What do you like? Windows, GNU/Linux or OS X

djmaze · Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 1:42 pm

As a developer i switched to GNU/Linux mainly because it is IMHO best to use the same architecture as most servers do so that you understand the ins and outs of the system itself and to know that your code actually works.

In my C++ programming age i used Windows 2000 and XP since i was writing applications for these OS's.

Don't start bashing here that one OS supersedes the other because that is not possible. Each OS is designed for its own purposes.
Nor does OS X has less security holes then Windows as was proven at the PWN to OWN contest at the CanSecWest security conference

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I do still have a Windows 2k boot for using MS Office 2000, some other stuff and to test webapps using Apache in a NTFS environment.

It took me a while for figuring out the possibilities of GNU/Linux before it was actually a full blown development environment.

Some additional reasons why i switched:

Our governments have an agreement to, as of April, only use the ISO certified ODF (Open Document Format) so that information can be easily shared between any OS and each department (which is not possible with MS Word)
Windows Vista IMHO is not a successor and XP is not my cup of coffee
GNU/Linux takes full advantages of my 64bit architecture (had issues with 32bit Flash and others to get running though)
IE6 and IE7 also work using Wine
KHTML (used as base for Safari) to test websites
Uses less resources and increased speed
Incredible 3D desktop using Compiz Fusion without the need of a power PC with Vista Ultimate Aero
Cost effective

What is your current main OS and what keeps you away of using OpenSource OS's like ReactOS, BSD and GNU/Linux?
Or if you use them, why do you?

Note: if you have an Asustek Eee PC we know you run GNU/Linux Very Happy

Oh, and if you use Windows just because there's no equivalent app in any other OS, tell us which application that is. Maybe someone enlightens you Wink

Raven · Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 11:31 pm

I just hate pop quizzes killing me

Susann · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 6:11 am

I ´ve voted with other because I´m not listen there. I´will not talk about what I´m using but I just hate it that I can´t control what all the files of windows are for. So to answer your question what I like is just what I can control and understand.
Should really check Linux.

montego · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 6:14 am

My only constraint to being still back in the Windows XP world is time. I can write simple shell scripts in sh and .csh, but, that is the extent to my *nix world. I've never had to administrate a *nix system, so for me, with no time on my hands, to learn how to do so is just not possible. I keep a few old PC's lying around, though, with the intent of installing and running Fedora as a server and I've toyed with the idea of running Ubuntu on my laptop. But, again... no time. Sad

I do also have a tremendous amount of "investment" in a few applications for running my household and various businesses such as Quicken and QuickBooks (not to mention for taxes), but, for the most part, I've switched as much over to Open Sources tools that I can, such as OpenOffice.

jestrella · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 7:14 am

I started using Linux like 3 or 4 years ago and i never went back. Started with knoppix, then Mandriva, Fedora and then switched to ubuntu that is the OS I still have installed on my pc. I like ubuntu and linux distributions in general, beacuse you can feel in full control of your system, because most of the time is totally free (gratis), you can really customize it to your needs, because was made with security on mind, nowadays is just as easy to install and manage as the most easy version of windows or mac, have a lot of powerfull applications, and so on...

kguske · Site Admin Joined: Jun 04, 2004 Posts: 6044

Montego: ditto.

Guardian2003 · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 4:53 pm

Same as Montego and kguske here I'm afraid.
If I could find something to replace my full Adobe suite of software I would seriously consider it.
It just so happens that my wife built a new PC a couple of weeks ago so I only need another case (with PSU) to have a fully functional spare and I had already earmarked it for an Ubuntu install.

I think far more people would switch if there was less command line and more GUI based setup/configuration. I have heard that kernal updates can sometimes give problems particularly if you are dual booting but until I try it, I guess I'll never know.

Do you have any pics of this Compiz Fusion 3D desktop in action??

Guardian2003 · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:05 pm

Holy cow!

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jestrella · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 8:34 pm

Guardian2003 wrote:

Do you have any pics of this Compiz Fusion 3D desktop in action??

you have to try it yourself to see the real power behind compiz fusion.

Guardian2003 · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 3:33 am

After seeing the video of compiz fusion in action I decided to commandeer my wifes laptop she bought late last year.
I was very suprised at just how easy it was to install Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron).
Nor problems picking up the USB mouse, wired network or the wifi network card.
Just need to find a better graphics driver so I can take advantage of those 3d graphics....

kguske · Site Admin Joined: Jun 04, 2004 Posts: 6044

That's the nice thing about virtualization software like the free VMware server - you can run multiple OS on the same system. Great for testing. Or, as Guardian did, you can install Linux (Ubuntu seems to have claimed "easiest to use" status among Linux distros) on an older PC with fewer resources than power-hungry Windows. The quality of software (most of it free) available for Linux is improving, so it may not be long before you can easily do everything on Linux that you've been doing on Windows.

jakec · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 5:50 am

I've just purchased a new laptop, so now my old one is lying around gathering dust, so I might take a tip from Guardian and utilise it for Ubuntu. Very Happy

Guardian2003 · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 7:39 am

Wife wasn't too impressed when she called in at home earlier and found her laptop OS had been changed (I'm not dual booting). Bearing in mind she bought this for work about 5 months ago (we had it imported from the UK so we didn't have to suffer the Polish keyboard quirks) I exepcting something of a 'heated debate' but after a quick look at it, all I got was;
1 Where is Solitaire
2 Can I use Avant Browser.

I showed where Solitaire was and also the fact she could play Sodku as well as she likes that but I lost out on Avant Browser. She likes the fact she can use short cuts with that browser - type GG into the address bar and it is set to open Google homepage etc.
Hopefully she'll come around, if I let her use it lol

kguske · Site Admin Joined: Jun 04, 2004 Posts: 6044

Have you seen

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? OpenDNS gives this to any browser that routes through its DNS server. But, as the article mentions, Avant isn't the only browser that has this - so do Opera and Firefox, using keywords attached to bookmarks. Both Opera and Firefox work with Linux.

Guardian2003 · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 1:01 pm

I didn't know you could associate a keyword with a bookmark in FF Sad

that is quite cool and might save my hide lol.