Hello World! Just wanna do my first #healthydebate to see how it feels to have interactions with other programmers. I bought a week ago a new pc and decided to buy a window. I read some articles on it before deciding and it came out that windows will allow me to have more freedom (and to play videogames 😊). What do you think about that? Do you have a mac or a window / what pc do you have? Why?
I'm very interested in creating a conversation / a debate thinking about which one is the best, particularly for programmers. I also have in mind to write an article on that, maybe using quotes from this post.
Remember the comment!
PS: You can also comment if you have linux
If you don't want to write a long comment, just say which OS (Windows, MAC or Linux) do you use.
Check this article, my second debate, how programmers love to code?
And this one, why programmers love to code?
Just wanted to add the Stack Overflow results:
Platform devs develop for:
Subscribe to my Newsletter!
A loooong, and fun, weekly recap for you
Free PDF version of my articles
Highly customizable inbox
That's --> free <-- and you help me!
Latest comments (75)
Linux >Mac>Windows
Current Setup:
Processor:Ryzen 5 5500U
Storage: 512 GB SSD
RAM: 8 GB
OS:Windows 10 + Pop OS 20.10 Dual Boot Main OS: Pop OS 20.10
Well, I use all three operating systems. I use my MacBook primarily on the couch to do some research, general Browsing and some organizing. It also serves as a guest notebook. It doesn’t have the best hardware specs, so I settled over to windows / linux for tasks that require more resources.
I use Windows for many tasks, especially Photoshop, Lightroom, gaming, 3D Modelling and dev tasks concerning my job (Java with IntelliJ). I use Manjaro Linux in a VM for coding node.js, python etc. In oppose to many other comments, I think that powershell is a very good scripting solution because it provides lots of functionality in very small commands. For example: I coded a ps script in 20 LOCs that does the same tasks as a bash script with 70 LOCs.
tl;dr: There isn’t a perfect OS, if your tasks exceed coding (for example iOS development requires some sort of macOS, either locally or remotely). Photoshop and Lightroom only run on Win and macOS. Windows path statements suck, you don’t have a native access to zsh etc. Linux is very limited when it comes to gaming etc. Virtualizing windows may cause some work, if you’d like to use a dedicated graphics card and want to have access to the full power of your machine.
Linux user for the last ~20 years, settled on Ubuntu since 2005.
Many people in the industry use Windows because they have no choice (it's the company's choice). When I have to use Windows (at some clients) I'm painfully inefficient compared to my Linux setup.
I've had a few Macs for years. It feels like Linux because you get a Unix-based system, but the scripting and automation (and CLI ecosystem in general) is far behind a Linux system.
The reason why MacOS beats Windows out the water is because you can run Windows and linux on almost any Mac device but you can't run MacOS on Windows. This means that you can't develop apps for Apple products on Windows. Furthermore, MacOS is way more stable and smoother compared to the majority of windows devices!
They're not boring stories. (Apart from those of some TV series).
I have a Windows too, and it is true that he sometimes gives me headaches, sorry, it often gives me headaches. But when you get the hang of it, and if you're a bit tech, it all clears up quickly (and with a few reboots).
Even having the money to afford (years of savings) I preferred a good Windows to others, simply for its computing power. I don't want to criticize the mac, but when I overclock the pc, it can support like 60 open chrome tabs with more than 30 extensions, and obviously with a video game on the second screen. This is magic...
My point exactly, that was before WSL2 added an actual Linux kernel running on the Windows OS and made switching between the two like flipping a light switch via the built-in "remote access".
WSL2 (The new hybrid Linux/MS setup that's all the rage) > all of the above... 😬😅.
The Macbook and MacOS are best tools made for a programmer. I love it and it motivates me to code in every way possible. The retina screen looks gorgeous, the current magic keyboard is the best for typing. Think of it this way a chef working in a 5 star hotel vs a chef working in a 3 star hotel. However, I totally love Microsoft's VS code.
Also, I am fine with windows OS as a normal user but I have too many complaints when I use it for programming, like its bad shells like cmd, powershell and really old legacy kernel. They really need to build a better shell and kernel. And rather than putting a linux subsystem like wsl or wsl2 they can follow the unix fundamentals into their kernel and re-write it. They need to abandon their bad legacy stuff like registry keys etc like stuff. I agree it would interfere with the backward compatibility of the existing apps but they have to do it someday.
But I really appreciate the fact that we have a windows kernel which belongs to complete different family than Unix but they need to make their stuff more refined. Because of these differences we can debate about it and think about building a better OS. This could help microsoft redesign their OS, making it more efficient. Linux is good for Desktop but on laptops it really sucks. You need to get a Dell XPS dev edition or System76 laptop to run linux which costs similar to a macBook Air in which case you are better off with a macbook air which gives you option to put linux for free in it and a really good ergonomic package as well.
Also, for Linux fanboys, I like the idea of linux on server theres really no competition here, but I'm skeptical about using a linux distro on desktop as the kernel is still monolithic which affects stability. Windows 10 OS and MacOS both run on hybrid micro-kernel which provides good stability, modularity and extensibility. If you are interested you can try to fork redox OS majorly implemented in rust and make it better, the authors have made good efforts to make the kernel Unix like and used micro-kernel architecture. I'm really looking forward towards the future of redox OS.
Linux.
Versatile, open, stable, customizable. No paying for bells and whistles I don't care for. Nothing I cannot customize, be there enough time on my hands. No vendor lock-ins. No stupidity like "I'm a machine, I know better than you, pesky human! You do not run that binary unless you click three buttons now!" I ate all of that, and I don't want any more.
Linux Mint is the best choice for me.. ;)
Yeah. I love it. I use cinnamon. What desktop do you preffer?
Cinnamon is the best choice for me.. ;)
Linux
Rhe discussion was who has more experience with vulnerabilities.
The previous point was that Windows has more experience and this was too say that mac has experience in a sense too. With the big assumption in both cases that more published vulnerabilities means more vulnerabilities to solve and thus get experience.
But you can also interpret as you have done, that mac has more vulnerabilities (solved or not) and this means the software is insecurely designed.
Back to previous comment though - that I found sources saying that no OS is more inherently secure than the other. They all have weaknesses. Mac gets targeted less and like you say means mac users are less vigilant in a way.
Windows just feels broken these days. I mean why do you have two different apps for one function (control panel and windows settings) so I decided to convert to linux and it's great for development and normal usage but for gaming I would always choose windows
For gaming ou would always use Linux or Windows?
It was a typo 😅
Endless theme
Web developper, amateur musician and gamer here. To me, the perfect OS must handle those 3 activities.
Linux is perfect for web development. Everything run smoothly and can be customized to your personal tastes. For gaming, thanks to protondb it improved a lot. But there are still games that I can't play on linux. And about music, well none of the VST I use are linux-compatible.
I only used mac for 4 months last year. No complains for coding on it. I have no experience on it for music production, but I know for a fact that it's way ahead of all its competitors. And gaming... Well apart from wow...
And now windows. Obviously the best choice for gaming. Music production could be improved, the drivers and audio routing is not as good as on Mac. And thanks to WSL2, I can code with the same workflow as if I was on Linux.
So in conclusion, windows for the win !
Finally a windows lover! I also think that Windows is the best for gaming + development + work (combining al three), even if I never really tried linux.
I also have to notice that Mac's are incredible for their free softwares (iMovie, music Kits...)
Some comments may only be visible to logged-in visitors. Sign in to view all comments.