Microsoft, Apple or Linux?

[Uhtred]

Microsoft or Apple (or Linux)? Which do you prefer?

Edited March 27, 2021 by Uhtred

[HebaruSan]

You mean some people still haven't heard of Linux?  

[Uhtred]

i've heard of it i just don't bother with it at all

[HebaruSan]

4 minutes ago, Uhtred said:

i've heard of it i just don't bother with it at all

You don't have to, but it means some people will answer the question you're asking with, "Neither, thanks."

[Uhtred]

well that's why there's the third option, for the people who don't really care about Microsoft or apple

ok I just changed it, so that Linux fans can feel included.

[StrandedonEarth]

This debate sorta reminds me of...

Spoiler

 

 

[Uhtred]

@StrandedonEarthLOL!

[MKI]

I'm a developer too cheap for a MacBook Pro, so I use Linux as my developer platform. 

If you want to play different kinds of games, Windows is the clear winner. Yea you can play some games here and there on Linux, but most of the time its very questionable.

There's also technology like GeForce Now, which can turn almost anything with an internet connection into a gaming platform (!!!), but that's a lot more niche. Which brings up that your poll is missing ChromeOS, which is my go-to for most stuff, since most of the stuff I do is on the web. Which, honestly is a lot of people. (I'm on my Chromebook right now LOL)

 

Edited April 2, 2021 by MKI

[kerbiloid]

Nobody mentioned Android.

Not that it's the best, but it's as common as dirt, and allows funny things. The apogee of *nix. No other Linux can get even close.

And of course, who cares about QNX, which will probably be the real lunar MechJeb OS.

Edited March 27, 2021 by kerbiloid

[AlamoVampire]

For computers its windows all day everyday. 
 

041603272021

[paul_c]

Desktop gaming PC: Windows 

Web/database server: Linux

Mobile phone: Android

Casual internet browsing laptop: hmmmmm.......Windows too....

The last one, there is a strong case for Chrome OS, especially if its a cheap, low power computer. HOWEVER I personally own a laptop with an 8th gen i7 CPU, 16GB RAM, 512MB SSD so it doesn't have performance concerns. And with it being Windows too, it can do everything the desktop PC can (except play games which need decent graphics performance) so issues like running Reaper on the desktop then something else on the laptop; or even just Excel/Word documents are easily overcome because I can run the same version of the same program, rather than having to use "something else" then worry about 100% file compatability.

If your desktop PC's main use was more creative than gaming (or you didn't have one at all, maybe just a laptop) then there is a good case for Apple (and then a case for the mobile phone being Apple too) but Windows has pretty much caught up in creative/content generation jobs like video editing, Photoshop, web design, etc. The only real justification for having an Apple might be if you needed to develop Mac/iOS apps, for which a development environment sits best on a Mac. But even then....you could use cloud-based services to do that?

[kerbiloid]

When SQL server is MS SQL Server (probably the best of them, let alone Firebird and SQLite as special cases), the server OS is also Windows.

Also Linux for random trash like information terminals, and so on, a single task system on a cheap nettop, to save money on Windows licenses. Anyway only a browser is running there.
And remote workplaces with the only running program - remote desktop client, too.

Edited March 27, 2021 by kerbiloid

[Nuke]

i mostly use windows, usually out of stockholm syndrome since most of my software and games runs on winders.  linux tends to be application specific, i use it a lot but never as a desktop. i mostly don't like apple for its lock-in and the fact that you don't get to build your own, excluding the occasional hackentosh. i am however quite fond old skool apple products, like the early macs and apple 2s.

also i most decidedly do not like android. it lacks a lot of features that users take for granted in the other 3. 

also in a world where you can run any system on anything via virtualization, i dont see any reason to fight over which system is best. run your daily driver and when you need the others just launch virtual box or whatever.

Edited March 27, 2021 by Nuke

[Misguided Kerbal]

Where were all the apple fans banished to?

I'm a strong fan of Apple. In my opinion, nothing else has the smoothness and the UI of Mac OS. (Well, I dunno about Linux, but it seems to be mid-ground between Apple and Windows). Windows has plenty of annoying restarts, terrible UI, tons of malware (and a crappy Windows Defender that does nothing), updates pester you constantly, and so on. Well on Mac you only get about half the games available to you, games with Mac support are becoming more and more common. I could probably survive Linux with minimal damage, but if I were forced to switch to Windows, then I wouldn't survive a day. All in all though, this is just a matter of opinion, but I'm going to side with Apple on this one.

[Uhtred]

i think people took this a little too far...

[StrandedonEarth]

2 hours ago, Misguided Kerbal said:

Where were all the apple fans banished to?

I'm a strong fan of Apple. In my opinion, nothing else has the smoothness and the UI of Mac OS. (Well, I dunno about Linux, but it seems to be mid-ground between Apple and Windows). Windows has plenty of annoying restarts, terrible UI, tons of malware (and a crappy Windows Defender that does nothing), updates pester you constantly, and so on. Well on Mac you only get about half the games available to you, games with Mac support are becoming more and more common. I could probably survive Linux with minimal damage, but if I were forced to switch to Windows, then I wouldn't survive a day. All in all though, this is just a matter of opinion, but I'm going to side with Apple on this one.

That sounds misguided to me...

sorry, couldn't resist given your username

[TheSaint]

I thought there were forum rules against threads debating religious beliefs?

[Uhtred]

@TheSaintWow LOL, I didn't even think of that as religious, but I see the point!

[MKI]

10 hours ago, Misguided Kerbal said:

I'm a strong fan of Apple. In my opinion, nothing else has the smoothness and the UI of Mac OS. (Well, I dunno about Linux, but it seems to be mid-ground between Apple and Windows).

There are multiple desktop environments available for multiple distributions.  So you can get you down to something simple as something very similar to Windows XP with XFCE (or similar), to something vastly more fancy with Gnome, or KDE. Or you can go off the rails and use something like I3, with terminals and windows tiling everywhere and going all Pro Hacker.

 

But I'd say even Windows has a more reliable stable UI than most Linux distributions. There's always some Linux app that just looks super wonky and unpolished.  There's also more little things, like mouse gestures not really working reliably out of the box. Or the random hardware issue that doesn't work. Generally the experience in Linux is mostly OK, but there are a number of scenarios where even the best distributions end up feeling jank haha.

[PigeonThePilot]

i like dababy computer

[munlander1]

Personally I like windows due to the simplicity of using it and a few other points. I’m sure I’d be able to run the gauntlet of installing Linux and succeed but from what I know about it, it’s just not worth the work.

Most of the games I play aren’t available on Linux and would require a virtual machine to play along with any other software I want to use that lacks Linux support. 

[paul_c]

Nobody (I hope) just sits there and uses the operating system. Pretty much everyone using a computer, uses an application of some kind or another. If its available across all platforms, great, you have a choice of platforms. If its only available on one or two, that somewhat dictates what you will be running it or, or missing out on that app.

Games.....I am sure there are some for Linux but its widely recognised that Windows has the widest range of games, so I'm sure anyone who is into them will at some point or another find one that doesn't run on anything except Windows; or the venn diagram results in Windows only. That was (and is) the case for me, for desktop PC use.

I've tried Linux desktops before but because I'm so used to Windows, I am often left wondering "how do you do this in Linux" when I'd know from experience, how to do it in Windows. I am more proficient in Linux command line stuff than Windows command prompt; or Powershell but I could probably learn how to do it in Powershell/command prompt - the "limit" isn't the system, but my (lack of) knowledge on how to make it do what I want.

[kerbiloid]

Linux games?

Spoiler

https://wiki.wesnoth.org/Download

Windows (7 and later)

• 1.14.16 — Current Version (415.8 MB)
  SHA256: 2334c632d59bbb32e1d12b33c2423bf24e20da3e0d956d5a20e6064e0ac67067
• 1.14.15 — Current Version (415.3 MB)
  SHA256: 0af0a86bac4f93a3b2d5f9ee414866821462420672b80a8e222b45b3f21f10c5

The subject's closed.

[Kerbart]

Does it matter? It works fine for me. Something else may work fine for someone else.

What doesn't work is someone telling me what I should be using according to them.

[TheSaint]