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What do you use: Linux / Mac / Win?

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  #1  
Old 09-20-2008
Newcomer, in training
 
Member since: Sep 2008, 28 posts
What do you use: Linux / Mac / Win?

i just wonder why there is still peaple who use Microsoft Windows OS till now , although open source products like Linux/Mac/.. r available and even "free" to use !
Moreover , its secure / easy to use and bla bla bla ...

so ,,, lets return to our question ... what do u use ?? .. Linux/Mac/Win/...etc OS ^^
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  #2  
Old 09-20-2008
Newcomer, in training
 
Member since: Sep 2008, 28 posts
for me !!

i'll just start by and say ... i use Microsoft Windows -sadly- ..

( i just have no time to install linux OS - ubuntu for me i'd say -)

i'm sick of this bug based product , i hope that one day i use linux for real - i wanna try it :P

so , what about u ?
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  #3  
Old 09-20-2008
BorisandBailey's Avatar
TechSpot Member
 
Location: The hot, stinkin' desert of Arizona
Member since: Jun 2008, 200 posts
System specs
2 hard drives, 2 operating systems

I have Windows on one hard drive, Ubuntu on the other. I use Windows for my specialized programs--Photoshop and Illustrator, and I use Ubuntu for everything else. With the possibility of Microsoft going subscription, I'll switch entirely to Linux the next time it's time for me to build new computers for me and my wife, maybe in another five years or so.
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  #4  
Old 09-20-2008
jobeard's Avatar
TechSpot Evangelist
 
Location: Southern Calif.
Member since: Apr 2005, 7,906 posts
Lots of underlying issues to the simplistic question.

Issues that typically impact the decision are
  1. which system supports the applications I need?
  2. what system am I most familar with?
  3. how comfortable am I in learning a new system?
  4. what's the impact of not getting the work tasks done while I'm getting it all together?

Personally, I use all three; OS X 10.3.9 (behind the curve now),
WinXP Pro,
Linux RH7 (also behind the curve)
and even have a Win/98se used as a primative backup server.

Unless you have a need to move to a specific environment, avoid the pain
and stay where you are. On the other hand, if your major motivation is to get to a
more stable environment, then just use the list above to guide you in your choice.

(notice: no reference to "xxx is better, cheaper, faster, or easier. Just not germane!)
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  #5  
Old 09-20-2008
tw0rld's Avatar
TechSpot Enthusiast
 
Member since: Oct 2007, 551 posts
Currently my system Dual-boots Kubuntu 8.04(Hardy Heron), and Win Xp sp3. I love Kubuntu, but it is very buggy. Just the other day while browsing with Konqueror the system crashed twice. This happened after Iinstalled the flash plugin in konqueror, since then I have installed Firefox 3.0, and all is well.
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  #6  
Old 09-20-2008
EXCellR8's Avatar
TechSpot Booster
 
Location: Yokelsville, NH
Member since: May 2007, 879 posts
System specs
Ubuntu >*

I have Ubuntu 8.04 installed on a pretty fast machine and I love it.
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  #7  
Old 09-20-2008
TimeParadoX's Avatar
TechSpot Guru
 
Location: DE_Dust 2
Member since: Aug 2006, 2,488 posts
System specs
Dual booting is better and more efficient than just installing one primary OS and sticking with it. For about 3 years I've dual booted WinXP and Ubuntu and never had any problems. I use Ubuntu for general stuff like Firefox and photo editing and XP for gaming.

It's really all about what you're doing, so don't stick with a OS just because it's convenient.

Also, installing Linux on a PSP along with custom firmware is very fun since you can run emulators like Daedalus for NES games.
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  #8  
Old 09-21-2008
LNCPapa's Avatar
TS Special Forces
 
Location: Duke University, North Carolina, USA
Member since: Feb 2002, 2,361 posts
System specs
All three - in fact, the machine I'm posting this from now triple boots Vista Ultimate 32/Leopard 10.5.5/Ubuntu 8.04 x64. I love all three (I'll even through XP SP3 in there) and use them all regularly. I'm not a zealot for any particular platform and think they are all good and necessary.

Just don't imply that OS X is free or open source. All the Mac zealots who complain about Gates just make me laugh.. and sick at the same time. Jobs is every bit as bad as Gates ever was.
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  #9  
Old 09-21-2008
Newcomer, in training
 
Member since: Sep 2008, 28 posts
actually i like the idea of having all the three Operating Systems on my machine ,, currently i have win xp w/ win/98 as a backup-system lol , u know Microsoft Buggy Windows crashes almost every week with me ..

i'm gonna try to use mac and linux also -- why not give it a try ?
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  #10  
Old 09-21-2008
hynesy's Avatar
TechSpot Enthusiast
 
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Member since: Apr 2006, 435 posts
Its all very debatable, what one person likes may not suit the next, I have tried OS X both Leopard and Tiger, Ubuntu and Kubuntu, XP and Vista and found that each has its good and bad points. Personally, I am on Vista, just because some important programs I need only support Vista and for games, dual.triple boot is pretty pointless for me, Vista does everything I need.
Cheers
Hynesy
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  #11  
Old 09-21-2008
SNGX1275's Avatar
TS Special Forces
 
Location: Rolla, Missouri, USA
Member since: Feb 2002, 9,288 posts
System specs
I use Vista, XP64 (sort of), Win 2000, and my laptop is Leopard. I run a lot of different, just not Linux, other than the cost, it doesn't do anything I need to get done any better than what I already use, and often times it does it worse.
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  #12  
Old 09-22-2008
alvdy's Avatar
TechSpot Member
 
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Member since: Nov 2005, 95 posts
System specs
I run Vista on my desktop and OS X on my MacBook with Vm's of XP and Ubuntu (hardy heron).
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  #13  
Old 09-24-2008
Justin's Avatar
TechSpot Elite
 
Location: Oregon, USA
Member since: Apr 2002, 1,387 posts
System specs
Linux only (Gentoo)

I do have a Windows gaming box that I fire up whenever I can't get something to work through Wine.
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  #14  
Old 09-25-2008
Ultiweap's Avatar
TechSpot Enthusiast
 
Location: Mauritius
Member since: Feb 2008, 427 posts
System specs
Yes thats nice all that...

But .exe file does not open but how do you make to play a game on it or even program that is only .exe format for the users of Linux and MAC???

Also I would like to know where to get a MAC OS as etchhh ask that it is free?
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  #15  
Old 09-25-2008
jobeard's Avatar
TechSpot Evangelist
 
Location: Southern Calif.
Member since: Apr 2005, 7,906 posts
Fundamentally, other systems do not rely upon the filename extension to determine
what the file is or how to open it. Windows uses the .com .exe .scr to 'run' the code.
Linux has a 'magic number' in the first four bytes of the program file or a line that reads
#!path_to_interpreter
which is launched and handed the file to work on.

Mac WAS like Linux, but now (10.4 and above) has Intel processors and the .exe
can be launched with the right emulation or configuration. This is very problematic
and NOT advisable for gamers.
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  #16  
Old 09-25-2008
Ultiweap's Avatar
TechSpot Enthusiast
 
Location: Mauritius
Member since: Feb 2008, 427 posts
System specs
So if I understand well the new versions of MAC can open .exe file without any problem?

But how do linux users do to get a program that is only .exe format?
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  #17  
Old 09-25-2008
jobeard's Avatar
TechSpot Evangelist
 
Location: Southern Calif.
Member since: Apr 2005, 7,906 posts
Run an emulation program (see wine)
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  #18  
Old 09-25-2008
tw0rld's Avatar
TechSpot Enthusiast
 
Member since: Oct 2007, 551 posts
uughh!

Wine sucks! I've tried using it a few times to run windows based programs, but to no avail. Apparently it works for others.
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  #19  
Old 09-25-2008
jobeard's Avatar
TechSpot Evangelist
 
Location: Southern Calif.
Member since: Apr 2005, 7,906 posts
Likely true, but imo, it's a faux pas to move windows programs ANYWHERE

Gamers have major conflict of interest in Keeping their games AND moving to any other platform.
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  #20  
Old 09-25-2008
captaincranky's Avatar
TechSpot Evangelist
 
Member since: Oct 2006, 3,484 posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by tw0rld View Post
Currently my system Dual-boots Kubuntu 8.04(Hardy Heron), and Win Xp sp3. I love Kubuntu, but it is very buggy. Just the other day while browsing with Konqueror the system crashed twice. This happened after Iinstalled the flash plugin in konqueror, since then I have installed Firefox 3.0, and all is well.
The subject of "Kubuntu" being buggy has been tackled before. The "Ubuntu" version has a much better reputation. But, if your choice of Kubuntu was motivated by the KDE desktop, it might be worth it for you give "Open SUSE" a shot.

The "wine" is always so far behind current program versions that I certainly feel your pain there, That said, Windows isn't going away anytime soon for many apps.
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