I only tried to list legitamit modern operating systems because i doubt anyone is running anything else, but if so do click on other.

I personally prefer FreeBSD, but love Linux as well.

Windows...I mean, who gives a fuck?

Most people use Windows till it fucks them, i was fucked HARD.

Honestly though only "computer guys give a fuck"

Windows for the user-friendliness and compatibility with 95%+ of software. I back up my essential files on an external hard-drive and never had any problems with it. Switching OS from Windows is like going from a QWERTY keyboard to DVORAK; there may be advantages but it's not strictly worth it except in specific cases.

Windows NT (New Technologies or as I say "nice try")

Windows and OS X are the only logical alternatives for 95% of people.

Linux (and presumably FreeBSD although I haven't tried it) and other "hobby OSes" are not an operating system, but a lifestyle. Unless you enjoy spending 50% of your free time tinkering with your OS, it makes a lot more sense to use something that just works. Also there's something to be gained from a product with people's reputations, careers, and livelihoods standing behind it (i.e. a commercial product): accountability.

Lifestyle you say?

ABSOLUTLY!

i couldnt have said it any better myself. Your right about FreeBSD being a lifestyle (even more of a lifestlye than 95% of linux distros). I like Linux and FreeBSD because in my case they work better than Windows and OS X. but i have spent alot of time tinkering, but its not like i have anything better to do.

I don't know about OS X, but Windows doesn't "just work". You install Windows, then you have to install a replacement for Internet Explorer, then the Flash and Java plugins, video codecs, and probably everyday use software such as an instant messenger and an office suite. Compare this to installing Linux Mint or Sabayon. They come with all the above by default.

And while tweaking the OS can indeed be quite time-consuming... at least Linux gives you the choice to tweak things.

You're confusing yourself with 95% of the population. When they bring home a new computer with Windows installed on it, they don't immediately install a replacement for Internet Explorer. IE is good enough for their needs. Flash and Java plugins will be installed the first time they visit a web site that requires them. An Office Suite likely came with the computer, at least in a crippled form that can be automatically upgraded. For IM, that means Skype, which is commercial software, so the Linux distros are religiously opposed to including it by default. Windows at least has Windows Messenger.

Yes, and when you want to install a replacement for Firefox, you're in the same boat. (Unless you want to install IE; then you're out of luck.)

95% of people don't want that choice. When they buy a car, it's for basic transportation. They want to use it in its default configuration, because that's what's best for most people. And they never want to look under the hood or "soup it up". They want to be able to take it to the dealership for service, without confusing the mechanic with after-market enhancements.

Windows unfortunately

At work and at home I use Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Linux)

True, most people don't need to customize their PC. But the 95% would be just as happy with some Linux distros as with Windows, assuming they didn't have much previous knowledge of either system. Ever since Linux started becoming popular, they've been doing experiments where they put people who aren't computer-savvy in front of Linux machines and gauge their reactions. Most of them can get by just fine, they don't even notice they're using a completely different environment than Windows.


The distros I mentioned do include non-free software such as Skype, the Flash plugin and third-party video card drivers. More advanced ones (Crunchbang) give you an option to download them right from the main menu (which is easier than going to a website, downloading an executable and opening it).

I don't think it's fair to bring up things which "come with the computer", since we're comparing operating systems only. Install Windows on a computer, and a Linux distro in another, and you'll have a much more complete out-of-the box experience with Linux, that's undeniable. Of course, when you consider the hassle of choosing and installing a Linux distro yourself, and learning it, I don't blame anyone for not switching, but this entry barrier is not inherent to the OS.


But this doesn't tip the scales either way, right?


About that, and also responding to your earlier point, you're misinformed if you think there's no accountability, reputation and customer support in the open source community. True, a lot of projects often get orphaned when the maintainer disappears (as happened with my beloved Emerald... >.<), but if they do that, they've lost their cred. Generally speaking, though, the open source community is very responsive, especially regarding the major Linux distros. Also, real life IT professionals these days are being trained in Linux, so it should be possible to find a "mechanic" for that.

You also have to consider, though, that Linux is a lot harder to break. It doesn't just get slower over time like Windows does. Even if your RAM or hard drive get damaged after a power surge or something, Linux will just automatically ignore the damaged sectors, whereas Windows will throw cryptic BSODs at you and refuse to start. There's also the malware issue, etc. Bottom line, if you managed to break your Linux, chances are that you're savvy enough to be able to fix it.

I use Windows XP Professional and Ubuntu 10.04 on the same machine. At least Ubuntu doesn't keep pestering you WITH THESE FUCKING NOTIFCATIONS LIKE THE CUNT THAT HAS JUST POPPED UP EVEN AS I'M TYPING THIS

AND A-FUCKING-GAIN.......Trouble is 99% of all half decent software is coded for the Windows environment.

Too bad so many cars these days have so many issues. Expensive issues. Most shops charge $90 per hour for labor alone,
not to mention the extreme markup on the poorly designed parts, many made in China or some other non-western country.

Remember what Toyota went through a couple of years ago, with the car revving up out of control by itself,
and almost worse, the drivers who were too stupid to turn the ignition key off, before they had an accident?

That's just the tip of the iceberg and its not just non-US foreign-manufactured cars either. The days of the
"shade-tree mechanic" are going the way of the Dodo bird. Most people have no idea how much it _REALLY_
costs to own a car these days, when you cannot repair it yourself, like many of us all did years ago.

Oh yeah: running Windows 7 Pro, 64 bit backed up with some Norton software. Loved XP, but Win 7 isn't too bad.

Currently using OSX Lion because I've got a macbook. Only ever used Windows before and I'm liking this OS. Sure, there are problems, there always are, so the preferences are mainly superficial. Also, Apple's iWork suite is much cheaper and you don't have to buy them all. I've downloaded Pages at around 14 quid, instead of spending 100 on Office (which is already installed on PCs but needs to be 'activated'), Just for Word, but get Excel, Powerpoint and Outlook which I hardly use.