What OS do you use

[Toasted Waffles]

You can now vote for linux as a choice

[LAwLz]

I voted PC/Windows (a Mac is a PC as well) because:

 

Performance: All benchmarks I have seen indicates that Windows has higher performance than OS X, even in things like video and photo editing software (even though ignorant people say Macs are great for that). It's hard to find benchmarks for this so it might be different now, but 2-4 years ago Windows won basically all benchmarks (including DAW as well as things like Photoshop because it makes sense to optimize for the platform most people use. Windows also got hardware accelerated playback in Flash before OS X, gets Java patches faster than OS X and the list goes on and on. Things like Adobe's suit was also first available as 64bit on Windows. Up until recently OS X only had a horrendously outdated version of OpenGL (it's still like 2 version behind but up until Mountain Lion they were on OpenGL 3.2, so you could say OS X was stuck with DirectX equivalent features up until very very recently).

 

Security: Contrary to popular beliefs, OS X is pretty shitty when it comes to security, even Windows is far better. The only reason why OS X doesn't have that many issues with malware is because barely anyone cares to create malware for it, and when people do then Apple goes to extreme measurements to stop it from happening. For example when a Trojan got lose for OS X Apple implemented so that you can't install software on OS X unless it comes from the OS X app store (you can disable this but you get the point). When there was a Java exploit found in OS X (there was a patch available for Linux and Windows but Apple maintained their own version of Java for OS X) they completely dumped their own version and stopped having Java preinstalled. If you look at the list of software with most vulnerabilities, you will find programs such as QuickTime and iTunes on it. They were painfully slow to blacklist some stolen SSL certificates from DigiNotar (Microsoft, Google, Mozilla, Opera and some other were about 1 full month faster than Apple to block these certificates). They are 10 years behind Windows when it comes to some security features such as ASLR.

 

Hardware compatibility: This one is obvious. OS X is artificially limited to only work on certain hardware. You have a much wider variety of hardware that's supported. I am not limited to whatever GPU Apple wants me to use, or what CPU they want me to use.

 

Usability: There are a ton of small things in OS X that really bothers me. Quote from the thread "do you find macs really hard to use".

1) It doesn't follow Fitts's law that button in corners are infinity big. On Windows, when I want to close a program I just drag the mouse cursor to the top right. Since the close button is in the top right, the close button has an infinity big area, and is therefore very easy to press. On OS X, since the close button isn't in the top corner (the stupid menu bar is there instead) I have to be much more careful and aim my mouse.

2) When I press the X in the corner, I want to close the program. I don't want to minimize it. Why do I have to press an X, and then right click the thing in the dock, and then press close in order to close it? Instead of 1 click I need to do 3 clicks.

3) Why does all programs share the same menu bar? If I have two programs running side by side in Windows, I can see the menu bar for both programs. If I have two programs running side by side in OS X, I have to switch which window is active in order to get to the menu. An unnecessary click just to get the menu to show.

4) I was going to cut and paste a file in OS X and that's when I noticed that Finder does not have cut/paste. You can only copy. So I had to first copy the file, then go back to the original file and delete it. I've heard that this has been fixed now but seriously, it should have been added several decades ago.

 

Those are some of the things that really pissed me off when I was using OS X (hackintosh'd my laptop).

 

 

Third party software: Again, pretty obvious. Windows has a lot more software available for it. Some might say that OS X has all the programs you need but I disagree. It still doesn't have anything as good as Foobar2000 for music, nor does it have anything as good as MPC-HC for video. Games is another issue, and as I talked about before cross platform programs such as Adobe's programs often perform worse in OS X.

 

Apple is evil - No seriously, if there is one company I hate then it's Apple. They do make some good products, but their business practice when they refuse to help customers in need, all these lawsuits that's only there to hold the competitors back. I shouldn't even need to elaborate more on this.

[ianh83]

Very sad to see Linux doing so badly on a techie board.

 

Windows = search for an hour for the piece of software to do a job. Wade through shit / expensive / poorly designed options. Download free trials which don't work. Lock yourself in to proprietary systems which limit interoperability.

 

Mac = Same thing but for people who like shiny shit. Fewer software options, much more expensive hardware.

 

Linux = productivity app that you need was either included with the operating system or is freely available and open source. it was designed by a community who use it rather than a business trying to make money. It doesn't use proprietary systems which lock you in to ecosystems. Things get done much faster and it costs you nothing. If you get stuck there are a community of people willing to help unlike Windows/Mac.

[_wky]

I don't think there is a "Best OS".

 

I run Windows and have done since my first computer. I use it as that's what I'm used to and comfortable with.

[rashdanml]

I like Unix.

[LAwLz]

I like Unix.

Well strictly speaking neither OS X nor GNU/Linux is UNIX. I am not 100% sure but I *think* OS X even lost its "UNIX like" certificate a few versions ago. If you're talking about UNIX-like then it's kind of pointless to mention since even Windows could be considered UNIX like thanks to Interix/SUA and third party tools like Cygwin.

[rashdanml]

Well strictly speaking neither OS X nor GNU/Linux is UNIX. I am not 100% sure but I *think* OS X even lost its "UNIX like" certificate a few versions ago. If you're talking about UNIX-like then it's kind of pointless to mention since even Windows could be considered UNIX like thanks to Interix/SUA and third party tools like Cygwin.

That was the point. All three are based on UNIX to varying extent. I shouldn't really say "based on" - "inspired by" is a better way of saying it. 

[cacra]

i use windows for gaming. Once a fair proportion of games are finally released on linux i will never let microsoft darken my door again! 

[Deus Ragno]

Personally or objectively?

I am used to Windows, So that would be my personal choice.

Objectively I don't really know, though I suspect that it is Linux.

[LAwLz]

Objectively I don't really know, though I suspect that it is Linux.

If you're going to be objective then I'd say Windows and GNU/Linux are equal (depends on what you want to do, for example Windows has much better GPU performance and more applications, but GNU/Linux is more customizable and lightweight). I think it's pretty safe to say that both are objectively better than OS X though (for reasons explained in my previous post).

[IdeaStormer]

Best OS is best answered by what are you going to run on your computer not which is the best OS. Don't think Mac nor Windows is good if you want N number of users logging in running jobs on a beefy compute server, Linux yes. Games, well Mac and Linux have too short a list of games. Mac, well I don't think there is a super slew of apps that only exist there to make anyone really jump ship, all the apps are over in Windows world, sure some are ported to Mac and even Linux but the majority of the commercial apps only run on Windows, not that I like that its just the facts.

 

So always plan out what you're going to work on the computer first then pick the OS based on if you can actually get your work/fun done on it. Makes no sense to pick one and then find out later you need to run VM's to use the actual app you need to get your work/fun done on, waste of resources if you do that.

[and1920]

Windows for me

[felixbearpig]

i think mac is supiror on notebook but microsoft is better on desktop

[AraSarkisyan]

Linux Mint 15. 

Or GNU. Add GNU in there please. 

[s0nrise]

I dont really know what to vote here, since I use: Windows for my desktop, Linux for my servers and OSX on my macbook pro.

Each one is best doing different things.

[Kirihuna]

I like both.

[Kirihuna]

Voted for Windows, as for me personally Mac isn't layed out very well. I know lots of researchers say otherwise, but for me personally Mac is more time consuming that Windows as I am really used to Windows using it all my life.

 

But ultimately it's up to your personal preference. For gaming Mac is a big fat NO. But for productivity it works very well. Find out what you like before you buy either =P

Yeah true, mate @Agent Maine do you mean Windows OS and Mac OSX ? because if you do mean that then, I prefer Windows because I find it more user intuitive. I know that sounds mad to people that like Mac BUT I find the experience easier

 

 

ALSO don't double post *insert angry face here.

I'm just going to pull these two posts out. I don't mean to come off...rude. But I think the biggest thing is that most of us have used Windows since the 90s or XP days. Mac OS X is pretty much picking up. Mac OS 9 was awful from what I hear. Awful. But after using Mac OS 10.8, I like it.

 

The thing is, you're in a new enviroment. You don't know what you're doing. If you were offered a Mac for free, would you not use it? Once you get to using it and learning how to do things in Mac, it feels just as natural as Windows.

 

Hell, sometimes it just feels like Windows.

 

Windows by far. Why?

•Mac OS X does not have a true full screen mode

•You can't disable mouse acceleration on Mac OS X.

Those reasons are enough already for why I hate OS X.

Mac has a true full screen mode. Just a heads up.

[Poohy14]

im currently using windows 8 pro and im loving it because i was using windows 7 pro before but the reason why i switched was because i wanted to try windows 8 and i got a free copy (legit). my first initial though was "this sucks," the downloaded a start bar and i started to like it because it felt like windows 7 just updated and if i went back i dont think i could do it because i use the metro to (on a desktop) and i have grown use to it

[Lexlazootin]

Linux

[Nirmal]

Mac has a true full screen mode. Just a heads up.

 

How do you get to it? Every time I go into full screen mode the dock disappears, and if I just click maximize there is still the bar at the top in addition the the bar in the application (FireFox in this case).

[Kirihuna]

How do you get to it? Every time I go into full screen mode the dock disappears, and if I just click maximize there is still the bar at the top in addition the the bar in the application (FireFox in this case).

There should be a little set of arrows pointing south west and north east at the top right corner of each screen. This makes it full screen.

 

To get out, hit Esc or roll over the top part of the screen. The task bar will show with the same arrows. click that to get out.

[AbidingDude]

comparing apples to oranges...

[SirReallySam]

I'm just going to pull these two posts out. I don't mean to come off...rude. But I think the biggest thing is that most of us have used Windows since the 90s or XP days. Mac OS X is pretty much picking up. Mac OS 9 was awful from what I hear. Awful. But after using Mac OS 10.8, I like it.

 

The thing is, you're in a new enviroment. You don't know what you're doing. If you were offered a Mac for free, would you not use it? Once you get to using it and learning how to do things in Mac, it feels just as natural as Windows.

 

Hell, sometimes it just feels like Windows.

 I would sell it on because it's worth so much more than what I would put a price on it... But I'm sure you're right about me not being used to OSX, I have grown up with Windows, but perhaps that's a good enough reason not to use OSX because I'm not used to it. why change when it costs more.

[SirReallySam]

Oh you added Linux COOL, UBUNTU is my friend, also I would be using Linux if all the games I wanted to play was on it...

[wkronbaek]

I think Windows itself is more annoying than the built in browser (IE). Mac can just be really annoying sometimes, It doesn't go with the Aluminium Macbooks. 

 

Linux (Ubuntu Gnome) all the way! Like, don't even argue, we have a penguin as mascot.

 

Although the game support lack is annoying, I'll just boycott them for now.