Best OS? (Besides Linux OSs)

[linuxguymarshall]

What is the best OS? Linux OSs excluded because we all know they are the true best.

[Sand & Mercury]

OSX would be my favourite. Very stable and easy to use, and easy on the eyes too.

[Canis familiaris]

Dunno about Best OS because it depends on person to person.
Since you are implying *nix I would say try OpenSolaris. It looks quite promising but still needs some work upon it.
You could also try the *BSDs.

[kpkeerthi]

No DOS in the list?

[sydbat]

Or Windows 2000? Possibly the best offering from Microsoft.

[Canis familiaris]

Or Windows 2000? Possibly the best offering from Microsoft.

-1 for that. Windows 2003 server would take that position.

[Warpnow]

Solaris is pretty good, so I voted other.

But in Mac vs Windows, I think windows a million times better.

Its less proprietary at least. Heh.

[Canis familiaris]

Solaris is pretty good, so I voted other.

But in Mac vs Windows, I think windows a million times better.

Its less proprietary at least. Heh.

Actually No.
Mac OS X is based on the Open Source Darwin. So Mac is more Open Source than Windows.

[billgoldberg]

If I weren't allowed to use linux I would most likely switch to solaris or freebsd, but I haven't tried them so can't vote on them.

From the other OSs I've tried windows Vista is best.

[Warpnow]

Actually No.
Mac OS X is based on the Open Source Darwin. So Mac is more Open Source than Windows.

So Darwin is Open Source.

Mac OS X is not just Darwin. Mac OS X as a package is NOT open source. Mac OS X as a package is not supported for any hardware other than proprietary systems.

So, no, Mac OS X is more proprietary.

Windows is definitely not open source, but it can be installed on consideribly more hardware, and so is less proprietary.

[enlightenment now]

what is the best os? Linux oss excluded because we all know they are the true best.

pc-bsd

[Shippou]

Windows 3.1! :lol:

Given the money, I will convert to OS X.

I do think that I will utilize the value of my money more when I choose Mac than choosing Windows.

[Giant Speck]

Well, this poll is obviously biased, but whatever.

Windows Vista and Windows XP tie it up for me, but I'll break the tie in Vista's favor because it looks better.

[Canis familiaris]

So Darwin is Open Source.

Mac OS X is not just Darwin. Mac OS X as a package is NOT open source. Mac OS X as a package is not supported for any hardware other than proprietary systems.

So, no, Mac OS X is more proprietary.

Windows is definitely not open source, but it can be installed on consideribly more hardware, and so is less proprietary.

Well in that sense Mac OS X is more locked-in than Windows. Proprietary is not the correct technical term in this regard.

[nick09]

Windows XP.

@Anurag_panda: If OSX was Open Source then we would be seeing iTunes in Linux and I don't think apple will be giving up the latest iPod firmware as open source because they can lose some cash in the online market of iTunes. Macs have a huge restriction of the hardware that you can use, so Macs are more proprietary and windows supports more hardware out there.

[perlluver]

Free-BSD for me, but otherwise I am sticking with Slackware.

[sydbat]

-1 for that. Windows 2003 server would take that position.I have not used that, so I was basing my comment on OS's I have used. But I have heard that 2003 Server was/is pretty solid.

[Sunflower1970]

OSX. I don't even have a Mac, but I've always loved the look of them. Hardware and software.

[Canis familiaris]

Windows XP.

@Anurag_panda: If OSX was Open Source then we would be seeing iTunes in Linux and I don't think apple will be giving up the latest iPod firmware as open source because they can lose some cash in the online market of iTunes. Macs have a huge restriction of the hardware that you can use, so Macs are more proprietary and windows supports more hardware out there.
I am NOT saying Mac OS X is Open Source. But it is has definitely more "open-source" code than Windows, no doubt other that.
But it is far too much locked in and restricted.
Please Do Not misunderstand me.
Proprietary is not the word, it is vendor lock-in and user-restriction.

[init1]

Quite a few good OS's missing from that list. I would have voted for FreeDOS or Minix if they were on there. Debian kFreeBSD is also very good.

[kirsis]

I am NOT saying Mac OS X is Open Source. But it is has definitely more "open-source" code than Windows, no doubt other that.

Not really, just because a certain subsystem is based (not just mirrored in their code but based. Prolly not even recognizable by now) on an open source product does not make OS X any more open source than Windows. First of all, parts of the Windows source are available for Computer Science students (under NDAs but still) for learning purposes. As far as I know, Apple offers no such possibilities to take a peak at their source.

Second of all, just because Apple made it known that they've used certain open source code in their product, doesn't mean they or Microsoft haven't used any other open source projects in their products (if said project licences permit it... or maybe even if not :evil:)


As for the original question, that'd be a tie between Windows XP and Vista for me. I voted Vista just to support it because I feel it gets way more online bashing than it deserves.

[Naiki Muliaina]

Wheres amiga 4.0? 4.0 was released just a couple of months ago, as an old amiga fan, id love to use that if Linux wasnt about :)

[hessiess]

anyting exept vista

[jespdj]

Windows ME was the worst version of Windows, so unstable that it was almost unusable. Windows 98 was the best of the Windows 95 version family of Windows, but it's inferior to Windows XP with regards to stability and security.

Windows XP was the best version of Windows, stable and fast. Windows Vista is worse than XP; it's so heavy that it can only run reasonably on newer, powerful computers.

I have no experience with OS X so I can't comment on that. It's a Unix-like OS (based on BSD) just like Linux so it has a security model superior to any version of Microsoft Windows.

[Zeotronic]

I voted on FreeBSD... I don't know anything about it, but isn't it somehow like Linux? Of course 'free' is always a good word...

[sydbat]

I voted on FreeBSD... I don't know anything about it, but isn't it somehow like Linux? Of course 'free' is always a good word...No. FreeBSD is a Unix Operating System.

[Nano Geek]

Hmm. I'd have to say it's a toss-up between Vista and ME.

[Canis familiaris]

Hmm. I'd have to say it's a toss-up between Vista and ME.
WinME?
Surely not WinME?

Vista can be good. But Windows ME?

[Nano Geek]

WinME?
Surely not WinME?

Vista can be good. But Windows ME?It was a joke. :)

[kirsis]

After stumbling upon a 16 page flame thread about it, I have to revise my response:

SkyOS
It's clearly the bees knees

:)

[Bungo Pony]

Votes here for DOS and Windows 2000, both not in the list.

[linuxguymarshall]

Bungo Pony what is with that horrible purple virus as your avatar?

[y6FgBn)~v]

Out of the options provided FreeBSD. Solaris, OS/2, AmigaOS would have also been on my list.

[Bungo Pony]

Bungo Pony what is with that horrible purple virus as your avatar?

BonziBuddy. I'm thinking of installing him on a test box. Apparently, he has one of those text-to-speech features which might be fun to play with. As long as I'm not connected to the net, all is good :)

[user1397]

I don't know about anyone else, and I'm sure this might just be one of those exceptions to the rule, but I have seen many Mac and OSX problems with my friends computers. My friend bought a macbook back in 06, and one of the weird things we noticed hardware wise from the beginning was that capitalizing the letter C was only possible if you enable the caps lock, i.e. shift+c wouldn't do anything...what kind of a better way to be introduced to a mac than a silly hardware malfunction.

also, it was pretty slow, until he upgraded to 1GB ram (used to be 512MB). One of the software issues with mac (well this is just something i think it's missing out on) is the simple 'cut' function...it doesnt exist for files and folders, only with text...umm i think u forgot something, OSX devs...

also, another friend of mine has had a new, top of the line macbook for 6 months. now this guy is a pretty heavy power user, and since many of his apps are windows only, he set up an extremely complicated network in his house with 2 windows computers and his macbook, complete with VMware. (first he tried boot camp, then parallels, didnt like either as much as VMware)

so anyway, just after six months, his hard drive crashes randomly..and this is no crappy system, im talking like 2.4GHz core 2 duo, 2GB ram, etc. ...no explanation either. apart from that, he was always telling me every week or so how there was one problem or another always, like random glitches and stuff...now he's switching back to windows, not out of preference, but out of necessity.

just some thought, macs might work beautifully for some, but for others, it can be a nightmare

[Nikolai D.]

Hi all.

Ohh, wow, im the first who voted ME as best one. I wonder, havent anyobody here enjoyed using thisone? I can't emagine more fun on any other os than this one:

http://www.antra.dk/winrg.swf
Enjoy!

p.s. Seriosely, if there were no Linux then it would be GNU for me i guess. ;)

Have a nice day!
Nikolai

[linuxguymarshall]

Hi all.

Ohh, wow, im the first who voted ME as best one. I wonder, havent anyobody here enjoyed using thisone? I can't emagine more fun on any other os than this one:

http://www.antra.dk/winrg.swf
Enjoy!

p.s. Seriosely, if there were no Linux then it would be GNU for me i guess. ;)

Have a nice day!
Nikolai

That was great. I really loved the office program.

[OutOfReach]

Solaris, OS X, FreeBSD, WinXP...
Anything but Vista and Windows ME. D:

[Nikolai D.]

Hehe :)

BTW i use now OSX for an year or something. For surf and movies and so on. Since i bought mac mini i havent been using Ubuntu anymore. Before that i have used Ubuntu only for view years. But now setting ub a dual boot (osx/debian) for professional use. (gonna try out virtual networking. 2003 dns, XP worksation, debian fileserver).

Have fun.
Nikolai

[cardinals_fan]

1. NetBSD
2. OpenSolaris
3. FreeBSD

[Joeb454]

As a lot of people have asked for Dos & Win2k I've added them to the poll (I was feeling kind)

[DeadSuperHero]

My favorites in no particular order:

-Mac OSX86: The hackerish appeal of it is fantastic, and it makes people do a double take.

-Solaris: The set of APIs and libraries look promising for OpenSolaris and Solaris 11. Definitely one to watch out for, I just wish they'd have a unique desktop environment!

-Windows 95: People raved when it came out.

-BSD: Other than the really forked Darwin-based Mac OSX, I don't know much about BSD, but it's Unix!

-OS\2: It represents the symbol of a fallen giant in the technology world.

-GNU/HURD: I liked the potential. If devs for all the GPL-only apps could port their stuff across, we could finally have a true, complete GNU OS. That would make my day. I mean, look at all the GPL'ed projects out there! Gnash, Java, OpenJDK, Gnome, Epiphany, Webkit, there's almost all the necessary parts to finish it!

-Windows XP: Because I like Counterstrike.

[kk0sse54]

Definitely one of the BSD's for me. Although I would lean toward either NetBSd or DesktopBSD as I found FreeBSD to be more oriented for server use.

[gn2]

Of the OS's I've used on a regular basis, W2kProSP4 is easily the winner.

But I've never had a Mac.... Yet.

[linuxguymarshall]

As a lot of people have asked for Dos & Win2k I've added them to the poll (I was feeling kind)

Thanks

[ODF]

Win vista for DX10.

[cardinals_fan]

-Solaris: The set of APIs and libraries look promising for OpenSolaris and Solaris 11. Definitely one to watch out for, I just wish they'd have a unique desktop environment!
What, you've never heard of CDE? :)

(I know, it was also developed by HP and IBM. But you get my point :))

[days_of_ruin]

Apple is the new Microsoft.You heard it here first.

:lolflag::lolflag:


At least Ballmer can't blacklist apps AFAIK.

[Sorivenul]

FreeBSD rocks my world because I can make it rock and roll. Also a fan of Solaris/OpenSolaris.