The Big Question...

[Chykin]

Do you use Mac or PC? Or do you use another OS like Linux? Personally, I prefer Windows Vista. I like the look and functionality. Also, something I've noticed about the big two is that Windows tends to try to look more high-tech while Mac goes for the minimalist look.

[Shawn Hopkins]

Both, actually. For work I have almost exclusively used Macs, starting with Mac Classics in college and then moving up to iMacs, Macbooks and others. Every serious newsroom I've ever been in has had them as standard. Partially because they have been traditionally strong with design and editing applications and partially, I suspect, because they were traditionally easier to use and therefore simpler for journalists, who don't tend to be tech savvy. The business side of the paper always tends to use PCs because of the business applications.

But now that I've become a flack I finally got my first PC for work, an old Dell laptop that I'm typing this on right now. I also have a Mac, though, for my Web duties. It has OSX but unfortunately it is very, very old and decreipt so I mostly use the PC.

For home, though, I've always used PCs. It's mostly because they are cheaper. My mom bought me my first computer for college even though she could barely afford it, so I couldn't really say please spend a lot more on a Mac. Later, about eight years ago, I bought the best computer I could afford on my entry level reporter's salary. Which was a crappy HP Pavilion that I still have and use seven years later, even though it's about to give up the ghost.

Now that a flack and making more money, though, I suppose I have an interesting decision about my next computer. I guess I will probably come down on the side of buying a cheap PC laptop because it's enough to meet my needs and there's no point in overspending, but the new Macs are intriguing.

As far as functionality, I've not used Vista, but between XP and OSX I like the simplicity of OSX slightly better. But they aren't so different that there is a wide gulf between them. My main adjustment when switching is remembering that the keys for copying text are different.

As far as stability issues, never let anyone tell you that Macs don't crash. They do and it sucks. It used to be a bomb icon that came up when you got a serious error, and that was pretty apt. Comparing the ones I've used the crashes seem to be about equal, but then again I've mostly had to make do with crappy old computers.

[Starbro]

I'm a PC user, mainly because I'm a cheapskate and Mac parts aren't interchangeable. My current OS is Windows XP, although I've 'disguised' it with a Vista Skin program I got off the internet so it looks like Vista. When I can get a reasonably inexpensive Windows Vista startup disk and when I know for sure that all of the bugs have been worked out of Vista, then I'll upgrade to Vista.

[Dr. Daedalus]

I use both. PC and Mac at work (yes, I have two computers running different OSs at the same desk), Mac at home. Currently I'm running Mac OS X 10.4.11 at home, and I have no complaints.

[Sapphire Sky]

I've only used PC, but I like XP the most, Vista is good too but there are a few things I don't know if it's possible in Vista yet, such as recording just sounds on the computer and how to get files to show in the temporary internet explorer folder.

[chdr]

I use XP. (Not a fan of Macs)

[Charlie]

I love all OS' as long as they work for me.

[Dr.Pepper]

I am using Windows Vista because that is what was on the laptop I got for graduation presant.

[purplehairedwonder]

I'm a PC girl. I used Macs all throughout high school and just could never get comfortable using them. My current computer is a Dell laptop I got for graduation and I'm running Windows XP. While I've had some problems with it (some admittedly of my making), I find it so much easier and more comfortable to use than a Mac.

[Lazerboy5000]

Windows Vista. It's cheeper than Mac. That's the big thing. I know Macs are alittle better, but I just need a thing that works. The labtop came with Vista, so that's why I don't have XP. I probably could care less though. Although I do like a few of the features on Vista.

[Leviathan]

I have a desktop with XP, and a laptop with Vista, not out of any preference for Windows, but that's the operating system Dell computers come with.

[Deadman]

im using windows vista.

[Light Lucario]

I'm a Mac OS X person myself. I've used some PC computers at my high school, but I always had an easier time with the Macs since I'm more used to them. For some reason, my dad never liked the idea of owning a PC, which is why I've never had one in the house before.

[Sparticus]

Windows XP! I'm considering going Linux though. I know you can RUN Photoshop on Linux, but I dunno how WELL it runs. >.>

I use Mac OS10.5 at school... I find it rather redundant.

[jph139]

Windows XP. My father's a PC repairman - it's in my blood. :p

[Beefy]

"Best" is very subjective to what the person is using the computer for.

I got a Mac a few years ago, tried a few programs, never really found anything that did what I wanted. So now it just sits there as a file server.
While Mac OSX is a nice operating system, the Mac hardware is very limited in what upgrades you can do.

Windows XP is what I use the most. All the devices and programs I have work on XP.

Vista does run faster than XP since they overhauled TCP/IP and have better support for multi-core CPUs. Vista I use mostly for web surfing and gaming.

[Michael24]

I kind of like Macs (used them a lot in school), but I'm mostly a PC guy and currently have Windows XP. I hated it at first and it took me about a year to get used to it. I was thinking about getting a new computer recently, but am not sure about wanting to break myself in on another OS already.

[mookie75]

Since I'm still using XP, I'd vote for that. However, I'm sure Vista is just fine if you know it....I just don't know it as well as XP.

Whenever the time comes that I build a new computer, I imagine I'll be forced to learn to love Vista. Either that, or use a non-Windows OS, but that's just craziness! :p

[Mynd Hed]

I'm an XP user. Windows certainly has its problems, but at the end of the day it just plain does more than any other OS. Anything you want to do-- play games, edit video or music, dick around on the Internet-- you can do on a Windows system. That may have less to do with any particular programming brilliance on the part of Microsoft and more to do with the fact that software and hardware makers are always going to go out of their way to support the biggest install base, but there it is.

I've always been kind of tempted to try messing around with Linux just for the sheer open-source principle of the thing, but if I'd have to maintain a Windows install for those must-have programs that Linux just doesn't support, it hardly seems worth it. Maybe someday if I ever scrape up the cash for a netbook, because all those really need in the way of software is a web browser, a word processor, and maybe a basic media player and a few simple freeware games (a version of Tetris, etc.) anyway.

[Rook]

XP is to Vista as 98/2000 was to ME

Bias aside, for me, 98 is probably going to be my last brand name OS, hoping computer science will be enough for me to make my own.

[sdp]

Laptop: Vista/Mandrake
Macbook: OS X


Nothing wrong with Vista, I prefer it over XP.
Mandrake is great for some stuff I do.
OS X is a great operating system but it doesn't replace a PC completely.

[Shawn Hopkins]

XP is to Vista as 98/2000 was to ME

Bias aside, for me, 98 is probably going to be my last brand name OS, hoping computer science will be enough for me to make my own.


Oh, yeah. That reminds me. My old HP desktop at home still uses ME. It's terrible.

[KPTitan]

I'm a PC user, mainly because I'm a cheapskate and Mac parts aren't interchangeable. My current OS is Windows XP, although I've 'disguised' it with a Vista Skin program I got off the internet so it looks like Vista. When I can get a reasonably inexpensive Windows Vista startup disk and when I know for sure that all of the bugs have been worked out of Vista, then I'll upgrade to Vista.

You can get Vista skins for XP? I'd like to switch to XP because that actually allows you to have Adobe Photoshop CS on your computer, not Vista though.:sad:

I think I like XP the best. I like Mac too though, I grew up using Macs in school from elementary up to senior year in high school. I laugh at the recent Vista commercials, because they obviously know that the majority of the country thinks Vista is a pain in the butt.:p *sings* Oh Mooojaveeeeeeeee.....god, that song has been stuck in my head for a month! It's driving me crazy!

[Starbro]

You can get Vista skins for XP?

Yep. I just ran a Google search for Windows Vista skins. There are plenty of them scattered around the net. Some even come with Vista wallpapers and screen savers. Your OS won't actually change to Vista, it'll just look like Vista and have all the same sounds and icons. It's just a fun little tease/cheat for the lazy and/or cheap.

[sleepydumbdude]

My new PC came with vista, I am too lazy to install xp but should get around to it.
At work I use a macbook pro which I get to take home with me and can install whatever I want on. I got bored of it though and just lock it in my desk at work. I have a ubuntu laptop that I messed around with for a couple months then got bored of. Only thing I do on it is surf the internet anymore.

[Flame Alchemist]

I've used Windows XP for years and I don't plan on upgrading any time soon. As long as it works, it's fine with me. Besides, Vista won't even run on my computer (if it does, Aero doesn't.) Maybe Windows 7 will be compatible with my computer, but getting a new OS isn't at the top of my priority list right now.

[Mynd Hed]

Oh, yeah. That reminds me. My old HP desktop at home still uses ME. It's terrible.

Ouch. I'm sorry.

[SSJPabs]

I still use Windows 2KPro so that should tell you what I think is the best OS.

Strangely, though I used ME for 2 years I never had any problems with it and was real pleased with it. Currently I have an XP installation CD with an industrial license so I'll be using that in my next build because 2Kpro is just not very compatible anymore sadly.

Oh and despite being very far left I hate Macs! :D

[Mynd Hed]

I still use Windows 2KPro so that should tell you what I think is the best OS.

2000 was great-- or at least it was by about midway through its lifespan when a bunch of service packs had improved its performance and compatibility. I put off installing XP for a long time because with 2000, I saw no need to. XP was definitely a good upgrade for those who were using 98 or *shudder* ME at the time, though. The NT kernel is/was so much more stable it wasn't even funny.

Now 98, despite how popular it was, always seemed like a pointless upgrade to me. IIRC, the only thing it really had over 95 was more reliable USB support, and that seems like the sort of thing that should've been patched in. But at least it didn't actually make things WORSE a la ME and arguably Vista.

I understand Vista's gotten a lot better since the service pack and now that driver support is up, but I'm still not really seeing enough compelling features to justify the hassle. I guess security's technically better, which is good, but as I understand it there are so many security-related pop-ups that lots of users are tempted to hit "allow" first and ask questions later, which is the opposite of good security.

[Chykin]

Wow... looks like XP's winning. Tell me windows users: is that due to Vista hate or you just don't want to get a new PC/Upgrade it?

[Mynd Hed]

Well, it's the same story every time a new version of Windows is released: more features means hogging more system resources means decreased performance. My computer as it is now COULD run Vista just fine, but essentially I'd be paying Microsoft a premium to get worse performance. Or else paying even MORE of a premium to upgrade my system so that performance would stay the same. Vista just plain doesn't do anything cool enough to justify that in my opinion.

My comp has enough life left in it that I'll likely just keep XP on it for its natural lifespan, skip Vista altogether and get Windows 7 the next time it's time to build/buy a new system, assuming Win7 is all it's cracked up to be.

[Baby Naruto]

The computer that I use at home (My mom's/the family's and also happens to be the only one) is a desktop PC, so I have/use Windows XP (Service Pack 3).

[Sparticus]

Wow... looks like XP's winning. Tell me windows users: is that due to Vista hate or you just don't want to get a new PC/Upgrade it?


I have to get a new computer soon anyway (my poor little laptop is dieing T_T), but I run a lot of older programs that may or may not function properly on Vista. I can afford to upgrade my hardware, but I can't afford to upgrade all of my software - software I NEED on a daily basis - at once.

Plus, I'm a no frills kinda gal. I just want a system that does what I want it do, and XP does that. From what I've seen/heard of Vista, is that it does that plus a whole lot of other stuff that may or - more often than not - may not be useful.

Also, what operating system needs takes up 40gigs? Seriously? What could it possibly be doing to take up that much space? XP's bad enough at 20gigs but EGAD that is a huge program.

Any Linux user's on the board? How does Photoshop work on it? Good, bad? Okay? Appears to function but doesn't really? I know wacom makes a driver for it (this is VERY important XD), but I haven't been able to get a lot of feedback on how well Photoshop and Linux get along. O.o

[Kevin]

I'm a PC user. I use a combination of Windows XP and Vista. From experience, I've had no major problems with Vista, and it even runs faster than XP. However, I do think Microsoft did an awful job with Vista, but so far Windows 7 is looking to be an excellent OS, and I plan to wipe my Vista drive and put Windows 7 beta and RC on it when both versions come out respectively.

Now as for what OS I think is best. Currently I think that goes to Mac OS X. I'll break my post down as to why I think this. Just to note, I'll be talking about Lepoard.

Disclaimer: I'm in no ways an Apple or Mac fanboy. The following opinion is of my own. Windows has been an excellent OS before, and with some effort, it could be an excellent OS again. As I said earlier, Windows 7 by itself is shaping up to be an excellent OS so far, and from all that I've seen, it's very fast and stable despite being in development still.

Cost:
A lot of people claim that Macs are more expensive than PCs. By itself, this is true, but you get what you pay for. Currently, the lowest cost Mac is a $599 Mac Mini, which is for basic computing needs. That's around the same price of a low end PC. While you could buy a $299-$399 low end PC, you get what you pay for. Plus, if you customize a PC, by the way the total price comes, it'll be around the same price as a Mac. Not to mention, Apple has been making some fine quality hardware lately. The iMac is one of the best designs I've seen, and their Macbooks are very durable and well made.

A Lepoard upgrade CD has only one version and cost $129, while with Windows you have all these different versions which can cost up to $400 depending on which version you buy.

Security:
OS X is based off of Free BSD Unix, which is the most secure operating system out there. Granted no system is 100% secure, but OS X is much more secure than Windows.

Features:
Aside from security, Lepoard comes with more features right out of the box (http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/300.html) that Windows would normally need third party applications for. One of these features is an excellent backup program called Time Machine. Plus, when was the last time Windows did this?

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/5503/leopardpreviewtimemachiro8.jpg

Compatibility:
Many people worry about having their Windows program run on a Mac. Well ever since Apple switched to Intel processors and introducted boot camp, you can install Windows on your Mac and get the best of both worlds. Plus with VMWare Fusion (http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/) or Parallels (http://www.parallels.com/), you can run Windows right on top of OS X. If you don't want to or can't install Windows, you can use program like Crossover (http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxmac/) or Darwine (http://www.kronenberg.org/darwine/) that will emulate the Windows envirment for you. There are also Mac versions of many popular software including MS Office, Photoshop, etc, and there are great free alternitive programs out there that rival their Windows counterparts like Openoffice.org, VLC Player, etc.

So from all that I've given above, in my opinion, OS X currently stomps all over Windows. That's not to say OS X has its weaknesses and Windows has its strengths as no OS is perfect.

[Miyamoto Musashi]

*MAC OS X: It functions well and doesn't jam like windows, you can operate windows while you're using mac os but I noticed that many Macintosh computers have only 1 mouse button, this is a bit annoying. If you can use a two buttoned & a scroller mouse on Mac then take Mac.

*Windows Vista: Use Ultimate if you choose this opertaing system because according to the box it has the best qualities of all versions of this window, you can use over 4GB ram unlike windows XP with max 3.5GB ram. I used to have Vista Buisness before changing my PC OS to windows XP because there are so many softwares that are impossible to be installed on Vista Buisness, not sure about the Ultimate.

*Windows XP is simple to use, doesn't jam as much as its successor and doesn't require at least 1GB ram to function, though 1GB ram is now quite short compared to the need of the better functioning PC

*Red Hat Linux is good, but I'm not sure if you can use windows on it. One thing for sure is that windows software aren't usable on Linux

[PowerZord]

I been using PCS since before 95 and Macs as well. I have a Desktop and a Laptop with Windows vista and Used Xp for 5 years.. Vista is a whole lot better than XP in terms of security, speed, and reliability. (exept it takes a bit more to start up..)

XP was good.. but vista runs so much better and it's compatible with all of my old software.

and to the user who said Photoshop doesn't run on vista is wrong... I got Photoshop CS3 on Windows vista, and also used Photoshop Elements 5.0 and other photography software since I'm a photographer.

[defunctzombie]

I have xp. I hate vista, and I can never navigate it (I suppose if I had more than 10 minutes every time I tried to use it, I would be more successful). I only tried to use a mac once, but it froze and I had to find a tech guy to help me unfreeze it. How was I supposed to know the button was on the monitor? :sweat:

[J'onn J'onzz]

Mac OS X>Vista>XP.

I never liked XP, really (and I used it for, like, six years exclusively). Vista has seemed really smooth whenever I use it... I use a Mac now (and have since I got this computer for Christmas last year) and I used one until about 2001 when our old Mac (literally) exploded.

[Chykin]

Mac OS X>Vista>XP.

I never liked XP, really (and I used it for, like, six years exclusively). Vista has seemed really smooth whenever I use it... I use a Mac now (and have since I got this computer for Christmas last year) and I used one until about 2001 when our old Mac (literally) exploded.
I would pay you $100 for a video of your old Mac exploding.

[.bg]

Vista does not suck at all. It's very stable, looks nice, and performs good enough for me. I use Photoshop CS4 on it with no problems.

XP was awful. They took 2000 and ruined everything that was good about it, made it a buggy, unstable mess that required three massive service packs, and slapped an ugly Fisher-Price interface on it.

Mac OS X is bad too. OS 9 and its ilk worked perfectly fine for me, and I liked it. It had pizzazz and charm. OS X ditched all the things that made the "Classic" versions unique for the sake of copying Windows. It also added the bonus aggrivations of the Dock, the slow and distracting CoverFlow, the slow-to-the-point-of-unusable Classic mode, and the annoying snobs that hype up OS X constantly.

[SaMaster14]

I put Mac OS X in the poll, since I have a MacBookPro with OS X, but my dad has a new Dell XPS 720 running on Vista which I use sometimes, and we have 3 XP computers in the house as well, but I don't use those as much.