Which computer operating system do you prefer?

[MacLinDroid]

I would love to know which computer OS's are liked by most Android users.

As I am fairly hands-on with Linux, Mac and Windows, I prefer to use Linux Mint together with my Android phone. I just sold my iPhone 5 that was excellent in most respects but it proved unreliable, so I sold it and bought an USD85 Y300.

People do different things for a number of reasons and public opinion isn't always right. My motto is to create a (small) herd and not blindingly follow the big herd.

I come from the days of CP/M and have used all versions of MS-DOS & Windows, too many Linux Distro's to remember and also iOS6 & 7 as well as Mac OS X Mountain Lion.

 

[gbsa]

I'm currently using ubuntu, it's been years since I used a windows computer. They irritate the crap out of me.

 

[John Bean]

I pre-date CP/M

However I didn't bother to add "other" to cover the range of (mainly long dead) OS that I've used over the years, I just checked those still in everyday use.

It's a shame that this sort of poll has no mechanism for specifying which is the favourite choice when there's no special reason for picking one over another; for example my desktop machine is dual boot Windows 7 (only for Lightroom) and Xubuntu for everything else, and my netbook is Windows 8(.1) and is used only when travelling, also with Lightroom. In an ideal world I'd only use one OS (and it wouldn't be Windows!) but in the real world we do the best we can with what we have available.

 

[MacLinDroid]

@John Bean

I just came from Mac and, after the hell that system had put me through, I was on my way back to Windows when I decided to revert to Linux instead. Windows 8.1 is more reliable than the crippleware that Apple had rolled out recently. They more they fix issues, the more they create new ones.

Pre-CP/M I know little about; just played with ZX-80 and/or Sinclair-something in the late 1970's but I am not even sure which models they were. One had something like 64KB of RAM which was the talk of the town back then.

 

[El Presidente]

Moved to the Computers & IT Section.

I'm currently using a Windows 7 laptop, but I've a netbook running lubuntu for when I'm out and about.

Pre-CP/M I know little about; just played with ZX-80 and/or Sinclair-something in the late 1970's but I am not even sure which models they were. One had something like 64KB of RAM which was the talk of the town back then.

I still have a working spectrum in storage.

 

[John Bean]

I wasn't really thinking of the "toy" home computers like the ZX-80 before CP/M, more about the small minis from the likes of DEC. In any case CP/M was only really available for Intel-like processors (plus the Motorola 68k) so manufacturers using other popular 8-bit processors like the 6502 or 6809 used something else, usually proprietary but often incredibly efficient like Acorn's 6502 DOS.

All of this was happening more or less in parallel with CP/M establishing a lead until the advent of the IBM PC and the rise of Microsoft - which of course changed everything, although arguably not in an altogether good way ;-)

Incidentally I'm typing this on my desktop PC in Windows 7 because I had to boot it to run a piece of Olympus software to update the firmware on a camera. It's that sort of annoying "Mac or Windows only" thing that forces me to use Windows for some tasks. Well either that or a Mac - and I'm not even going there.

At least my choice of Chrome keeps most things in order across Windows 7/8.1/Xubuntu/Android, there is no way I'm getting involved in the Microsoft ecosystem that my Samsung netbook kept trying to force me to adopt - until I learned how to get rid of (most of) the Windows 8 annoyances and have it log me in as a local user and to a conventional desktop. I'm beginning to (almost) like it; it's actually less annoying than Windows 7 now that I've changed a few settings

 

[MacLinDroid]

Your experience goes back almost beyond belief, not every day that one meets someone who has been around back then. Windows 8/8.1 works rather nicely when on a touch device. I had mine on a Dell laptop with only 2GB RAM and an i3 CPU with Ivy Bridge yet the older sandy Bridge HD3000 graphics on-chip. It ran rather smooth, surprisingly, and I instantly installed Classic Shell to get rid of the horrid Metro interface. The latter works nicely on Haswell-chipped touch notebooks.

 

[John Bean]

Moved tot he Computers & IT Section.

I can see why this makes sense but it's a shame from my point of view; I don't "subscribe" to the section you moved it to so I won't see any updates unless I go out of my way to look for them.

It's a shame the forum software doesn't have a way to add contribution threads to "favourites" without having to add the whole section, but it doesn't AFAIK. I know about the links in "Quick links" but it's not really the same thing.

Mutter, mutter... ;-)

 

[MacLinDroid]

@John Bean Maybe you would like to comment on this? http://androidforums.com/android-lounge/840603-opportunity-second-none.html

 

[MacLinDroid]

@El Presidente Thanks for having moved it to the appropriate spot. Still new here and not sure what goes where. I have another post that needs to be moved to a more general space, please. It is this one http://androidforums.com/android-lounge/840603-opportunity-second-none.html

 

[SiempreTuna]

At home it's just Win7 (64bit) - well, for me: the missus has an Air but I have no idea what version of the OS it's running. Probably not the latest as she's totally hopeless and keeping it up to date - she only thinks of shutting anything down when the system grinds to a total halt .. and it's too late so she has to re-start.

At work, I use a variety of Windows and Unix OSs without knowing (and certainly not caring) which particular version / flavour a particular server is running.

 

[NightHawk877]

I run Windows and Linux Mint. My laptop only runs Mint while my desktop has Windows and Linux Mint. I find Mint adequate for my needs on my laptop.

 

[John Bean]

Your experience goes back almost beyond belief, not every day that one meets someone who has been around back then. Windows 8/8.1 works rather nicely when on a touch device. I had mine on a Dell laptop with only 2GB RAM and an i3 CPU with Ivy Bridge yet the older sandy Bridge HD3000 graphics on-chip. It ran rather smooth, surprisingly, and I instantly installed Classic Shell to get rid of the horrid Metro interface. The latter works nicely on Haswell-chipped touch notebooks.

Oh, there must be lots of us old timers around, probably just not on this forum

Window 8.1 will give you a "classic" shell by default with a simple configuration change, no need to install anything. The only thing it lacks is the old-style "Start" menu (it actually has a "Start" button that just invokes Metro, no menu) but all the bits I need are perfectly functional and easily accessible. On my Samsung Ultrabook (i3, 6GB) 8.1 runs heavyweight software like Lightroom surprisingly well and I'm only aware of the Metro interface if I accidentally click something that invokes it - like the "Start" button, say. But for all practical purposes it looks and runs just like Windows 7 - only smoother

 

[SulkyAndroid17]

Linux Mint for me. Cinnamon is a delight.

I don't even have windows installed.

 

[saptech]

My desktop is running Mageia 4 with G3, KDE4, Openbox and i3WM & SalixOS 14.0 with Xfce4 and Openbox. I use Mageia the most. I have a first gen Mini Mac connected to my HDTV as a media center, it's running Tiger.

I have a WinXP cd that have installed but I replaced it with Salix a couple years ago and been Windows free since.

 

[jefboyardee]

I have five partitions on my C drive, the most that appears to be permissible. One for Win 7 data, one for Win 7 system reserve, one for Linux swap, one for Mint Cinnamon Petra and one for some other distro I keep trying and reformatting. Linux is just a captivating toy for me -- I've been entrenched in Windows for twenty years.

 

[Slug]

It's a shame the forum software doesn't have a way to add contribution threads to "favourites" without having to add the whole section, but it doesn't AFAIK.

It does.

User CP - Edit Options - Default Thread Subscription Mode

 

[sfbloodbrother]

I'm kind of a Windows fan boy. I just like that I don't have to do specific things to make it work, or that I have to make it look how I want it to look. Most things I don't care about the looks, or being able to look at the code to the software. I get how it can be good, but to me, my experiences with Linux, most of everything just didn't compare to the software backed up by big name companies like Adobe. It just doesn't.

Windows just works for me. And Windows 8.1 Update 1 is such a great operating system. However I don't think its revolutionary enough. I want Cortana OS. (It's my imagination though). An intelligent OS.

 

[mikedt]

I'm kind of a Windows fan boy. I just like that I don't have to do specific things to make it work, or that I have to make it look how I want it to look. Most things I don't care about the looks, or being able to look at the code to the software. I get how it can be good, but to me, my experiences with Linux, most of everything just didn't compare to the software backed up by big name companies like Adobe. It just doesn't.

Personally I don't like being dictated to and held to ransom by large corporations. Adobe CS, you got to rent that now, and pay an annual or monthly subscription to use it. Stop paying the rent, that's it your stuff has gone and is locked-up in Adobe's proprietary formats. Microsoft Office is subscription rental as well now, $10 a month. And again stop paying the rent, all the documents are locked-up in Microsoft's proprietary Office formats. Some of Adobe's products can be truly awful IMO, and can be a security risk as well, Flash and Shockwave

I'm also not so hot on big name companies who give government spooks, e.g. NSA, GCHQ, PSB, and other third parties full access to all my private stuff ...hello Microsoft.

I prefer open source and open formats, just for the reassurance of knowing what is mine, will stay mine and I will never lose access to it. In China one can never be to careful with Microsoft(large US corporation), and is best avoided if at all possible. One thing, I use the normal international version of Skype, and not the special PRC version that Microsoft forces on China, which has censoring and full CPC access. PRC Windows, I just refuse to use it, period. Use Linux or a Mac here.

 

[MacLinDroid]

I agree on Windows 8.1, being a strong advocate of open source. My creed, jokingly is that "I don't like passing through the Hell of Gates." That, regardless, I think that 8.1 is super stable, sleek and a wonderful experience, made better by new Intel HD4000 + on the Haswell chips that aid TOUCH which is essential. It accommodates better touch-ability on ultrabooks and notebooks. Windows 8 without touch was a bit frustrating.

Linux really has much going for it but Windows has MS Office with Outlook, still well above the other office suites. However, as MSO is seemingly moving into being cloud-only, that will justify my current use of Linux only. Apple had broken my trust bas it had released update upon update that had broken what was working prior to said updates.

Linux is what I have a very soft spot for but I think that I should be renegading to Windows as that will offer USB or wireless sync with Outlook through either of various apps available. Linux has no local sync-ability, making it irrelevant to about two thirds of global computer users who have no internet or, even when they have, it is unstable, unreliable and insanely expensive. Users in Europe and the USA are less affected by this but the bulk of the global population still need to sync directly between phone & PC. Linux actually gives me no option other than to use Windows.

Cloud sync does not work http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-s4/841018-google-sync-not-working.html#post6521105

 

[MacLinDroid]

We really need to get Android and Linux talking to each other via a standardised local sync, as that is what will FREE users from proprietary systems. Big companies like Samsung is short-sighted as they do not understand the needs of it users. Blackberry and Nokia refused to develop for Linux and it cost them millions of sales.

I have been in IT since 1982 but I really lack the skills otherwise I would have made such an application myself.

 

[argedion]

I'm an OpenSuse kind of guy. I personally do not like anything about windows and especially don't like how Microsoft does things. I had to install Windows 8/8.1 on a friends computer and really do not like the metro look. I'm sure its better for the touchscreens that are being introduced everywhere. I just don't think its really "desktop" material. However with the rapid incline of mobile devices I'm not sure how much longer the desktop will survive in the home market. People want convenience and mobiles give them that. A way to keep all your media with you. Not to mention the cheaper prices of mobiles. These cheaper prices along with the mobility makes it a much better choice and for some especially in other countries the only choice.

 

[zuben el genub]

Dual boot Kubuntu and XP on desktop. XP only for Adobe stuff. W7 laptop with virtual XP.

The system I most admired wasn't exactly computer, it was Palm. Small and very efficient. Quite a few interesting apps and games. You could do a lot of stuff with IR like you can with Android now.

 

[mikedt]

I'm an OpenSuse kind of guy. I personally do not like anything about windows and especially don't like how Microsoft does things. I had to install Windows 8/8.1 on a friends computer and really do not like the metro look. I'm sure its better for the touchscreens that are being introduced everywhere. I just don't think its really "desktop" material. However with the rapid incline of mobile devices I'm not sure how much longer the desktop will survive in the home market. People want convenience and mobiles give them that. A way to keep all your media with you. Not to mention the cheaper prices of mobiles. These cheaper prices along with the mobility makes it a much better choice and for some especially in other countries the only choice.

IMO Micro$oft truly are an evil empire, nothing less.

There seems to be three ways that US tech corporations approach and do business in China.

1) There's the Google way, where they don't give any cooperation to the government at all, and are blocked. Same with Facebook.

2) There's the Apple way, where they do give government cooperation, comply with all laws and are not blocked. However there's no special versions of their products just for China. OS X, iOS, iCloud in the PRC are exactly the same as anywhere else.

3) There's the Microsoft way, where they do give government cooperation, comply with all laws and are not blocked. However they make special PRC versions of their software products, that have government censoring and backdoors built in, e.g. Skype. Plus they go out of their way to make it very difficult to use the normal international versions of their products in China, like Windows and Office.


Bet Microsoft would love to do business in North Korea and give Kim Jong-un their blessing and cooperation, that's if it wasn't for trade embargoes and sanctions prohibiting the export of tech products to the DPRK.

 

[MacLinDroid]

Chinese government is working hard at furtherring Ubuntu Linux, we hear. Even though Ubuntu comes from South Africa's Mark Shuttleworth, other distro's seem more popular here. Ubunto can be translated as "I am because we are." It is a term fondly used wherever selfless community building is happening.

We have another locally developed distro to watch, Makulu Linux, and I wish them success in their endeavour. Makulu means "huge" and so is the distro, being very user friendly.