Which OS Is Best?, The definitive poll on the best operating system.

[harbino]

Ubuntu is hard to uninstall.

I think XP is one of the best OS' ever made... it runs good, looks good, totally hackable so you can patch up your UXtheme.dll and allow different themes... and most things work on it.

Mac may be secure but there are hardly any programs for it.

Linux is just plain annoying to me. I installed Ubunto as a maitainer to Windows.... deleting annoying files and defragmenting, upto the point that there are no defraggers. And it has alot more exploits than Windows.

It occurs to me that Microsoft have a sort of repetive irk with Windows.

Windows 95, was crap (good compared to 3.1)
Windows 98, was good (crap now though)
Windows 2000/ME was an utter accident.
Windows XP, HUGE SUCCESS, and no-one wants to see it go.
Windows Vista, disputed. I actually class it as a failure.
Windows 7 (new one), ???...should be good???

[Alex]

Linux has a lot more exploits than Windows? I think we must read different sources. I have yet to see any balanced comparison of vulnerabilities, they all tend to be commissioned by one of the companies involved (Microsoft, Apple, Redhat, Canonical, etc) and are understandably very biased. For example: when comparing from a microsoft/apple viewpoint they include every vulnerability/exploit related to a distro, and given that a distro like Ubuntu has a /huge/ load of software in repositories of which there is no like-for-like replacement included in Windows or OSX - not just the vulnerabilities a Ubuntu with only comparable functionality would have; the system used to relate severity is also not constant, things are more likely to be considered critical in an OSS project than in a proprietary one (for marketing reasons really); also in a closed project fixes can be kept secret and are not necessarily disclosed which means some vulnerabilities which would get flagged in OSS are not elsewhere.

Maybe someone here has a reference for a non-biased study. I'd be interested in reading it.

[harbino]

US-CERT Vulnerabilities

Myth - "The Windows Platform has more Security Vulnerabilities than the Linux/Unix Platform."

Reality - "Between January 2005 and December 2005 there were 5198 reported vulnerabilities: 812 Windows operating system vulnerabilities; 2328 Unix/Linux operating vulnerabilities; and 2058 Multiple operating system vulnerabilities" -1

Notes - Software vulnerabilities are categorized in the appropriate section reflecting the operating system on which the vulnerability was reported; however, this does not mean that the vulnerability only affects the operating system reported since this information is obtained from open-source information.

Reality - "The Linux Kernel v2.6.x has had 231 Vulnerabilities compared to 213 Vulnerabilities for Windows XP." -2

Sources
-1 http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/bulletins/SB2005.html
-2 http://www.populartechnology.net/2007/01/w...than-linux.html

Unfortunately Mac hasn't been tested yet.

[Alex]

Uh... I asked for a study, they tend to be longer than a few sentences with two sources attached. I was hoping for something published academically and peer-reviewed really. That's how scientific method weeds out things not worth reading.

[theraptor]

trippin: yes, but linux mint works better for video/audio capabilities, ubuntu has a problem with codecs.

harbino: i don't know what you were looking at, but that article is 3 years old -- out of date... linux is now much more secure than windows. also, linux kernel 2.6 is not meant to be used as an operating system. it is meant for modifications to turn into and operating system. running that is like running a non modified NT.

[Andrew]

Yes theraptor, a default install does have problems, but like I said, nothing that can't be fixed by using apt-get. I had a fully working Ubuntu install that played all my videos and music just fine.

[theraptor]

Yes theraptor, a default install does have problems, but like I said, nothing that can't be fixed by using apt-get. I had a fully working Ubuntu install that played all my videos and music just fine.

Thats not what i mean. if you try to convert any videos or music, ubuntu can't do that, there is a problem with codecs.

[aarathy]

In my opinion, Microsoft Windows is the best operating system. It is very easy to use. Many versions of windows are available today. Windows 98, windows 2000, windows vista and windows Xp are some versions. In these windows XP is very popular. I use windows Xp in my system.

[EMOruffino]

osx/windows.....

its called bootcamp



learn it and love it... you get the best of both worlds (forget that hannah fagtanna pun)

In my opinion, Microsoft Windows is the best operating system. It is very easy to use. Many versions of windows are available today. Windows 98, windows 2000, windows vista and windows Xp are some versions. In these windows XP is very popular. I use windows Xp in my system.

really?

[taylor28]

I'm currently using Windows OS but I wanted to try Linux OS (Ubuntu) I wanted to try it for new things additional for my brain

[sclek]

Well I will have to go for Windows because it is my main OS because I like to game. I also use it for design and I don't feel like forking out an extra $1000 for a Apple Computer. I like Ubuntu Live CD when I screw up my windows operating system and I need my files back...

[Adam]

I may have to lock this thread, as it seems someone has been cheating... Microsoft Windows is winning.

[iamandy]

is that because Mac isn't winning?

[jaibin]

When i am child, i use Dos as operating system in my system. But it is very difficult to remember Dos commands. Then i installed windows in my system. We can do many things by using windows very easily. So in my opinion, windows is the best operating system.

[tobi430]

LINUX FTW
I only use windows for cubaseAI4>>> Recording/sequensing/Midi Editing Ect, As Said Before

[shinjiketojapann]

people who like windows are dumb or have never used another operating system,
they say mac sucks but have never used the newer mac, why?
well because i used it a long time ago and think, oh well its still like that,
well its not, try to be a bit more os diverse will ya

i personally like mac osx the best,easy to use, easy to understand, a wide rang of customizing programs

[tobi430]

yeh, I personaly Like Linux, Cos Im A Server Geek ;:D
And i Like Mucking Around With Commands And Things,
But I Did Try Mac Before I Said I Dont Like It, Witch Its Not Bad.
It Will Improve As It Go's
As For Windows I Hate Vista And 7
The Design Got Me Confused But I Stick With Xp, And 95 Lol (95 Plays some of my hell old games)
(Xp Runs My Recording Studio)
Vista Runs My Laptop But I Hate It
And Yeh I Have Emtey 3 Computers that useed to be my servers So I need to reset them up

[Cmain]

people who like windows are dumb or have never used another operating system,

I have used Linux, Windows, and Mac OS and I still use Windows as my main OS. I feel that your comment is a bit ignorant, as Windows has its strengths and weaknesses just like any other OS.

[Andrew]

people who like windows are dumb or have never used another operating system,
they say mac sucks but have never used the newer mac, why?
well because i used it a long time ago and think, oh well its still like that,
well its not, try to be a bit more os diverse will ya

i personally like mac osx the best,easy to use, easy to understand, a wide rang of customizing programs

People who make ignorant comments are "dumb". Like cmain has said every OS has their strength and weaknesses. I personally prefer windows but that doesn't mean I hate mac or linux or any of the other lesser known OS's. I believe that the OS war will continue no matter what. Their will always be people who refuse to believe that Mac/Windows/Linux are worth using. But there isn't any point in saying people are dumb over it.

I can understand if you called OS fanboys dumb, because they are. If a person can't see both sides of the story and make a legitimate choice from there, then they are dumb. I beleive that alot of Mac OS's fanbase use it because they like to feel exclusive. Don't get me wrong, there are alot of people that have legitimate reasons for using it, but it's the honest truth. Similar can be said for linux users. And yet another similar remark can be said for Windows users, obviously not with the "exclusive" remark.

I think next time you make a comment at least come up with a valid reason for calling people names.

[shinjiketojapann]

ok let me rephrase my comment,

90% of people who say mac sucks, have never used it, and when the used it, it was WAY! back in the day,
like old school mac,
and have never used it sense then,

i will say mac has its faults, but using a mac for graphic design or audio producing would be much much better than to use windows or linux,

windows faults are that its to easy to mess up,
and the user interface cant be customized,
i love spending hours at a time making new icons for my system and modding how it looks

this can be done with linux, but linux is not vary good after you have modded almost the entire system

so yes every system has its faults,
but still windows is good for gaming,
mac is good for design,
and linux is good for servers(depending)