SubscribeAlright. I’ve finally decided to break down the pros and cons of Macs, PCs, Linux, Windows, etc. First off, I’d like to say that none of these platforms are apples to apples. Each one has advantages and disadvantages. There are also some interesting dynamics to some of the rivalries that some people just don’t think about. Every side in this debate has its elitist fanatics, which is fine by me. I like to play neutral. Each platform has its benefits and drawbacks. Finding the right combination of benefits and drawbacks is what will ultimately satisfy end users.
Macs
Macs are great stable products. For those of you that say they never freeze… you’re full of it. They do freeze, just like any other computer. They are probably LESS likely to freeze than something like Linux running on a top-of-the-line laptop, but fundamentally, you can expect the to freeze up periodically like ANY electronic device.
Macs run so well because the hardware and software are developed by the same company. This lends itself to a great end user experience, but winds up much like AOL (don’t get me started). Users are confined to the user experience outlined by apple, unless the occasional developer comes along and expands the experience (go Adobe!).
Unfortunately software is less prevalent on Macs for a few reasons: the first being the cost of the developers kit. Developing on the native Mac platform costs developers money, which doesn’t foster the kind of interest you see in other communities, such as the Linux community. The secondary reason software is less prevalent on Macs is simply a function of market share. Many developers just don’t see the right ROI from the Apple platform.
The function of market share that stifles development on the Mac platform also makes it less lucrative for hackers and other malicious deviants to develop harmful software targeted at Mac users. This helps increase stability on the platform, allowing for a better user experience. Trust me. If Apple had as much of a market share as Microsoft, they would have just as many problems with malicious software.
Overall, Macs are a great hardware / software combination, not unlike a cell phone or game console. Due to the lack of software available on the platform, they aren’t great for large business environments or niche users, especially in the accounting and legal fields.
PCs
As far as I’m concerned, a PC is just hardware. It’s a collection of standards that collectively make a “PC.” Windows, Linux, and yes Mac OS X (albeit glitchy) can all run on these systems. The debate between Macs and PCs is somewhat superficial in that it’s not apples to apples. It’s apples to potatoes. They’re not even in the same food group. Macs are essentially made up of the same standards based hardware that PCs are, but the scope of the hardware is much narrower and tested much more thoroughly to work with Apple operating systems.
Because the PC is an open platform, development is much more prevalent. Operating systems optimized for the open PC environment are much more flexible and consumers have more choice over where they would like to purchase their hardware. As a consumer, I can chose to buy hardware from Dell, HP, Gateway, or build a machine myself. If I want a Mac, I get one made by Apple. Sure, I can buy it from a reseller, but Apple made and distributed it.
Windows
Windows is a great operating system – despite what some may say. Windows XP is a great, stable operating system. Windows Vista, although it had a rough start, is coming along nicely. I like some of the new features in Vista, such as live switching to Administrator, the new performance monitor, and their integrated indexing / search. Now that driver support has gotten much better, Vista has my stamp of approval for home users. I almost trust it enough for businesses, but not just yet. As a general rule, I don’t recommend something for business until 18 to 24 months out.
Now this is where people tend to over generalize. Microsoft doesn’t compete directly with Apple – in that they don’t create hardware for Windows. I think that is an anti-trust thing, but I’m not sure. Microsoft actually benefits from some of the recent changes with OS X Leopard. When people run Boot Camp, they must purchase a copy of Windows to run on it. Microsoft still collects those revenues. I’d love to try out a an Apple running OS X Leopard with Boot Camp and Windows Vista, but alas I’m still too poor.
Linux
Oh Linux. This is probably the operating system with the most elitists (look in the comments), the most distributions, and the most bugs. It’s still not quite user friendly enough for home use, although Ubuntu comes close. Driver support sucks too. How is it that Linux thrives so well then? It’s free. It’s open. When configured correctly, it’s the most stable operating system for ultra specific applications.
To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of Linux, because when ever I try to do something it’s like pulling teeth. I usually try to do the “learn by immersion” thing every once in a while, but end up switching back to Windows because something just becomes impossible. That being said, I understand that it has some huge benefits. I use it for my web servers. It makes a great platform for Oracle and MySQL. It’s also great for creating specific machines that complete unique tasks on an on-going basis. I have one customer that has a machine that just checks an email box periodically and prints out what ever it receives (don’t even get me started on the paper waste thing).
Conclusion
Basically I think comparing all of the aforementioned is like comparing apples, potatoes, steak, and air. They’re all food, but after that, they all have benefits and drawbacks, but fundamentally they’re completely different. Please shoot holes this theory. Why is one better than the other?
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Oli
/ March 1, 2008Linux isn’t the most accessible (yet) but it’s doing a damned sight more in terms of pushing the desktop envelope than any other system at the moment.
I don’t want to come across as elitist but saying “Driver support sucks” just isn’t true. Please try using Windows Update to update your hardware drivers. 50% of the time, you lose stability – I’ve even seen systems completely fall apart from WU mismatching drivers to hardware.
Compare this to Linux where drivers (where available) are pretty damned good. Updates are supported through package managers and updates are always (99.9% of the time) beneficial. The “where available” part is what I concede. Some hardware vendors (who’s responsibility is to make the drivers!) either refuse to spend any time making an open driver and/or refuse to release hardware specifications so the community can make their own drivers. Slowly but surely, though, vendors are coming around to the idea of community-driven driver development and as such, hardware support in Linux is skyrocketing.
The other side of this is Windows only supports a tiny amount of hardware “out the box” some devices work better than others and in some cases things degrade gracefully enough for you to get by until you can locate the driver you need (on some crappy, spyware-ridden website). Linux’s default support for printers (just one example) is superb. I can plug any HP printer in here and it “just works” – something that wouldn’t work for anything but ancient printers under Windows.
I also don’t understand how you can give Vista a stamp of approval. I was a Vista user for a long time (8 months) so I feel I’m qualified to comment here. Yes, it’s pretty and yes, it has good power tools for advanced users but oh my god, at such a cost. First there’s the software cost which is almighty (even after the recent cut) and then you need a PC at least 50% faster (than your old XP one) to achieve the same sort of daily performance. It doesn’t bring nearly enough improvements for home users and encompasses too much added pain and confusion. Leave your users on XP until there’s something genuinely better and good value for money.
The biggest issues between Linux vs Windows vs OSX is the speed of improvement and the release cycles. Windows won’t release another major version this decade. OSX might get one out. Before the end of 2009, Ubuntu will have 4 more releases and the scale of improvement in each 6 month cycle is larger than Microsoft achieves in 5 years.
I also mentioned package managers before. Apple and MS don’t have anything that touches upon the simplicity and usefulness of a proper software repository. Easily accessed software with automatic updates for everything… That also makes things more secure as Windows users wouldn’t get auto-updates for 3rd party services (eg Apache or even web-apps like WinAMP that gets hacked open about 4 times a year)
Legacy software support is also increasing through Wine. Games and apps that used to be Windows-only are now “ported” quite gracefully to the Linux desktop, without too much pain. Wine is improving at similar speeds to the rest of Linux too.
So all in all, by the next release of Windows, I feel Linux will be able to wipe the floor with it:
– easier to use (from installing to daily-use)
– cheaper
– better support when things go wrong
– 99% of hardware will “just work”
– lower hardware requirements
– more secure in design and through remaining constantly updated
I hope you don’t see this post and thing “Oh there’s another Linux nutter”. I’m an evangelist and I’m one of the people trying to improve the platform, but I am trying to be as non-biased as I can here by giving solid reasons that do effect home users.
Please feel free to ping me an email in reply as I can’t guarantee I’ll remember to check back here.
Coincidentally, some of this stuff was taken from my post on <a href=”http://www.thepcspy.com/read/7_things_windows_7_has_to_do_to_win_me_back”7 things Windows 7 has to do to win me back.
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Don Althaus
/ March 1, 2008Well, I’ll be the first elitist to post a comment- I am a Linux user at home and a Windows user at work- I have to say that Windows XP is not as stable as you imply. We have workstation glitches almost daily somewhere in the system. Generally, rebooting takes care of the problems- but why should we have to? Sometimes we have to re-image the computer- but again, why should we have to? The same applies to our Windows servers- they need to be rebooted periodically. The Linux servers we run just keep working- they are running Debian and Gentoo. At home, I had all kinds of problems when I was running XP. I have never had a problem with my PCLinuxOS based machine and I have been using it for about two years now. I can always find a way to do what I have to do- not that I really have to look- everything is right there. And if it’s not right there, I can use Synaptic, go to the repository find the software I need and install it. Granted, there is no perfect operating system, but, in my experience, Linux and PCLinuxOS is the only way to go. Oh yeah, my web development server (XAMPP) also runs on PCLinuxOS and guess what? No problems there either. All of the config files are plain text and if I ever have to change a setting, it’s just really straight forward… anyway, I could go on, but I won’t. Yeah, I will for one more little item- my web hosting service runs Linux based and it has been down a total of 32 minutes in the last 2 years.
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Nick
/ March 1, 2008Using an OS should not be a like choosing a religion. One should use the OS that better fits his purposes. Who am I to expect someone else to change OS because “mine is better than yours”? For this reason (as you correctly say), different OS provide different functionality, which is a good thing.
As for me, I like full control and customization of my PC. For this reason Linux is perfect. OSX is too Apple oriented (in the sense that I have to accept whatever Apple decides the PC should do and how it should behave). Windows is just not powerful enough, too slow, and it misses completely the all Unix infrastructure. Also I can’t imagine myself spending money on a OS.
But again, that is just me. I used Windows, Macs for years. If one is happy with whatever he uses, why should he change? Eventually computer users should try different products before “buying” one, but if they decide to buy something because the majority of people do or because your geek friend told you so, or because the fruit in the enclosing is sooo sexy, well, that’s OK. Lots’ of people buy PC because “they look nice” (not just Apples, but Sony Vaios too). OS are becoming commodities, so more and more people are driven by irrational choices in picking the OS. For this reason, comparing them rationally sometimes is only worthed as much.
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James Thompson
/ March 1, 2008First off, I want to thank everyone for their comments.
I’d like to expound on my post and say that I agree that Linux is doing some great things, but end users – and I’m talking about end users that aren’t computer gurus, have trouble using it on a daily basis. I’m not saying that it won’t be. It’s just not quite there yet.
I think the open source arena has produced some really great products. I think Firefox and OpenOffice.org have been great suites. I actually recommend Firefox under almost all circumstances, and depending on what my end users need I recommend OpenOffice.org quite often.
I agree with Nick about using it as a server platform. My web servers are Red Hat servers, and I have actually never had any down time in the last 18 months. The only reason to use windows as a platform for web servers is if they have multiple purposes (and the other purposes are windows only) or if the websites on the server require ASP or SharePoint.
Overall, I like all of the current options for operating systems, but I think each one has its own strengths. Mostly I don’t think the Mac / PC debate makes sense. The Windows / Linux debate is much more reasonable, because the hardware can be the same and then it’s just a battle of the software.
Ultimately the Linux platform fits PC “style” better in that, as I said before, PCs are just a collection of standards based hardware. Linux is just a collection of open, standards based software. Windows is a proprietary bundle of software that might perform better if Microsoft followed the Apple business model.
I had hoped to hear from more from the Apple camp.
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Scott Jordan
/ March 1, 2008You note, “end users – and I’m talking about end users that aren’t computer gurus, have trouble using [Linux] on a daily basis”
That’s so last year. Now there are about a million Eee users and several hundred thousand gPC users, for example, or the third-world kids benefiting from the One Laptop Per Child initiative. Linux’ reputation as being not-quite-ready-for-primetime lingers, but it’s seriously obsolete for the best of today’s distros. Take a look at PCLinuxOS, for example. I switch between it and XP all day, and it’s the smoother, more responsive and more satisfying of the two, and certainly the more secure and stable. Meanwhile I know of a sixty-something guy in a wheelchair who bought his very first computer about six months ago, a gPC at Wal-Mart, and it’s his main event every day now. Usability? Linux has it in spades, today, for users at all skill levels.
Even two years ago I would have agreed with you, having deployed Linux where it seemed appropriate (e.g., servers) since 1997. For desktop? Yecch, wasn’t ready. Now it is, and there’s this whole new class of super-cheap PCs that it enables that none of us foresaw.
I use XP when I must, and recommend Linux (especially PCLinuxOS) as an upgrade for existing hardware. For new hardware, Mac’s the way to go for most purchasers at conventional price-points and product classes. Well-priced, powerful, well-supported, beautifully constructed, scary-good design, solid performance. But I’m here to tell you that desktop Linux is farther along than you think it is, and the tide of ultra-cheap PCs and UMPC mini-laptops is a game-changer. Just watch.
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James Thompson
/ March 2, 2008Scott – I haven’t used PCLinuxOS yet. I’m more familiar with Fedora Core, RHEL, and Ubuntu. As the result of your post as well as some recent emails etc, I’m going to download and try it out. I’d love nothing more than to be able to confidently recommend Linux. I’ll do a post in a couple weeks after I’ve run it through its paces.
You also make a great point about the OLPC initiative and gPCs at Wal-Mart. Thanks for the feedback.
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Joe Gulizia
/ March 2, 2008I too am a Linux convert. I started with a Commodore Amiga for my video business when Windows wasn’t even close. I’ve used Windows, Macs and Linux over the course of the last 15-20 years. I’ve used mac (pre-OSX) for seven years at work before switching to a PC with Windows XP…then last year I added Kubuntu to my work desktop. I have used SUSE then Kubuntu for the last four years at home after switching from Windows 98SE. Even before switching to Linux I used StarOffice/Open Office, AVG and other freeware and finally FOSS. For those of us in life with other monetary priorities…linux can’t be beat. My family has for the most part easily made the switch from Win98 to linux. My son has used linux at home and Windows at jr high and high school with no problems. He is now using Linux, Windows Vista and Macintosh systems in college. He still prefers Open Office and Kubuntu. I use Windows when needed at work (video editing on Windows XP with a $99 program). Our new Video Editor can’t figure out how to get simple videos made on our $5K Mac editing suite using Final Cut Studio 2.
I’ll continue to advocate for FOSS and Linux due to the fact that I also have to troubleshoot end users that always get spyware and complain about their machines being slow. If the boss would let me…he could save a ton of money and have a lot less complaints.
By the way we’ve had to improve Windows Vista by upgrading to Windows XP on at least one machine…although some new ones have that inferior, buggy version on them.
Joe Gulizia
FOSS Advocate
Manager, Creative and Technical Services
SCOLA
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Joe Gulizia
/ March 2, 2008I’ll add that I bought a new machine last November and I haven’t taken Vista Home Premium off of it. My wife and daughter sometimes use it. Both always complain about all the garbage on it….sidebar, pop-ups to allow anything, etc.
I still use the now six year old machine with Kubuntu…over the newer machine with Vista. My son uses a laptop with Vista because that’s what he needs to use for school (and it’s what he can get support for). He had a class learning Office 2007 last semester. He was glad to get back to using Open Office. He has to use Photoshop this semester for his digital imaging class. They have it on Macs. I’m trying to get the school district that technically owns the machine to put Photoshop on his machine, but for now I put GIMPshop on his laptop for him.
It comes down to what you need to do, what you can spend AND what matters most to you.
BTW: SCOLA’s the full-time gig…haven’t had the personal video businees for a long time….SCOLA still has a used $125 Amiga in use as a video titler bought 13 years ago.
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Chris Lees
/ March 2, 2008It’s all about what you’re used to. I’ve never really used Windows nor Mac OS X, and I find these operating systems difficult to get around and, yes, like pulling teeth, whenever somebody asks me to help them with a computer problem.
In fact, it’s so embarrasing for me whenever I try to solve a Windows-related problem and I struggle, that I flat-out refuse to work on Windows computers. I consider myself lucky that I haven’t broken Windows yet, and of course when you break Windows you have to reinstall it! The old joke says “If you break Linux, you get to keep both parts”, but realistically you can always fix Linux if you break it.
I don’t know if I’ve been superlucky or anything, but I’ve had great hardware compatibility from Linux over the years. I did encounter one wireless card that simply wouldn’t work, but that’s it.
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James Thompson
/ January 28, 2009I recently started using all mac about two months ago – strikingly similar to Linux / Unix on the back end.
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Nicholas Chase
/ January 28, 2009Hi,
I’m using PC’s, but was originally a Mac user in the 80’s. The web guru’s seem to be on Mac’s with iphone’s to blog and check their campaign’s from anywhere they may be.
I may swap over to the Mac if I can make any money at this PPC /SEO game.
Nice website design by the way, I have hosting but no design skills.
Respectfully,
Nicholas Chase
www/twitter.com/nachase
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James Thompson Reply:
at 2:56 pm
January 28th, 2009
I can always help. Ask a question here and I can respond via blog / email. I’d like to think I have a good design sense.
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vpsgeek
/ March 3, 2010Linux ftw ! lol
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James Thompson Reply:
at 12:28 am
March 3rd, 2010
I like Linux, but admittedly I’m 45% PC, 45% Mac, and 10% Linux :-/
I only have one Linux computer in my house…
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