Which Operating System Do YOU Use?

[Slvgx]

Just today as I was struggling with the clunky, bloated MS Word for Mac, I got frustrated and moved all my info over to Pages. First time really using it, and it has some great features I can really use.
Can't wait for 10.5, iWork 07, and iLife 07.

Check out NeoOffice, it's an open source free alternative to using MS Office apps.

[dedguy]

Pages is a better program for type-setting imo. Pages is almost more akin to something like InDesign than Word. Neo-Office is great because it's free and open source but it's bad because it's well... bad. It's okay for those rare moments when I need to open a spreadsheet but other than that I stick with Pages.

[The General]

Hmmm lets see, I use XP Home SP2, with Nod 32 and a good third party firewall.

It does not crash, it works perfectly, its reliable and it works. Yes it works.

I have no problems with it what so ever.

Why change? :confused:

Vista I will give a pass until its had at least its first or even second service patch... and I can afford to update the gaming computer.

[KSDbass]

I feel out of place, right next to Deacon. I've been running XP for 2, 3 years? I've had 2 viruses, not NEARLY enough spyware to make me even bother getting angry, I honestly don't know what a BSOD looks like, AND I'm a heavy gamer. My dad has a mac, I use it sometimes, and I still come back to XP. I installed a Linux partition which I forced myself to use, and I still came back to XP. It's very rare I don't heavily stress my system, and it runs like a dream.

My stance on Mac vs. Windows vs. Linux is different strokes for different folks. I like gaming, so I'll take XP. Dedguy likes photoshop and such, so he likes OSX. VampyreWolf wants XP without the spyware and stuff, so he likes Linux.

[steeltiger]

Dad set up linux for us in the house, much easier to operate than windows, dad runs on xandros, learned from a self taught computer_____ (don't know what you would call him) and robotics engenier that designs stuff for microcryslallography, even his job description is over my head, so please don't ask me exactly what he does.

[vampyrewolf]

My stance on Mac vs. Windows vs. Linux is different strokes for different folks. I like gaming, so I'll take XP. Dedguy likes photoshop and such, so he likes OSX. VampyreWolf wants XP without the spyware and stuff, so he likes Linux.

And I still managed to crash my laptop twice in 2 months with linux :p

Ubuntu 6.10 has optional drivers for 3D... apparently that starts with 64Mb cards, not the 16 I have.... found out after I changed my settings over that it wasn't supported :o

6.10 (edgy eft) has been out since october.... 7.04 (fiesty fawn) is still in development mode... rev 5 to be precise. 7.04 herd 5 didn't work with the automatic download/update from the terminal.... wouldn't mount my filesystem. Went back a kernal, got it booted, downloaded the sucker... reinstalled off a cd, it's running now, but missing a whack of drivers. Going back to 6.10 before I go to bed tonight. 7.04 isn't supposed to be out of alpha/beta testing till april 19th :rolleyes:

[catamount]

I am a Mac user, and have been for at least 10 years. I can't remember the last time I used Windows. The Mac OS is certainly not perfect, but I have absolutely no desire to try anything else.

For an interesting comparison, find an application, or peripheral driver software, where both Mac and Windows versions are included. Notice how long the Mac installation instructions are. Now look at the Windows section

[The Deacon]

[quote="catamount"]I am a Mac user, and have been for at least 10 years. I can't remember the last time I used Windows. The Mac OS is certainly not perfect, but I have absolutely no desire to try anything else.

For an interesting comparison, find an application, or peripheral driver software, where both Mac and Windows versions are included. Notice how long the Mac installation instructions are. Now look at the Windows section ]Well, you did say you have not used Windows in a while. Any software I've installed in the last few years, either at home or at work, has either been - download the installer to the desktop, click on the icon, then drag and drop the installer to the recycle bin once it's done its job - or - put the CD in the drive and let the installer do its thing. You mean installing on a Mac is easier? Will check when I get to work but I could swear that out of 120 pages of "installation notes" for Oracle 10g, 100 or more of them are for Unix systems Does not run on Macs, so I guess the install instructions for it would be short and sweet - "DON'T!".

[Vincent]

i run freebsd

[dialex]

[quote="catamount"]...For an interesting comparison, find an application, or peripheral driver software, where both Mac and Windows versions are included. Notice how long the Mac installation instructions are. Now look at the Windows section ]
I'm afraid I don't get the point...

[Gollum]

I'm afraid I don't get the point...

I'll try and explain because this one of the major reasons why Mac is considered by many a more stable operating system.
When you install a Windows program, the installler makes changes (entries) to the Windows registry.
The registry is (using Wikipedia):

"The Windows registry is a database which stores settings and options for the operating system for Microsoft Windows 32-bit versions, 64-bit versions and Windows Mobile. It contains information and settings for all the hardware, operating system software, most non-operating system software, users, preferences of the PC, etc. Whenever a user makes changes to Control Panel settings, file associations, system policies, or installed software, the changes are reflected and stored in the registry."

The problem is the program you just installed is making changes to a major part of what the Windows operating system is using to run which can lead to stability problems.
Also, when you uninstall a program, entries to the registry can be left behind and cause stability problems.

In OSX, applications are installed (most of the the time) by simply dragging and dropping from a mounted image file or disc to your applications folder (or wherever you want) and you're done.
They can be thought of as operating independently or on top of the operating system rather than changing it, OSX has no registry.
When I said most of the time, some apps like Adobe use an installer to install the program and it's support files in a library folder called "Application Support" among others.
Again not changing anything in the operating system.
When you uninstall a program in OSX, you simply drag the app to the trash (if you installed it by dragging and dropping), or if it was installed using an installer, you use the installer to uninstall which simply removes the app and it's support files, which you can do manually if you know were to look.
Hopefully I explained this correctly, if not I'm sure someone will correct me.
All good just different, right?

[Chucula]

I use Win XP with sp2 purely for computer games.

Mac elitism...buh. If it wasnt for this, I would probably have a mac.

[Vincent]

here is nothing elite about OSX and OSX is nothing without freebsd.

[severedthumbs]

i have been running vista for a while now and have not had a crash yet. the whole elitist stance of the osx people really puts me off.

[dantecubit]

Currently using Linux. I like the free aspect of it (free as in free beer and free as in freedom), although a few things like printer drivers just don't work properly. If I had a ton of money to burn I'd buy a new OS X machine.

If Spyderco made operating systems they would be virus/spyware/crash free, come with free upgrades for 10 years and unlimited 1-800 # tech support.

[JD Spydo]

Whenever computer geeks start talking about Apple, I think of the Souhpark episode about the fart sniffers...ahhhh good stuff.

Zen you got my curiosity peaked :confused: What is it about APPLE computers that you find so appalling? I will admit that I have had limited use of them but the times I've used them I have been very satisfied with what I had to use them for.

I was actually thinking of getting one of their notebooks but I definitely want to hear both sides of the story before I do. The one thing that I don't like about MAC computers so far is the lack of availability of software and other accessories here in my area. And there doesn't seem to be very many retailers there to accomodate those needs ( at least that's the way it is here in the Kansas City Missouri area).

But the friends I have that use their equipment simply swear by it. Now I did get an update from a friend of mine who is an APPLE USER and has been for many years. He told me that he got his first virus in an e-mail here recently. Up till then he had never gotten a virus on an APPLE. But if there is something horrible about them please fill me in on the details because I would like to know :)