Age old question, I'd like to see you people's opinions. For me, it's a tie between Windows and Mac, as both operating systems have their ups and downs... The gaming on Windows for example and the ease of professional work (i.e video editing) etc on the Mac. Linux I've never used so I can't really give my opinion.
I'm using LINUX myself. I recently installed a puppy linux which is a lightweight operating system and faster than ever. I usually use Bodhi Linux but I tried this puppy just so I can see if its really that fast. and indeed it is. I haven't tried MAC yet as I don't have the system and its proprietary.
Windows. Microsoft has done an excellent job over the years with its Windows product and I will always select it over something else. Although Windows Vista has its faults, XP has been the best operating system around. Mac I really don't care for and I've only used Linux during computer engineering class during my high school days.
Etc's screenshot looks great however one reason I won't go with open source is most programs aren't supported. For a person that plays a lot of games on pc, this will be quite a disaster. . I have never had a mac, the same specs on a Windows pc were always much cheaper. All in all I am pretty happy with Windows so don't think i'll be switching any time soon
For a gamer windows is the only real way to go, as there is no point in emulating windows in linux. Linux is a very stable and powerful operating system but they have never fully cracked getting easy customization and easy installs of programs onto the machines. From a security standpoint Linux is your best way to go, from a usability it is Windows. Mac is the middle ground, it is a linux based system with elements of windows. It is overpriced, and for a normal computer user, it is a silly compromise to make for a big shiny label.
Linux reminds me of the old Dos-box era. It isn't as user-friendly as I'd like it to be. If you are a technology wizard then I'd see how you'd enjoy it, but the rest of us prefer Mac and Windows. I myself am a windows user. I wouldn't say that Mac is all that much better than Windows 7, which is perfect for me.
I'm going for Linux since it also has many perks. The best one is having to get root access from the terminal and not directly. This will help you keep your files away from those nasty viruses. I also love their interface. Kinda like Mac since they're both practically under the same platform. Mac is Solaris which is also like Linux. I'm using Ubuntu, and it's totally getting user-friendly nowadays not unlike back before when you have to code everything from installing a software to getting root access so you have to give it a try. It also comes with the Software Center where you can get lots of free apps.
I was a windows user for many years. I switched to MAC about 5 years ago, and I will never go back. I have been virus free for 5 years and I just love it that way.
I prefer using Windows, because more games are available for Windows as compared to MAC and Linux, and being an avid gamer, I prefer if all my desired games run on the operating system that I use. For example, I intend to play Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, and and upon checking it's minimum system requirements, it can only run on Windows OS. So I definitely would choose Windows over Mac or Linux anytime.
I prefer to use Windows. I use a lot of bots for my work that only run on a Windows machine. Microsoft has done an excellent job of providing a framework that allows people to develop almost all kinds of applications, something that Mac is still lacking. I do not have anything against Mac or Linux but I get more work done on a Windows machine then a Mac or Linux one.
I have never tried Linux or Mac. I was introduced to windows the very first time I used a computer and I never looked at anything else. I'm extremely satisfied with windows and I don't plan to shift to another operating system.
