Windows got so popular becuz it filled a gap that was in an industry which was booming like none other at the time. Reason being, it was cheap(er than os/2) and could run on any hardware. Unlike os/2 which could only be installed on apple boxes and cost about $400 more. Windows has had the same faults for as long as it has been available as an o/s and bill and his team has not addressed them. Along with the fact that Windows also filled that gap, it was more user friendly than the only other alternative which was Linux AT THAT TIME.

The biggest reason why alot of linux users bash windows is not becuz of its security issues and all forms of other stuff but becuz of its cost issue. The cost to run Windows os is so great that in order to save some money, most people end up having to bootleg software, have you ever thought about how much money you would have to spend if you bought every piece of software on your computer? I'm sure the software costs alone on your computer are more than twice the cost of the computer itself. Whats the sense in that? Just to buy Vista and Office alone run u nearly 1 grand us !?!?! :huh: i could buy another computer for that price.

Windows has a big bulls eye on it because it is so popular. And it experiences driver problems because there are just SO many different computer configurations.


Windows does not only have a bulls eye becuz it is popular, but becuz its also the easiest thing to hack. Have you ever tried to break into a windows system before? You can do it with your hands tied behind your back, is that really a secure os? The only way to even try to secure windows is... buy more software, flippin waste of money. You ever tried to hack a linux box, try to make an admin level change on a tux box without the root password, i promise you, get lots of coffee, red bull and all the food you need and prepare to sit in front of the computer for days, you might as well try to qualify for the olympics before you think u can make that change :crykneel:. Also Linux has thousands of different configurations as well, have you ever realized that no 2 linux boxes are the same? i can point out 2,3,4 even 5 different windows boxes that have very similar settings. However its almost impossible to find 2 linux boxes with similar settings becuz linux is user based, its made so that you tell it what to do, its not a matter of you doing what bill gates says u can do.

Also a very serious windows problem which alot of people always forgetting is the fact that windows changes too much. I have found many devices that CANNOT work under windows 2000, or XP but will work in Vista and vice versa's and this is a serious problem, whereas the more linux changes, the more it remains the same. (in terms of compatibility)

Linux (namely ubuntu)

* Not all hardware works. There is a higher liklihood of getting everything working under Windows Vista than there is with Ubuntu. I have tried to install certain things to Ubuntu and just can’t get it to work. For example, setting up a dual screen computer is dead easy when using Windows. With Ubuntu, you have to delve into the configuration files of the GNOME desktop using a text editor. Does anyone expect the average home user to do this? I couldn’t get it to work with Ubuntu and I’m not exactly computer illiterate.
* Lack of Software. Yes, there is a lot of software available for Ubuntu. But, it’s all pretty different than the Windows counter-parts. And for Linux to compete with Windows, the software has to be as easy as Windows.
* Still Confusing. One of the major things still weighing Linux down is that it is not that easy to work with for normal home users. There are things you can do via the interface, but there are still many things that require you to open Terminal and “sudo” things and edit text files. That’s just not user friendly. Ubuntu is pretty easy, but there are still a lot of things you need to use the command line for. A good end-user OS should hardly ever need a command line and Linux requires it most of the time.


First of all remember, ubuntu is still being developed however at the stage it is currently in, it is more advanced than any windows u can find, so lack of certain things will be solved sooner or later. You can find drivers for anything u are gonna use on Linux, and if you cant find the exact drivers, there are generic drivers available that will work (I'll get to that later on). I've used a wide range of hardware devices on linux, without any problems. However, I wont say its exactly the easiest thing to get linux drivers, its harder unless u know where to go, however windows doesnt win here becuz alot of windows drivers you have to search high and low for the right one which may end up being incompatible for your version of windows.

Lack of software is also an unfair trait to say Linux has. Linux has software that can do EVERYTHING you can do in Windows based software and i mean EVERYTHING. However, the problem that windows users have is that they dont want to relearn how to use the software and alot of the times, you dont have to re-learn, all you need to learn is where the menu items are. All the menu options remain the same they have jus moved to a different part of the screen, and if you want you can set them back to the way u are used to. A very basic example of this is Photoshop and Gimp. Same exact program, same exact features, just that one is Linux and one is Windows. The only software that linux lacks is games and thats becuz of the small userbase, the second linux takes up 10 or even 20% of the market of users you will start seeing more games released that have a penguin on its box.

Still confusing - For Ubuntu and especially for Ubuntu, no. I used to think so maself that Ubuntu is still confusing but it really isnt. I cant tell the last time i viewed the CLI in Ubuntu. I've installed, uninstalled, configured, mounted etcetera without CLI. I haven't used sudo since suse 9.
I am not saying that linux is perfect however, there are still reasons to use the CLI which shouldnt be so, it should have just as much use as the command promt in windows. However for average use, you dont need the CLI. So i disagree with this point.

The main problems that i think exist with linux is not linux's fault but more manufacturers and people's fault. People say there is a lack of hardware, there is none, just that the hardware manufacturers dont want to produce proper drivers, leaving the community to fend for itself. The lack of software is also for the same reason. And the reason y people dont want to switch is becuz bill gates has convinced alot that his os is the be all and end all.

Mac OS/X

I agree with almost everything you say here. OS/X is where it is becuz of none other than Steve Jobs. Everybody knows windows was a copy of the original mac os and etcetera. But the fact still remains that if mac's werent so damn expensive and unchangeable (except for wat steve wants to change) more people would use it.

People always say macs are only good at multimedia apps, i used to say that too, but this isn't even close to the truth. A Mac can do ANYTHING you can do with a PC and unlike linux it actually has a software and hardware base of manufacturers. However once again next to cost, people are also unwilling to learn something new, they r stuck in the windows frame of thought.

Also everytime people speak about mac's they forget the problems that plague macs. Such as system shut down or hang ups. I've used a mac and out of the blue and for no reason at all it shut down itself losing all my work. Also i've used a mac and the bloody thing hung up and there is no ctrl+alt+delete to press on a mac to get it back up again. Once its down, its damn well down. Plug out and start over. If you've ever watched the video on youtube about mac problems u will see other errors and problems which mac causes and i have seen them happen to ppl or it has happened to me.

I"m a huge linuxian.. / unix platform activist. my operating system of choice for the past 4 - 5 years has been linux based operating systems (linux it self is not an operating system but a kernel written by tarvaldes). I feel more comfortable using linux and it keeps me on my toes. it is annoying when i cant do somethings as easily as I could in windows but i eventually get it done and i have a high level of appreciation for the accomplishment when I've completed it.

I"ve used mac's a few times.. at work we use a mac for publishing some stuff to the web.. and my Word.. for me it was a total headache.. But i think it was all because I was was used to using linux.

"i find your post very biased"

I'm sorry about that. That wasn't my intention, or maybe my subconcious thought otherwise.

Let’s be fair. Take a blank PC, and try to install windows, OSX and Linux, with the stock drivers provided with the OS. Windows will not work, or badly. You can’t install OSX. You are left with Linux, that with some quirks will definitively work. Does this mean that Linux is the best?

That being said I am not one of those people that would like to have linux to take over the world. Linux is about freedom, something that you don’t get either with Macs or Windows. That includes the freedom not to use it.

Nobody is asking you to give up what you are using. That was the purpose of the original article, and I fully agree. People drive Fords, Chevys, Toyotas, etc. If you are happy with Windows it would be just crazy to change. However, not because it works with you that means it works for everybody. Moreover, not because it’s widely used that means that it’s the best and easier OS to use.

Bottom line: we can all get along, but not renouncing of our identities. It depends on your own priority.

I've been using windows since the 80s/ early 90s.. there were a couple macs available as well, but it looked sorta complex back then, plus they didnt have mspaint so.. windows till now.

I grew up around macs since my dad used them for video editing, windows wasnt accepted. Macs are and have been holding their own, school challenge, grace kitchens, lime tree lane and all those other shows from the 80s/90s were cuz of macs

But how was mac gonna compete with mspaint?
Ans: Photoshop
So from the get go ppl have a preconception of macs = gfx related.. pity they cost so much

Howver they just dropped a new imac with gr8 specs for $1100, waiting for a price cut on the macbooks though

The OS itself is pretty cheap, round 6 or 7gran

Linux is around as well but might be too technical for most ppl, so the alternative if u've had enuff with windows would b a mac, all they need to do is lower the price and thing..

"i find your post very biased"

I'm sorry about that. That wasn't my intention, or maybe my subconcious thought otherwise.

Let’s be fair. Take a blank PC, and try to install windows, OSX and Linux, with the stock drivers provided with the OS. Windows will not work, or badly. You can’t install OSX. You are left with Linux, that with some quirks will definitively work. Does this mean that Linux is the best?

That being said I am not one of those people that would like to have linux to take over the world. Linux is about freedom, something that you don’t get either with Macs or Windows. That includes the freedom not to use it.

Nobody is asking you to give up what you are using. That was the purpose of the original article, and I fully agree. People drive Fords, Chevys, Toyotas, etc. If you are happy with Windows it would be just crazy to change. However, not because it works with you that means it works for everybody. Moreover, not because it’s widely used that means that it’s the best and easier OS to use.

Bottom line: we can all get along, but not renouncing of our identities. It depends on your own priority.

We really cant stop the use of windows, people are used to it. However, i do dislike when people say (especially since the advent of ubuntu) that linux is too hard etc etc etc. In every scope of mind (except just slightly in user friendliness) Linux beats windows hands down...

I agree with what you saying though.