This post I decided to do something a bit different...I decided to contrast my experiences with certain technologies...more specifically, Windows, MAC, Linux operating systems...I am not going to go too much into Android, iOS, or Win8 because frankly, I have never used anything but Android...but, if someone is willing to give me an iPhone (or iPod touch) or a Win8 phone, I would gladly delve into that arena as well..so for now, desktop/laptop OSes only.
First on my list is the Windows machine. It can be housed in just about any kind of case or configuration. Therefore, it is a hard one to describe...other than to say that a huge percentage of the world uses it to get things done...most businesses run almost entirely (except for web-servers which are mostly Linux servers) on Windows platform. Today (August of 2014), Windows 7 is the clear choice of OS with some die-hard WinXP fans still running the dinosaur...I even saw a Win98 machine the other day. Windows Vista was almost as big a bust as Win2000 (not to say MS did not give it a hell of a try). It was not because of the lack of features (Win7 is almost identical to Vista...minus the bugs that is) but rather because it was a radical change from hat Windows people were used to in WinXP. Funny thing is that WinXP was just as radical a change and harbored just as much complaining. Soon after all the driver issues were worked out, WinXP became the best selling and most widely used OS in the world (or at least the USA).
Next on my list is Linux. Linux is a horse of a different color in that it is free...as in it is free to modify or change the source-code in any way that is desired with the simple rule that it must include the GNU license agreement. That's it. As for usability, there are apps for just about any task that a Win user might need but is slim on gaming. That is not to say that there are no games, just that the mainstream has left out this niche market. There are projects out there WiNE, Cedega, and Crossover that will allow the use of certain Win only programs (performance is not guaranteed) with a bit of tweaking. As for how it looks, Linux seems to be following Windows for familiar design elements and to draw users from that market. That is not to say that Linux looks like nor behaves like Windows as it clearly does not. If you bring it to it's inner workings (minus all the fluff--read that as GUI) it behaves more like BSD which is to say like Unix...lost? Just take my word for it or search G? for the answer to that question...I personally like the ability to make it look the way I want it to look while still being able to do what I need to get done...That being said, it is not my favorite OS.
For many years I preached the goodness and light that was Microsoft...then I went to school...Sure...MS machines are so easy to build (Linux will also run on any variation of any type machine from PPC to Intel) and will install anything with one click (got me into more trouble than I can relay here...)but for pure functionality, design, and purpose, MAC OSX wins it hands down. Yeah yeah I know...Mac is sooo expensive, but I have a PPC G3 tower that will boot up even now...and run...sure software makers have abandoned support, but there are still people out there running OSX Tiger and yes even OS9...But I digress...OSX has only gotten better over time...no radical changes though many improvements for function...the dock is still there, the software installs the same as always, and the look of the windows have not changed throughout all the versions from Tiger all the way to Mavericks...OSX was engineered for graphics and audio processing and does a phenomenal job at it, but where I find that OSX shines is in gaming. Yup, I said gaming. I recently discovered gaming on my Mac. The graphics processing power rival anything that Win or Lin could ever come up with and to top it all off, companies that have included Mac in their development are thriving. Blizzard is one and EA Games is another that have consistently provided BOTH PC and Mac (though sadly still not Linux) supported games. Most famously, the Warcraft franchise from Blizzard and The Sims (1, 2, and 3--soon to be 4) all run a Mac client. Having played these games on both platforms, I find the Mac platform to be more stable and graphics to be more flowing than with Windows. Windows also has some amazing games--Everquest franchise anyone? While it did at one time have an original Everquest Mac client, it no longer supports anything but Windows clients.
In summary, I like all three of the different types of OSes. Each has benefit and potential to be the best...though if I had to choose one to promote, it would be OSX. Not for simplicity or ease of use, but for design and function. I like that OSX does not try to re-invent the wheel with every new release nor does it try to be anything more than what it is...a great Graphic User Interface that just works. Microsoft could take some pointers from Mac in that respect and both could use a bit more open-source loving like Linux, but dollar for dollar, OSX wins for me.
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