Why is Linux or Mac OS good?

[ripper101]

So I have always known about the most popular 3 operating systems (at least for me) Windows, Mac, and Linux and I've never known the difference between them. I've only really used Windows my whole life and I am wondering what is the difference between them? Security? Optimization? Etc.. thanks 

[GDRRiley]

Linux is less friendly but being so allows more complex interactions with the system. OSX is just garbage, it is over simplified (you can't see what drive you put a file into) and runs most non apple programs bad. 

[Enderman]

That's like asking "what is the difference between an audi and a mercedes and a bmw?"

Well, a lot, since they are completely different brands...

[The Sloth]

1 minute ago, Enderman said:

That's like asking "what is the difference between an audi and a mercedes and a bmw?"

Well, a lot, since they are completely different brands...

 

 

they both are owned by valsvolkswagen like osx is linux. 

[2FA]

Linux and macOS are both *nix operating systems that follow a different design philosophy compared to Windows. Honestly, there are so many differences that I could write a whole paper on them. I'll just link this article from 2008 that still does a good job of pointing out some of the major difference http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/10-fundamental-differences-between-linux-and-windows/

[Droidbot]

9 minutes ago, GDRRiley said:

 OSX is just garbage, it is over simplified (you can't see what drive you put a file into) and runs most non apple programs bad. 

When I hackintoshed my laptop I had a load of fun running OSX. It's amazing for work, it feels smooth and has good animations, and there is minimal distractions since half your games won't run on OSX anyway

[Enderman]

8 minutes ago, DeadEyePsycho said:

Linux and macOS are both *nix operating systems that follow a different design philosophy compared to Windows. Honestly, there are so many differences that I could write a whole paper on them. I'll just link this article from 2008 that still does a good job of pointing out some of the major difference http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/10-fundamental-differences-between-linux-and-windows/

*unix

[79wjd]

13 minutes ago, GDRRiley said:

OSX is just garbage, it is over simplified (you can't see what drive you put a file into) and runs most non apple programs bad. 

No....it's not. 

 

I vastly prefer OSX over Windows. 

[dual290x]

Windows is a bit hardware intensive

OSX is less hardware intensive

Linux is a lot less hardware intensive

 

Simplicity wise...... if you grew up using OSX, it is simple and Windows is hard, the same would be seen if you grew up using Linux and then switched or used Windows and switched. I use both OSX and Windows and they have their pros and cons. The best way for you to know is to work with all three and you will find out for yourself. I am still trying to learn Linux but I don't have as much time as I did with OSX (I grew up only knowing Windows). If you truly want to learn go straight to OSX or Linux and don't go back unless you absolutely have to. I had to do that with OSX.

[S_Napster]

macOS Is good for work, light weight, and awesome for battery, anyway if you want gaming you need to go with windows, debugging and coding you need to go with mac or linux both are good, considering that you can only code swift on mac 

[manikyath]

12 minutes ago, nerdslayer1 said:

osx is linux. 

it isnt.

 

OSX is based on BSD, which they essentially completely rewrote.

 

oh yeah, and OP, there's plenty more than windows, OSX, and linux to play with

[ARikozuM]

12 minutes ago, DeadEyePsycho said:

Linux and macOS are both *nix operating systems that follow a different design philosophy compared to Windows. Honestly, there are so many differences that I could write a whole paper on them. I'll just link this article from 2008 that still does a good job of pointing out some of the major difference http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/10-fundamental-differences-between-linux-and-windows/

You made your challenge and, now, you must see it through.

[S_Napster]

BTW im talking from experience, not shit posting, and being windows fan boy 

[Electronics Wizardy]

2 minutes ago, dual290x said:

Windows is a bit hardware intensive

OSX is less hardware intensive

Linux is a lot less hardware intensive

Not at all. The os uses very little, so its more what your doing on the hardware. Windows can use very little ram if you aren't runing anything.

[79wjd]

5 minutes ago, dual290x said:

Windows is a bit hardware intensive

OSX is less hardware intensive

Linux is a lot less hardware intensive

 

Simplicity wise...... if you grew up using OSX, it is simple and Windows is hard, the same would be seen if you grew up using Linux and then switched or used Windows and switched. I use both OSX and Windows and they have their pros and cons. The best way for you to know is to work with all three and you will find out for yourself. I am still trying to learn Linux but I don't have as much time as I did with OSX (I grew up only knowing Windows). If you truly want to learn go straight to OSX or Linux and don't go back unless you absolutely have to. I had to do that with OSX.

SOME Linux distros are a lot less intensive. Others are comparatively similar to OSX/W10. 

 

2 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Not at all. The os uses very little, so its more what your doing on the hardware. Windows can use very little ram if you aren't runing anything.

Yes and no. It depends how low end of a system you're using. The whole reason Vista was a shitshow had more to do with the computers shipping with underpowered CPUs and not enough RAM than with the OS itself. 

[ARikozuM]

Personally, I like Linux Mint, Windows 95/98/XP/Vista/8.1/10, and OSX Mountain Lion. Those are the ones that I enjoyed learning and using for a long term. 

[2FA]

22 minutes ago, Enderman said:

*unix

A Unix-like (sometimes referred to as UN*X or *nix)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix-like

[ARikozuM]

4 minutes ago, DeadEyePsycho said:

A Unix-like (sometimes referred to as UN*X or *nix)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix-like

This kind of correction is about as bad as ZMeul's.

[2FA]

1 minute ago, ARikozuM said:

This kind of correction is about as bad as ZMeul's.

I'm confused, are you referring to mine or his?

[ARikozuM]

4 minutes ago, DeadEyePsycho said:

I'm confused, are you referring to mine or his?

zMeul's corrections are really bad. 

[Enderman]

11 minutes ago, DeadEyePsycho said:

A Unix-like (sometimes referred to as UN*X or *nix)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix-like

I don't think someone asking about the differences between operating systems will know that *nix is a nickname of something...

[2FA]

7 minutes ago, Enderman said:

I don't think someone asking about the differences between operating systems will know that *nix is a nickname of something...

Then why bother correcting it, especially incorrectly? You should have just said that it means Unix-like if you really cared about them understanding the term.

[Enderman]

3 minutes ago, DeadEyePsycho said:

Then why bother correcting it, especially incorrectly? You should have just said that it means Unix-like if you really cared about them understanding the term.

Because it is based on unix...?

So it's not "unix like", it actually is unix.

[2FA]

10 minutes ago, Enderman said:

Because it is based on unix...?

So it's not "unix like", it actually is unix.

That's not exactly true since it is actually based off of BSD which is based off of early UNIX. macOS has been certified to use the UNIX trademark since 10.5 but BSD isn't certified so it's not exactly clear cut. Either way, it's not directly UNIX and *nix isn't an official term so I still think it fits.

[LogicalDrm]

Jumping over needless jibber-jabber.

 

There are countless ways to set differences and similarities between the three major OS bases. Here's yet another and then I say my own opinion from using both Windows and Linux (Ubuntu).

• Windows is messy at core and you have to buy every major update (until Win10-ish). Its the only one you can buy and use on machine of your liking.
• Linux is name for core which is updated as single object. All flavors are completion of software and addons to core to make them almost different from each other, called distributions or distros. Linux is free and can also be used on machine of your liking.
• Mac OS is like Windows but it has been continuously updated for past years. Its part of hardware integration and you can't get it separately. Like with consoles, this has advantages like making it work smoothly with given hardware, even when hardware is seen underpowered compared to what free markets have.

Main advantage Windows (still) has over Linux is software and games. While many already have Linux versions, there are still too much money involved to keep game developers and professional software makers happy with Windows and Mac OS. Two main advantes of Linux are free nature of it and less heavy on hardware. If you aren't so much into games, or don't mind bit tricky process to get games and software working, Linux is best choice.