Pros And Cons Of Mac, Windows, And Linux This is not a whats better topic, its a pros and cons

[BooZker 0]

Before i start i want to make sure you understand this is not a what OS is better this is a what is better at certain things and your reasons why. I would also like to know more about Linux because i'm slightly confused on it. Will it mess my computer up if i install it, dont like it, and uninstall it? OK on with the topic.

 

I own a Mac and work on one for many hours a day, but had always used a Windows based system since well i was 5 and i remember my father using DOS to run Duke Nukem haha. So i know my way around it. Here is my Pros and Cons list

 

Windows:

 

Pros:

Almost every game runs on it

Tons of programs run on it

More Cusomization on the computers is possible

Cons:

SPYWARE, VIRUSES, ADWARE GALLORE!

Not as "nice" looking

Error message after error message

Mac:

 

Pros:

Very sleek and clean looking

Never had any viruses or spyware yet and it's been over 4 months. (long time for a windows user haha)

Lots of great built in programs such iMovie which is a REALLY good Windows Movie Maker and Garage Band which is very handy for me who makes movies

If your a graphic designer like me you need one anyways haha

 

Cons:

Pretty much no games for it

Harder to find programs for it

Hardware you have to get through Apple most of the time and can't just go to Target and pick up a CD drive.

Linux

Pro's:

Most distributions are free (Open-source).

Good for servers.

Some distributions have good user support.

Some distributions allow you to test before installing (LiveCD).

Con's:

Some distributions require some knowledge of how Linux works to get the most out of that distribution.

Not many companies make programs for Linux.

It's a pain in the *bottom* to try to get Linux to run on a system with another OS already installed.

I do have to say though that Windows is great, but i like Mac better simply because Mac CAN run windows and it connects to Windows networks and runs windows keyboard and mouses and most of the stuff. I think that Windows should try to be more cross platform compatible also. It would make the world a better place haha. Unbuntu i have tried the live CD and i have tried over and over, but i can never seem to get to install it so i have a duel boot system. I have read so many tutorials then when i try to partition it wont let me. I loved the live CD though.
Edited December 6, 2006 by BooZker (see edit history)

[gameratheart 0]

Hey, you said you were gonna comment about Linux, too... so where's the Linux in that list?

[truefusion 3]

I guess he forgot. But here's some Pro's and Con's for Linux you could use:

 

Pro's:

Most distributions are free (Open-source).

Good for servers.

Some distributions have good user support.

Some distributions allow you to test before installing (LiveCD).

Con's:

Some distributions require some knowledge of how Linux works to get the most out of that distribution.

Not many companies make programs for Linux.

Meh, i haven't used Linux, besides a LiveCD. But that's what i can think of off the top of my head.

[rldowling03 0]

Another good thing about Linux is that a few websites will send you a liveCD or liveDVD of a selection of linux distributions for free to your home, i can't remember where you have to go but i seen it on here someone had a link to the website in their signature, also Ubuntu have a service where they will send you a liveCD to your home address for free, I did it and got it within a month. It's great if you don't wanna pay or download for linux.

[rvalkass 5]

I'm gonna disagree with a point about Windows there. No way is it more customisable compared to any Linux distro you pick. Windows has more hidden settings and things you can't control than any other operating system. On a Mac you also still get a load of error messages, so that is not a solely Windows problem.

[xboxrulz 0]

ya, Linux is much more customisable than Windows will ever be.Heck, I'm a Linux user myself.

Edited November 19, 2006 by xboxrulz (see edit history)

[BooZker 0]

Well until recently i had never used a linux. I just started using Ubuntu and LOVE it. I wish i could use a NON livecd though. I can't figure out how to dual boot the system. I have tried partitioning the system, but it wont let me. Any help with that? Linux is much more customizable though. Your right. I also forget about how much of a *BLEEP* it is to customize windows, because i have a site where that's all it is and i know my way around it fairly well lol. The site is in my sig if you care.

Edited December 6, 2006 by BooZker (see edit history)

[Galahad 0]

Even though I'm a Windows user myself, I can't think of any more pro's and con's concerning Windows... Mac, I never used and never been in contact, so I can't comment on Macs, even though I hope to come across one some day :rolleyes:Now, for Linux, I can add that it's main pro is that it's open source, and that you can change your kernel (provided that you know what you're doing), and change practically anything in your system, from appearance, to functionality...Pf course, main con is that it's not as user friendly as windows is, but that too is changing fast, as companies distributing linux are popping all over the place... Ubuntu must be the best distribution of user friendly linux around... Slackware is the oice of professionals, who know what they're doing...I have to keep Windows installed on my computer, because of work, but I should be getting another computer soon, so that machine will be turned into linux server, and I will finally be able to spend some time using linux

[TheWakeUpCall 0]

I personally have never had spyware or viruses on my computer. Soo, I think that is a bit unfair to put that on the list. It's not hard to avoid viruses. There are some defects with XP that I don't like though. Main one being that when you install a program it is put in the startup list so your computer gets slow if you don't disable them at startup.But windows is definately the best OS. My reasons for saying that is:I've used Mac intel for a few weeks as my main OS, and I didn't like it. Sure it looks pretty, but is quite unusable with alot of stuff. For example browsing the internet. Macs are only good if you want to use certain pieces of software. I tried to install linux but no distros I tried worked, soo that sucks. But what I understand about Linux is that it can't run any of my favourite software (flash, cubase, dreamweaver, itunes, live messenger) and also for all the software you get it is just copies of Windows software under a different name that's really crap compared to the real thing.

Edited December 22, 2006 by TheWakeUpCall (see edit history)

[blendergalactica 0]

Before i start i want to make sure you understand this is not a what OS is better this is a what is better at certain things and your reasons why. I would also like to know more about Linux because i'm slightly confused on it. Will it mess my computer up if i install it, dont like it, and uninstall it? OK on with the topic.

 

I own a Mac and work on one for many hours a day, but had always used a Windows based system since well i was 5 and i remember my father using DOS to run Duke Nukem haha. So i know my way around it. Here is my Pros and Cons list

 

Windows:

 

Pros:

Almost every game runs on it

Tons of programs run on it

More Cusomization on the computers is possible

Cons:

SPYWARE, VIRUSES, ADWARE GALLORE!

Not as "nice" looking

Error message after error message

Mac:

 

Pros:

Very sleek and clean looking

Never had any viruses or spyware yet and it's been over 4 months. (long time for a windows user haha)

Lots of great built in programs such iMovie which is a REALLY good Windows Movie Maker and Garage Band which is very handy for me who makes movies

If your a graphic designer like me you need one anyways haha

 

Cons:

Pretty much no games for it

Harder to find programs for it

Hardware you have to get through Apple most of the time and can't just go to Target and pick up a CD drive.

Linux

Pro's:

Most distributions are free (Open-source).

Good for servers.

Some distributions have good user support.

Some distributions allow you to test before installing (LiveCD).

Con's:

Some distributions require some knowledge of how Linux works to get the most out of that distribution.

Not many companies make programs for Linux.

It's a pain in the *bottom* to try to get Linux to run on a system with another OS already installed.

I do have to say though that Windows is great, but i like Mac better simply because Mac CAN run windows and it connects to Windows networks and runs windows keyboard and mouses and most of the stuff. I think that Windows should try to be more cross platform compatible also. It would make the world a better place haha. Unbuntu i have tried the live CD and i have tried over and over, but i can never seem to get to install it so i have a duel boot system. I have read so many tutorials then when i try to partition it wont let me. I loved the live CD though.

 

Macs:

 

Pros:

No virus, little spyware

Most Opensource apps for Linux run fine on OSX

You can find all major commercial software for OSX, including Adobe, MS Office, Quark.

Apple only apps: iLife, Final Cut Pro, Logic, etc.

Now you can run OSX and Windows on the same box

 

 

Cons

Price. Apple hardware comes a premium

Apple tends to nickle and dime you (remember, Ilife was once free!)

 

Most popular games are ported to mac, and now with the Intel boxes, I look for increased support. But the fact of the matter is most Mac users use their computer for work not play. They aren't playing games on their mac. In fact the only game I have is Stronghold and Vegastrike...and I rarely play either one. THat's what the PS2 is for!

[elrohir 0]

I haven't had all that much contact with MACs, but I consider myself fairly proficient in both linux and windows systems.

 

Linux

Pros:

 

Free, Open source

LOTS of choice in distrobutions!

Highly portable - you can install it on pretty much anything

Runs of all kinds of hardware, from the lates AMD (and MACs) to the old pile of metal in the cellar.

Systematic, organised

Customisable

Has a great community - where you are known as a USER rather than a CLIENT

Has a LOT of software available! It is a myth that there is little software available for Linux systems. There is little commercial software available. (I have 19,000 pakages available in the repos, and have not enabled even half of them)

Software managers (synaptic,apt-get,alien,etc...)

Very stable

Doesn't WASTE resources on graphics (see 'Windows Vista')

Good for servers - efficient data management.

Cons:

Most distros are fairly hard to get to know

Not as much commecial software is available for Linux as Windows and MAC (see 'Macromedia, Adobe...'), Java apps being the exeption.

Not for those intimidated by the command line (see 'Old Gran')

Drivers are not always available (see 'Broadcom chipsets')

Doesn't work the same way as Windows, so many people think it is worse. (though these people would most likely not be welcomed into the linux community anyways, thinking like that.

Hardware like mice (see 'Logitech wireless','Microsoft products'), keyboard shortcuts (like the keyboards that have buttons to open a web browser, etc) and combinations (I have Fn - PU/D for volume, for example) do not neccessarily work (Ubuntu being a great example of things working CORRECTLY)

Wireless networking is one of the most common problems, and with more and more things going wireless these days...

Windows XP and Vista

Pros:

Popular (see 'inexplicable')

Good support for games, tons of programs available

"Ease" of use <- so long as you don't try to do anything too complicated, you don't need a university degree in computer science to keep it from crashing.

Hardware is made for it.

Drivers are made for Windows before anything else.

Commercial software is always released for Windows first. (see 'Flash Player')

A lot of manufacturers sell their computers with Windows preinstalled (see 'retards').

Cons:

The next downgrade is vista! (see English-Latvian dictionary under 'chicken')

Hogs memory (Vista even more than XP

Windows networking is really really really slow. And stops working at random times.

By buying windows, you support a capitalist company in monopolising the market.

Windows comes with enough software preinstalled to... almost equal the time it takes to boot it in milliseconds.

Has horrible colour schemes by defult, and you can't get out of them for free legally (at least, I didn't find out how untill I got Linux... ).

Registry. Say no more...

Illogical menus and folder structure. (like being able to access "my documents" from at least three different places in the tree.

I'll leave it at that.

[BooZker 0]

elrohir i think you said it best for Linux and Windows. Thank you. I have to admit i am somewhat lazy, and did not have much experience with Linux. I have been trying to install Ubuntu for months and there is always ONE problem at 95%!!!

[elrohir 0]

heheh, ubuntu ftw. What goes wrong? Have you tried posting about it in Ubuntuforums?

[jesspren6 0]

I like windows, I am kind of anti-apple (dont want to offend anyone). I would like to run a server with linux, because windows servers are way to easy to hack.

[itrainmonkeys 0]

That's a pretty cool list. It sux that I just got a new PC but realize a MAC is what I'll need to get further in my career. I got a PC that has tons of space and RAM and really am liking it......but now I have the choice of updating to VISTA and i'm not sure if i want to. It didn't sound too exciting and i'm afraid i'll lose some of the programs that I have.I would like to have a Mac so i can do some video editing and other types of production. I work on them all the time at school here. We have a few different Mac Labs that have a bunch of em that have tons of programs like macromedia flash, aobde photoshop, final cut pro, motion, adobe after effects....etc. I'm just getting a lil nervous that once i'm done with school (one more year) i won't have access to all of those things for a while. I'll have to save up and buy my own Mac.I like them but haven't really been amazed about the difference until recently. Sure it looks pretty nice but I just like how it is easy to navigate and the animation is slick. I just wish I had the money to get one. My friend back home got his own MacBook a hwile ago cuz he's into painting and photoshop and stuff like that so he uses it to do graphic design. I'm really into photoshop and have been getting more into flash and other programs so I now see why the Macs are favored.My roomate here at school also just got one of his own......lucky S.O.B.. His was like 3 grand but it's pretty sweet. How he can afford it i'm not sure but i've been able to tinker around with it a bit. Garageband is pretty awesome and i can record guitar stuff and other music effects on it and mess around with their sounds. While I love my PC and windows has been good to me.....I may be a mac user sometime soon.Thanks for the list.