The best operating system for a given user is the one that causes the least number of problems for that user. If we define “problem” as a difficulty that is not easily solved without technical skills beyond those of the average user, that excludes the geeks who just love having a puzzle to solve and bitch about later.

Easily 90% of users just want to turn the machine on and check their email, surf to Amazon or their favorite porn site, and so forth. If they want to do homework or make up a flyer for the quilting society, they want to do it in a word processing program they are familiar with, without messing around with complications of any kind. People like the familiar. I have a family member who once ran a nuclear power plant who won’t switch from AOL because he simply doesn’t want to take the trouble to learn a new system.

If these users started on Windows, the best system for them is Windows; if Mac, then Mac. They don’t want the hassles, even the little ones, of changing the way they do things on the computer, which to them is like the TV — turn it on, and it’s supposed to do what you want, and they couldn’t care less about the magic inside. I may well switch to Mac with my next machine, or to Linux, but I will not recommend either change to most people for the above reasons. Linux, in particular, will not become mainstream, in my opinion, until applications like Word, PhotoShop and T-Shirt Printing for Idiots work seamlessly out of the box. This will involve developers getting together on a distro, and working on it for maximum compatibility with computing’s legacy programs — the ones most of the world uses.

Until then — until all the fan-boys and -girls get their heads out of the sand and go for compatibility instead of parity — the best operating system for most users will remain Windows, whether we like it or not.
–
Bill

I have Mac OS X Leopard running on my system at the moment and some apps have not caught up with it yet, which after a whole year of “waiting” just seems wrong to me.

If I were to go whole hog with Vista, I have driver issues. If I dink with Linux I have to figure out which drivers work with which hardware and Linux distributions. So I sell Macs. They are low maintenance hardware and software systems. And I am not afraid to “loose my job” for using them. My customer are happy and I don’t have to be a babysitter for them. Life is too short to be a shade-tree mechanic on computers.

By the way, this is a reason that I like laptops over desktops: its a lot easier to take them to a help location.

So, when buying a computer, seek advice from the person who will be your major support. And make a contract, real or implicit, with that person to be your help provider.

Anyway thanks for making a good point. Every OS does suck and every OS rules.

And so it goes.

Im not sure that I agree with you that all OS’s suck. I do think some suck less and here is why. I am an IT person and I have been supporting both Mac’s and PC’s for many years.

I have found the following to be true most IT people HATE anything to do with Apple not because Windows is any better many times they have never used a Mac. Here is what is really going on they are scared of the Mac or Linux for that matter because they have invested perhaps years learning Windows and they feel threatened by any thing that’s different. Also they know this simple fact the more computer problems you have the more money they will make or the safer their job will be.

While I like Windows XP over Vista I do prefer Mac’s. Why? Because they are less work and cost less in the end game. I have to spend big bucks to keep Windows computers humming along. I never have to deal with Viruses and Spyware, random DLLs problems on the Mac OS like I do on the PC. Lets not forget registry bloat problems too! I have never installed a Mac driver and had it thrash the OS like I have on the PC. Yes, still feeling the 2000, XP, Vista pain.

So while I love the Mac’s I know the sad truth of the matter is that I earn my living mostly supporting problems with Windows.

Don’t you know that the goal of running on every piece of hardware made after January 1, 1980 is an impossible goal? They’re doing a better job of running on everything PC than anyone!!

2. How DARE you say Linux sucks!

It’s not a fixed code-base. It’s 100% customizable and can run on anything from your wristwatch to your toaster. It only sucks if you make it suck. Therefore, you suck.

3. How DARE you say Mac OS X sucks?

You must be on the Microsoft payroll! Are you Dvorak? Apple products are perfect in every way!!

Did I forget anything?