Open Thread: What Operating System Do You Use and Why?
March 28th, 2007 (12:00pm) Anne Zelenka 52 CommentsTweet This
The vast majority of businesses choose Microsoft Windows as their operating system but if you’re an independent web worker you don’t have to. Whether you run Windows XP, Vista, Mac OS X, or Linux, you’ll have to make some serious tradeoffs. However, they’re all viable choices these days, especially if you do the majority of your work online with web apps.
If you go with Windows, you’ll have to take special caution against spyware, viruses, and adware. If you go with a Mac, you won’t have as much to choose from in the way of hardware or software. If you go with Linux, you may be trading off ease of use against the philosophical and technical pleasures of open-source software with a venerable history.
You might find these resources helpful if you’re considering a switch:
- Windows vs. Linux vs. OS X — the CIO of Harvard Medical School reviews operating system options for corporate use, finally deciding on Windows though he’d prefer Mac OS X on a lightweight Dell PC.
- Living (and dying) with Linux in the workplace — Computerworld’s online managing editor tries out Linux for work use, and concludes that she’s not ready to switch yet, though she’ll keep the Linux system set up for occasional use.
- A Windows expert opts for a Mac life — another Computerworld staffer evaluates Mac OS X and decides to switch from Windows to Mac.
- 10 Reasons for the Windows Web Worker to Upgrade to Vista… or Not — Web Worker Daily’s article about what to be aware of if you’re thinking about upgrading to Vista.
What operating system are you running right now? Why? Do you have any thoughts of switching?
Web Work 101: How To Escape The Cubicle
winxp, with vmware server with winxp, 2k3 server, and several linux virtual machines. Use the best tool for the job at hand. Moving to apple, intending to dual-boot w/xp and similar vm setup. I’m a run a small systems integration consultancy, and the flexibility of the virtual machine technology is extremely valuable to me.
Macbook and Mac Mini.
When I have to do something in windows, I use parallels.
Right at this moment: Kubuntu on an aging Sony Vaio laptop. At work, Windows XP (I won’t be pressured into moving to Vista), with a whole bunch of linux VMs. I’ve got a mac mini for home, but just use it for checking websites work in Safari really. Like the article says- if you can do a lot of things online then the OS is less and less important.
Slackware Linux. Plain and simple.
While it is a bit on the CLI/text file side it is the cleanest and most straight forward distro that I have encountered. I know that all Linux distros can be managed via vi but it seems that for me Slack is the easiest. My favorite GUI is FVWM2, pared down to just a vertical 8 panel pager applet running on an otherwise empty desktop. My motto: No frills, just function. (Truth: I am currently trying KDE but it is HUGH and slowish.)
Rdesktop provides access to W2K3 servers. VMWare Server (also running on a Slackware system) provides W2K and WXP in windows on my working desktop.
So,… This is an issued I’ve been contending with for the past few weeks and I’m putting every computer I have at home onto Linux. This includes the computer my nine-year-old daughter uses. It really, really works and I’m sooooo ooooover paying the Microsoft tax.
At work I use a dual boot with XP and Fedora.
It’s been (and will be) Windows at home and at play for me. Not that I stick to Windows as a matter of principle. Just too “lazy” to get games working on linux using an emulator ( have tried and failed before !)
I use Vista. I like it. I also like OS X but not enough to switch. We have at my little company a Mac just to use keynote. I think that unless a new operating system is going to result in large cost savings for me by saving me lots of time it is not worth switching. I am not interested in philosophical debates about which is better. I am a practical person and if I thought that linux would result in greater productivity for me I would switch. But my opinion is that if switching costs me two hours than I am losing money and who cares what microsoft is charging. Just my opinion.
Steve
Wow, so many Linux users! Interesting!
Steve, I tend to agree with you… any operating system takes a lot of time to get used to and to get configured into a productive setup. I use Mac OS X right now but I’m not any happier with it than I was with Windows XP, though I do like that I don’t worry about spyware any more.
I love that virtualization technology is making it more and more feasible to run multiple OSes. That’s very cool. I’m thinking of getting Parallels so I can test Windows software, though I’m mainly a web app person these days.
Dual-booting Ubuntu and WinXP… will not go to Vista, doing the dual-boot to get comfortable with Linux as a desktop (comfortable with it as a server already) so that if/when XP is no longer supported by MS and software vendors, I will just ditch it and stick to Linux.
Would also consider MacOSX with Parallels for running both Ubuntu and WinXP, but not in the market for a new lappy any time soon…
MacBook Pro, TextMate, Yojimbo, Quicksilver, CocoaMySQL.. the dream development environment. Only “switched” from Linux last November and have never looked back. In the terminal OS X has all the BSD ‘nix-ish goodness you loved about Linux, but having the just-works Mac interface and stability on top of that is amazing. Linux was painfully close, but on Mac I’m left wanting of nothing.
I think the bias displayed here towards Linux might be because they like talking about their OS more.
I’m an XP guy for the time being… I abandoned Mac years ago (or maybe they abandoned me?) when they stopped allowing PowerComputing to build better Mac hardware.
I’ve been pondering switching back, though.
I use XP although I don’t like it. I like linux and OSX better.
But the OS isn’t an issue with me anymore … I do everything online, so as long as I’ve got my Firefox, I’m happy.
I switched from Windows to Mac about 5 months ago, and I will never go back. Windows worked fine for me, but I feel much more confortable in OS X. Besides, I lost all respect for Microsoft with IE6…
XP on al 4 computers I own, plus work laptop. Home computers do not have Outlook or Office. Using Open Office and Firefox/Thunderbird, along with virus protection and a SPI / NAT firewall keeps the network clean. I’e never had a virus. The work laptop does have Office, but I refusr to use Outlook and get by with Thunderbird and logging into the web interface for Exchange when I have to do something calendar related.
I’ve run Ubuntu Linux full time in the past and only went back to XP for games. I didn’t have any real problems with it. I hosed my Ubuntu install playing around with the command line, and haven’t had time to get back to it.
OS X at home. XP at work. I’ve found that I can VPN in with Internet Connect and use RDP when working from home. I didn’t want to recreate the Java/Eclipse/Spring/Tomcat environment on my notebook just from sheer laziness because it is totally possible. I also like to keep my recreational coding (Perl and Ruby) separate from work, but hopefully soon, I’ll use those to start working for myself. If I do that, I’ll never use Windows unless it is in Parallels to check how things look/function on M$ browsers (IE6/7).
After a decade of rabid Microsoft support I decided that I could no longer afford to live in a Windows world (in the literal cash sense). I made the switch to Linux, but after sticking it out for a year I decided to move to OSX.
I am completely sold on Macs and OSX now, and yes I am one of those people actively trying to recruit other switchers. :)
It works for me, but I have to agree with many of the sentiments expressed here that operating systems are becoming far less of an issue for people who are mostly using online applications.
Main home computer runs XP, everything at work runs XP Pro, all servers are on win2k server or win2003 server.
Also starting to play around with Ubuntu at home, mostly for a PVR, it can’t be a full replacement for me as I use too many Windows based apps that just don’t run on linux, like Photoshop, which is needed for post processing RAW files in my photography, but I do like it.
Next week I’ll be getting a used new to me ti-book g4, so I’ll be running 3 o/s’s at home.
Macbook Pro w/ Parallels to run XP and Ubuntu. I use all 3 os’ daily.
I use Fedora Core 6 for my workstation, Ubuntu for my data server (because it’s old but has a big hard drive). Also use Ubuntu on an old Sony Viao laptop.
Run Yellowdog on a Mac PowerPC (old school hardware) as a firewall for my home network. Run Debian on my media server (movies/music/TV).
Oh yah – I do have one winXP box – for printing. And that is my biggest complaint – that manufacturers don’t offer linux drivers for their hardware. I have a Lexmark all-in-one printer therefore I need windows to print (arg!) But that computer is off until I need it :)
Desktop — Mac OS X, three machines at home, one at work, all Macs, though I have one old AMD box that’s running SUSE Linux…
Server — Linux
I don’t do bootcamp, but have Parallels installed and run Win XP and Vista within Parallels…
Most all the web developers I know (not working on MS/.net hosted platforms) are all using Macs. The startup company I left last year, all the developers had Macs except one, who preferred a Win/Linux dual boot.
I made the switch to OS X and 2003 and having *nix on a desktop is what enticed me and keeps me. All the *nix power with a pretty UI (at least compared to Linux & in terms of anti-aliasing and eyeball factors for my feeble aging eyes…).
home desktop machines: windows xp, mac os x. laptop: windows xp.
i used to be mainly mac-oriented, until i had to do a lot of mobile app development (including BREW), at which point i had no choice but to work mostly on windows.
i run windows on my laptop because apple doesn’t make an ultralight notebook yet. as soon as they do, i will likely switch back to the mac.
XP for my 4G dual core dev machine (I live mostly in Visual Studio). With a 30″ monitor.
Vista Ultimate on my wife’s machine. Vista’s not fully baked, though, and she may backgrade to XP due to excessive instability including bizarre video driver problems. It’s a real house of cards. Our hardware vendor (Falcon Northwest) has three other customers with similar problems.
Couple of old Dells on the verge of retirement may end up running experimental Linux of some kind.
Reading between the lines of this response I guess you can tell I’ve had thoughts of switching. Since most of my clients crave platforms with the Blessing of Redmond, however, I see Windows as a big part of my foreseeable future … although if they keep dropping the ball like this … who knows.
Microsoft from DOS 2.x right through Windows Server 2003. Now working actively to extricate myself and working with a mix of OS X, Linux, and Windows boxes. I can get around any of them, but the Mac is the least painful. I’ve reached the point where I’m willing to take the hit of losing clients to switch.
Still miss HDOS, though…
Desktops: Ubuntu (me-main), Ubuntu(me-laptop), WinXP (my wife), Edubuntu (kids), WinXP(special projects), Mac OS X (audio/video production)
Servers(@home): CentOS(file server), Ubuntu(file server), Ubuntu(backup server)
Servers(@datacenter): CentOS & SuSe mix(7x web/app/db servers) slowly moving to Ubuntu, Ubuntu(1x file server), Solaris(2x mail/dns servers), Win2K(1x legacy app server), Win2K3(1x legacy app server)
Support(family/friends): Ubuntu(3x desktops), WinXP(2x desktops), Win2K(1x desktop)
Net-net: 17 Linux, 4 XP, 3 Win2KX, 2 Solaris, 1 OS X
Can you say “insane”? I thought you could.
Been there since DOS and I have tried and used all Windows versions as well as many Linux Distros (Even used OS/2 in the day). Played around with OS/X and I was impressed, but the cake of course goes to Linux. Linux Mint, a flavor of Ubuntu, does everything XP does faster and better. In fact you can’t really compare the two base installs in any real way because of all the open source apps Linux can have pre-loaded. I am tired of hearing Linux isn’t ready for the desktop, it was ready years ago and now has surpassed closed source operating systems for all but the most picky MS user (With most people switching to the Internet for all their apps and communication even the picky users won’t have an excuse soon).
Gaming on the other hand is strictly on Windows. Besides a few good commercial games there isn’t a lot of high-end gaming available for Linux. I will NOT switch to Vista so I will have to find another solution for gaming eventually.
I’m not primarily a web worker, but I do spend a lot of time on the web for business purposes. Once I left the corporate world, I went with Mac OS X and have never considered anything else.
I like OS X for the same reason I like my Toyota MR2 with 275,000 miles on it – it’s reliable. I don’t want to have my car in the shop, and I don’t want to have to figure out why my computer isn’t working. They are both tools, and I want them to Just Work – and they do.
And the fact that both are stylish is another plus. I just helped a neighbor install parallels – and I had forgotten how klutzy Windows looks.
@Home: PC with XP, but hoping to completely switch to Kubuntu when I get a REAL printer.
@work: Laptop with XP, but we use Solaris through terminal windows.
@Hand: Motorola RAZR V3xx ;)
OSX on a Macbook as my primary development box inside IBM. Using the new VMWare beta for Mac to run Ubuntu for Linux-side development (I’m liking it better than Parallels). Old crusty boxen with Windows for those few times when “it won’t run anywhere but Windows”, and those times are getting fewer and fewer.
At home, we’re a mix of OSX and Windows, but will be phasing out the Windows in the future. I hope. Known problem points are Microsoft Publisher (used for newsletters), Microsoft Money (hate to go back to Quicken), and the boys games.
I’ve been a free software advocate since 1998, switched from Windows to Linux in 2000, never looked back. Currently it’s Kubuntu (always used KDE).
I have WinXP on the laptop too, had to pay the MS tax. :-( I left it there, but never ever used it.
The family machine has Kubuntu and WinXP too. The kids play some games on WinXP, but lately seem to like a few Linux games more, to my satisfaction. ;-)
Not going to use Macs or OS/X, I don’t like closed stuff, and try to avoid it. As a software developer, I learnt that it’s important to have as much control as possible on the technology one uses.
I think I’ll have to set up some virtual machines soon, mainly to test web apps on the stinkin’ Internet Exploder, but I’m resisting that as much as I can.
I’m using only one notebook with Ubuntu (Feisty). If needed I’m running WinXP in VMWare, sometimes connecting to a Windows 2K3 server over rdesktop.
OSX on all home machines and XP on the work laptop, but not through choice!
It pains me using Windows at work.
Windows – XP Pro and Media Center 2005 flavour.
I’m interested in Vista, but the price and variety of choices is just plain stupid.
If OSX had better support for roaming profiles, software I use in the information architecture sphere, and video/audio codecs then I’d probably switch.
M
Linux all the time… Switched from Gentoo Linux to Ubuntu for its ease of use, if I need to check some website on IE I have a virtual machine ready for that. I am curious about OSX though, who knows, maybe my next notebook will be an Apple, and if I don’t like it I’ll just run Linux on it.
After using Linux for a while, I would never, ever, do any home banking or online shopping on a Windows machine.
Windows XP. It just works for me. Plus Dreamweaver is a necessity for what I do, and there has yet to be a decent open source alternative. I plan on eventually switching to Ubuntu, but most likely I’ll be spending most of the time in a windows xp VM
Pretty much all MS at work: XP Pro desktop; Win2003/200 on servers. We do have a couple of Linux appliances, and I am looking at some new projects to use Linux boxes (probably SLES10). Work laptop is WinXP too, with .Net3 installed – mainly for Cardspace.
Home: one WInXP box with some of the Vista stuff as per laptop; one Linux box (SLES10). When I get a new LCD, will flick the ugly old monitor on the linux box, and install Ubuntu (prob Feisty by then). Would like to get a decently-spec’d second (third) box to try virtualisation. Home is still XP mainly because of the kids (and they’re supposed to be the net generation!) – would prefer to move all to Linux.
Mac? – love the eyecandy, can’t justify the price … mostly on the net anyway, so maybe Firefox is my OS of choice?
I use linux as my primary development platforms (including fileservers, webservers,etc), along with OSX on my Powerbook G4. Linux is used essentially for freedom (from cost, from restrictions, from guilt). OSX on my laptop is for freedom from maintainence. I can’t tell you how many high-end software developers that I have converted to mac laptops on the promise that “sh*t just works”. Many of them are key contributors to software that powers the fastest machines on the planet and they revel in the notion that they don’t have to mess with their laptop because it just works. Periodically I deal with cygwin on windoze boxes to provide my software to people stuck with corporately maintained laptops. I always seem to get a quizzical look from people when, in response to the statement “I have a company windows laptop”, I respond with “Why? Were you bad or something?”. In my world, having to use windows is like having to wear a tie to work.
Professional job: Windows XP
Home/sidejob web worker: Dual-boot Linux (Ubuntu)/XP machine and a PowerBook G4
I’m using Mac OS X, it’s just better in terms of productivity and ease of use. My Dell tower with WinXP Pro has been relegated to the basement. The only reason Windows still exists on it is because my wife needs ONE program on it, School Maestro 2. Otherwise I’d install Unbuntu for use as a server. Ubuntu is the slickest and easiest to use Linux distro I’ve ever installed.
dual booting win2k and slackware 10
hate winxp, dunno why. never tried vista – too steep for my old pc
I use a MacBook as my primary development platform, with the right tools it can become the absolutely perfect development environment.
(TextMate, CocoaMySQL, QuickSilver, and benefits of using a BSD Terminal)
My PC’s consist of a XP Machine for general compatibility testing, I also have a PC with Arch Linux on it, used as a network storage and backup device.
Mac OX 10.4 — Personal Computer (iBook)
Vista Home Premium — Personal Computer (Sony Vaio)
XP Media Center — Work Computer (Dell)
Although I plan to go to Ubuntu on another older machine (HP) that is just sitting in a closet. If it works as well as everybody says, I will go with this on my Dell work computer. I may also go to Ubuntu on my Vaio, but right now I am digging playing with Vista.
“…If you go with a Mac, you won’t have as much to choose from in the way of hardware or software.”
I completely disagree. I run OSX, Windows and Ubuntu on my Intel Mac and it kicks butt. When I was a Windows user I had all kinds of constant problems and security issues.
Now I make more money. :-)
figgy
“I completely disagree. I run OSX, Windows and Ubuntu on my Intel Mac and it kicks butt.”
Agreed 100%. Since 1987 I’ve had a Mac as my main personal computer. Since 1992 a Windows machine as my work computer. Outside of gaming, all the software you need is around for a Mac.
Now I LOVE Macs. But recently when my iBook started to need some upgrades I was able to get a decked out Vaio for $2,100. A ProBook would have cost me more then $3,500. Outside of a larger monitor and the dual boot capability, the Sony had the same or better specs.
Again, I love the Mac OS, but not that much. I think many Mac users slam MS more then they should. I wonder if they’ve ever worked in Windows enough to get a feel for how it works. And don’t get me wrong, I don’t even use MS apps. Outside of the OS the only Windows program I run is OneNote (love it) and Explorer.
XP is/was a solid OS. And thus far, so is Vista IMHO. Are there things I don’t like. Yes. But there are things I don’t like with the Mac OS.
And here’s another Ubuntu Linux user.
It provides all the apps one need to do serious work, for testing one can use either VMWare or IEsForLinux.
The only downside:
Since Apple still refuses to run OsX as a virtual Machine in VMWare, there’s no validating for Safari. But that’s their fault. Not mine.
Theres also a small partition on my hd that’s home for XP (came with the pc), but only for toying/playing around. The window management in XP (and 2K/9x) is -slightly put- pathetic.
Win2k is all I have, hardware problems prevent me from using XP but i don’t really miss it.
I use PCLinuxOS and nothing else. I have all the programs I need with opensource and PCLinuxOS is so simple to install and use its amazing.
I like the idea of total control on my computer and Linux does give you that. Besides with 3d desktop and eye candy that PCLinuxOS offers why would anyone of sense purchase an expensive desktop when they can have one for FREE!
I am using Linux exclusively for about six years now. First it was an experiment, than a principle, then fashion, then something else… Now I am way to used to it to use anything else. Heck, I’m so used to Fedora that I don’t even try other distributions anymore.
And it gets easier day by day. My experience grows. Linux gets better. And all the web trends help interoperatibility with other people too. So I don’t see myself switching to anything else anytime soon.
I live and die by Linux.
I can’t take it! With the economy tanking, I’ve lost a lot of bread in my mutual funds (I’m pretty sure I’m not the only guy one here)!
My predicament is – I may have to reduce the amount of supplements I’m buying to ease the toll of this loss.
Anyone else experiencing this type of “budget consciousness?”