Operating System Guide (Now with Scoring!)

  • Thread starter Danoff
  • 28 comments
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Which Operating System(s) Do You Use?

  • Total voters
    46
Danoff

Danoff

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This thread is to be mostly about the advantages and disadvantages of Linux/Unix, Windows, and Mac OS - the ones we're most familiar with and are generally purchasing. I know plenty of people who have to interact with specialized mainframe operating systems, but since nobody's buying a home computer with those on it, I don't see a need to discuss it here.

I've seen a bunch of threads asking about whether a Mac or a PC is the best purchase (ignoring the linux option altogether usually). I'd like to consolidate the pros and cons here.

I know that many of you prefer one of these operating systems over the other simply for the user interface or aesthetics. Since this is based almost entirely on personal preference (usually whether the user prefers an organic user interface to a digital one), I don't think it should be discussed here.

Now, I know that creating a thread like this is begging for fanboism, and is akin to making a "Skyline vs. Corvette" thread. But I'm hoping that we can keep things civil and objective here. Please chime in with advantages or disadvantages that I've missed, I'll add them to the list. For now, I'll get the ball rolling.

OS By Category (Best>Middle>Worst)
====================================
Cost*:--------------------------Linux>Windows>Mac
Speed (single-thread)**:----Linux>Windows>Mac
Stability:-----------------------Linux>Mac=Windows
Security****:-----------------Linux>Mac>Windows
Configurability:---------------Linux>Windows>Mac
Multitasking:------------------Linux>Mac>Windows
Ease of Use:-------------------Mac>Windows>>Linux
Software Availability:--------Windows>Mac>Linux
Command Line Apps:---------Linux>Mac>>Windows
Hardware Compatibility***: Windows>Linux=Mac

* OS License/Hardware composite
** OS/Available Hardware composite
*** This was tough to judge. Linux is compatible with more computer hardware, with Mac peripherals are an advantage.
**** It remains unclear whether this is because of OS design or market share. In order to take advantage of Linux security, you have to know what you're doing.


Score
========
Linux - 12
Windows - 6
Mac - 6

2 points for first place category, 1 for second,-2 for extreme poor performance, no points awarded for ties. Score is listed for fun only. Obviously any single category could drive a purchase decision.


Tips? Suggestions? Things I missed? Hopefully someone finds this useful. At the very least, I'm sure I'll point others to this thread.
 
Windows as an operating system is *not* cheaper than Mac. Especially not if you buy retail. This is assuming we're doing an apples to apples comparison (ie, retail vs retail pricing).

Apple hardware does tend to cost more however. One major trend I've noticed is that Apple pricing is generally cheaper for about a month after each hardware refresh. When comparing Macs to PC, i generally compare to business line products (Dell Latitude) or more enthusiast oriented lines (Dell XPS). This is because build quality on most consumer oriented notebooks I have seen is godawful in comparison to business notebooks. Besides that, I tend to purchase only from the business lines of most company's products. I pay more, but I get a better built product and better support in the end.

Single User OSX Leopard: $129
Five User OSX Leopard: $200

Vista Ultimate (Retail) $289.99
Vista Ultimate (OEM) - $189.99
Vista Home Premium (OEM) - $109

Apple's multi-user site license is only marginally more expensive than Vista Ultimate at OEM pricing...
Of course, the average user should only need Home Premium since Ultimate doesn't offer *that* much more in terms of features.
 
I thought about isolating the price for buying the OS separate from hardware, but I figured it would be less useful if I did that since most people are purchasing the OS with the hardware, or are simply not purchasing the OS and only the hardware. So it was more of a hardware price point than an OS price point - which I see you agree with.

emad
Apple hardware does tend to cost more however.
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I'm gonna stick to Ubuntu a Linux distribution as its one of the most virus free OS's out there and If I needed to I can run Wine to run my windows programs.
 
I know this has come up before, but I can't remember the answer - is there a way to vote for 2 things? At work I use XP and I have Vista at home.
 
TB
I know this has come up before, but I can't remember the answer - is there a way to vote for 2 things? At work I use XP and I have Vista at home.
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Yes, and he even lets you vote more than once.
 
Take note that a lot of college students can get a hold of Windows for free via the MSDN alliance. I am running fully legal copies of Windows on all of my machines thanks to it.

I do have a modified version of Windows XP on my main machine though - Litestep setup optimized for dual monitors. Which I'd say is another perk of Windows - the larger user base means more modification to it.
 
nick09
Danoff you forgot that you can use wine to run windows programs in linux.
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Not entirely "forgot" so much as omitted. All three operating systems have emulators of sorts for the others (though I'm not sure there's a mac emulator for windows - lack of demand I suppose). I left that off because emulators tend not to be as good as the real thing.
 
Danoff
Not entirely "forgot" so much as omitted. All three operating systems have emulators of sorts for the others (though I'm not sure there's a mac emulator for windows - lack of demand I suppose). I left that off because emulators tend not to be as good as the real thing.
Click to expand...

Ah I get ya now.
 
Danoff
Suggestions?
Click to expand...
Only thing I'd suggest is that you might want to focus more on things not related to the command line - anybody who needs the command line on a regular or semi-regular basis probably knows enough about computers that they don't need this thread. ;) The people who don't know what kind of computer they want, on the other hand... I'm pretty sure the majority of them have entirely no use for the command line.
 
Sage
Only thing I'd suggest is that you might want to focus more on things not related to the command line - anybody who needs the command line on a regular or semi-regular basis probably knows enough about computers that they don't need this thread. ;) The people who don't know what kind of computer they want, on the other hand... I'm pretty sure the majority of them have entirely no use for the command line.
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I guess that's fair. I've had two OSX macs through work and on both of them I found the command line to be the most important feature of the OS - so I'm kinda basing that on my own experience. What I like about OSX is that it tries to blend the ease of use of windows with the hardcore capabilities of linux. I loved the built-in X server capability so I could have graphics pop up on the Mac that were generated remotely on a linux machine, all while being able to double-click a word document and have it pop open. You don't want to know what you have to go through to make that happen on a windows machine (though, of course, it can be done).
 
Voted for XP, Vista, Linux (Ubuntu), and Mac OSX (which is a lie for another month or two...:P).

I actually prefer Vista for most things. Granted I have hardly used OS X and am barely familiar with that. The Macbook Pro will fix that little issue. :)

I'm going to run before the lynch mob organizes.
 
I voted for Linux, XP, Vista and Mainframe as I have an AS/400 at home!
 
One thing to add to your list of Linux advantages Danoff is: Stability.

I have a Windows XP system as my "main desktop", which sits in my study. Every night it backs off all critical files to a pair of Ubuntu 7.1 boxes in the garage. One of these also runs Firefly Media Server, which streams music to Roku/Pinnacle Soundbridges around the house.

The Ubuntu boxes never ever fall over. They're set to automatically restart in the event of a power failure, and they're just always there. Their uptime is equal to the amount of time since I unpacked them after moving into the house. I control them via secure shell on the main desktop, so it doesn't matter that there's no monitor connected to them, or that I need a stepladder to get to them.

However, my XP machine is highly versatile (it takes me ages to get anything working on the Linux boxes) and serves the majority of my needs.
 
This is the same with my AS/400 (although i never use it). It is a high availability mainframe with 99.999% uptime (so they say!).
 
I use XP at home, but I also use Linux (Fedora) and Mac OS X at university. Should I vote for all three?
 
Sharky.
I use XP at home, but I also use Linux (Fedora) and Mac OS X at university. Should I vote for all three?
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Go ahead.

EDIT: Danoff as in the ease of use, it varies for Linux systems as it is customizable(compiz for example).
 
Where is the option for GS/OS, Commodore Basic, or CP/M? :P

EDIT: Can't forget good 'ol GEOS, BeOS, or GEMS either.
 
Windows XP
Advantages: Huge user-base, cheaper because hardware is available from so many different manufacturers

Disadvantages: Constant problems caused by hardware from so many different companies, this is where Apple has the advantage IMO. Hardware and software from one company insures little to no such problems.

I haven't had my MacBook for one week yet, so I can't really such much yet except great things about OS X! :D
 
I still make use of this 3-4 year old computer with Linux. I had no slow downs since I installed it a 2-3 months ago.
 
I'd been running an 8-year-old laptop with Windows 2000 Pro, until I recently purchased a new dual-core desktop with XP Pro SP2 on it, which also came with Vista Business if you wanted to upgrade. Any suggestions on whether or not to install Vista? I've read and heard mixed opinions about it, but generally it seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it kind of deal. What do you guys think?

:-)
 
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I use OS X. I was a bit hesitant at first to make the switch, but after doing so I realized that I don't do anything that would make Mac compatibility issues a problem. I don't code things like I used to, and I don't really play games on the computer (though it could be argued that I would if I had the machine to do it). Honestly though, OS X more than suits my needs, and the ease of use and elegance of it all makes up for any compatibility issues.
 
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