The three main options are Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac, and Linux. In this article I briefly summarize the advantages and disadvantages of each. We started with MS Windows.
Advantages of Microsoft Windows
A wide range of software is available for Windows machines, including, of course, MS Office. High-performance modern games run fine on MS Windows. This is somewhat ironic given Microsoft’s image of a business-oriented software house. Microsoft Windows is used in many systems, so there are no problems getting advice and support, and also peripherals (printers, mice, etc.) to work with it. It is likely that you have already used or are expected to use an MS Windows machine at work, as they are ubiquitous in the business sector. Therefore, being familiar with Windows can be helpful in terms of your career.
Disadvantages of microsoft windows
Windows can be expensive, especially for the Professional and Ultimate editions. Windows has a bad (but constantly improving) reputation for security. Therefore, a comprehensive virus checker and internet security program is an absolute must for all Windows boxes.
Apple Mac OS X Advantages
The main advantage of Apple Mac OS X is its beautiful easy to use user interface. Apple has a well-deserved reputation for making well-designed products, and this is reflected in OS X. Apple’s most prominent application area is computer graphics and multimedia applications (video editing, etc.). While Macs have a good reputation when it comes to security, it is still recommended that you use some form of antivirus and Internet security program. The reason for this is twofold: Firstly, it’s only a matter of time before a really nasty Mac or UNIX virus appears, and without a good antivirus infrastructure, the Mac community will be very vulnerable. Second, even if your Mac isn’t adversely affected by an infected email, it would be embarrassing to pass the problem off to your Windows link partners. There’s a more limited range of peripherals available for Macs than there are for MS Windows machines, but it’s still a wide enough choice for most users. In terms of applications, a reasonable amount of software is available, including MS Office for Mac.
Apple Mac OS XDisadvantage
For all practical purposes, Max OS X only works with Apple hardware (I’m not talking about peripherals here, just the core system). Regardless, this limitation isn’t too bad as Mac hardware is pretty good and probably contributes to the reliability of Apple’s offerings. Cost, for the performance of a given machine Apples are cost competitive with brand name Windows machines, however Apple does not produce a netbook level machine which tends to be cheap.
Advantages of Linux
The first advantage is its cost, it’s free for many distros, although commercial uses usually get support packages which, of course, have to be paid for. Second, Linux is considered to be very reliable, it is open source, so many people test and review its source code. Third, performance, Linux performs strongly in virtually all benchmarks. Lastly, security, Linux has a good reputation for security, but, as with Macs, most users are advised to invest in an antivirus.
There is a wide range of high quality free open source software available for Linux. There is also a reasonable range of proprietary software available, with an emphasis on scientific and engineering packages. Also, with the help of the wine package, it is possible to make many MS Windows applications work on certain Linux machines (capable of running Windows).
Disadvantages of Linux
The two most common Linux GUIs, Gnome and KDE, still aren’t as polished as Windows 7 or Apple’s latest offerings. Users are typically business or IT professionals, engineers or scientists, and students.
Summary
If you are a businessman who plays games, buy Windows. If you are an artist, buy a Mac and if you are an engineer, download Linux.
