OS wars (rant)

Warning : RANT

What the hell is up with all these advocates for one OS or another? i'm getting sick of the whole "My OS can do things your Os can't.." BS. In my opinion, any OS can do whatever any other OS can do. The only limitation is the hardware. Windows can be just as secure as Linux, and Linux can be just as user-friendly and compatible as Windows. People are just getting so lazy and ignorant that they judge these OSes as they are out of the box. There are tons of programs out there that add more functionality to whatever OS you're using, and if you can't find what you need, you can always write your own.

Bascially an OS should suit you as a person and your needs.

A home user say your granny is suitable to a user friendly OS she can use- hence Windows ME.

Your a programmer, probably a C/C++ coder - hell give the man a Linux distro

Appy this to FreeBSD etc. and you see what I mean, I hope. ;)

That's not entirely true, some OS can't do everything and it's not only the hardware.
Besides Linux is safe, not secure. If you wanna talk secure then it's BSD, but then again OpenBSD doesn't do Java AND Linux can't be user friendly as Windows can because not everyone liks/knows how to handle UNIX. I can't imagine seeing anybody wanting to learn how to work with Bash.
And this ranting can go on an on for hours.

Just because it hasn't been done yet, doesn't mean it can't be done.

i agree with you delstar,

there are different os's because people have different needs and every one is free to choose what the like. I mean everyone dosn't want to thnk like a tech-head, if they did i'd be out of a job.

oh yes Windows 2000 bloatware can certainly perform the tasks of chorus os uh huh yep yep

exactly...that's what we techies are here for. to help people figure out how to get done what they need to get done with what they have. as far as things like having java capabilities and the such, that's not quite what i'm talking about here. i'm talking about end product. linux can have a gui interface just like windows (remember the transition from dos to windows?). windows can be as safe as linux. you just have to figure out how to do it. same with all the bad things. linux is just as ridden with buffer overflows and the such as windows is.

i totally agree with delstar....OS's are only as good as the person running it also. linux could suck if the person does not know about security...and 2k might be the best machine on the net if the person knows what they are doing.

I think it really boils down to how much you really know and the effort you put into it. Because i think you can lock down a windows box just as tight as a unix box. It may take time and effort but it can be done.If your willing to take the time to do it anything can be done.

Delstar...what OS(s) are you running and why?

right now i'm using Windows 2000 Advanced Server....my boss is shipping me another Linux box sometime soon....I use Windows 2000 because it takes the least effort to get things done, and it does them well....i use linux because i like handling networks on a low-level basis as well as it's a good programming platform.

Windows owns you all....the sooner you accept this, the better life will become. You might even get some nookie. :P

And do you not prefer one over the other? I use Windows 2000 Professional, and I must admit, I think it is actually quite sufficient for what I need to do (which isn't asking much), I also have two distros: RedHat and Slackware, I run RedHat right now though...but the damned laptop fell or something and now I'm getting nothing :( ...Gotta get another one.

Yet after re-reading your first post about three times, I fail to understand what you are trying to accomplish. Who's side are you on? Linux, UNIX, BSD, Windows? I hear no mention of Apple computers in this discussion...does this mean they are thought less often then the rest, and should be shunned for their incapabilities? I honestly think your acting like a 10 year old...fighting with a friend on which genere of music is 'better', while in the end, you peacefully agree that all have it's pro's and con's. Heavy Metal is awesome when your mad...and Blues are just as good when your with a lover. Same with Operating Systems. Windows userfriendliness + Linux safty = Linux Distro with WinE :P (no, bad PC joke...but still). You get where I'm going with this?

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Originally posted here by delstar
right now i'm using Windows 2000 Advanced Server....my boss is shipping me another Linux box sometime soon....I use Windows 2000 because it takes the least effort to get things done, and it does them well....i use linux because i like handling networks on a low-level basis as well as it's a good programming platform.

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How, exactly, do "handle networks"? If it's too personal a question I'll understand...... :D

umm...i thought the point of my post is that i'm not on any side, and i don't see why everyone is arguing about it

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umm...i thought the point of my post is that i'm not on any side, and i don't see why everyone is arguing about it

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Yes, you are neutral then. But according to your thoughts, all OS's can do the same thing, just handled differently, and the obvious fact of hardware - correct? Then why is it that there is more than one OS, why so many? Shouldn't somebody 'smart' (and no...not BillG.), step up and create a 'combined' OS grasping aspects from every OS's pro's. And leaving the con's to deal with later. While at the same time making a new line of 'All-Purpose' hardware, or simply using today's hardware.

And furthermore, friend. This isn't an argument...well it is. But I'd prefer to say discussion...I belive no Negative Antipoints were givin out to anybody who posted here...this proves all is well. And no grudges are being held. State your idea...stick with it 'till the end. Where you either convert, ...or win. :)

bottom line here is that we all use what works for us....and while "windows might own us all" we still use it for funtionality. delstar is right no point in aguing...everyone has good exprences and bad...and we will make our option based on that. some think windows suck...some thing linux is for people with no life and like to program. i say it again we use what works for us.

Good point Shadowmaker. But if one OS had the same if not more capabilities as another OS you are using, wouldn't you switch over? Obviously you'd need to get familiar with the GUI...but you still had to with Windows didn't you? All I'm saying is that, there are better OS's for different fuctions. I'd never trust an IIS5.0 at the top of my website today...Apache or nothing. Thats just me.

alright. i'll agree that some OSes are better for certain things. But i use my computer(s) for several things, like graphic design, digital music production, learning, networking, programming, etc., so i try to keep my OS as versatile as possible. You have some good points, WebCarnage, I'll give you that.

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alright. i'll agree that some OSes are better for certain things. But i use my computer(s) for several things, like graphic design, digital music production, learning, networking, programming, etc., so i try to keep my OS as versatile as possible. You have some good points, WebCarnage, I'll give you that.

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Yes, I agree with you here. Having multiple computers of the same OS (yet fitted to behaive differently from the rest) run at once, preferably networked, is the best thing to do. Not to mention, if you can get different OS's installed on each. Now...ideally you'd need one PC for each Operating System, and then subsections of computers containing each different GUI. But many of us can't afford, or much less bother with all of that. Yet people like you and me are taking advantage... learning from both sides of the river.

now webcarage is talking! i currently run 5 machines. on a network. the server is freebsd (with a kernal my friend wrote). i got one as a constant downloader (music or whatever hehe) one is mine (for everything that i do, surf, photoshop). one is my roommates (he helps run my business) , another in the living room (jukebox with winamp and a tv out card to watch the avs or other presets on the tv while jammin) and the final is my ripper (for dvd rips and cdr for burning svcd's and such and basically our file server). the total os are as follows: freebsd, mandrake (ya red hat is better but he likes mandrake (running gnome)) win 2k adv server win 2k and win 98SE (the jukebox...what else is 9.x good for hhaha)

but then again i upgrade computers for a living and get parts all the time so i just buy some ram and a few other cheap things and the systems are up and done (cheap...normally under $100)

alright...now i want to hear responses from other members...preferably newbies

lol...Getting sick of us already delstar? :p

Good idea's though. :) I applaude you.

I imagine I'll probably get mass flamed and suffer heaps of negative APs, but here goes:

I prefer to use windows OS's because of the ease of use. This is the OS I learned on (well, actually I had a C64 way back...but that's another thread.), and it's the one I feel the most comfortable with. Now, this is not to say that I feel windows is a superior product to UNIX or any Linux distro. In fact, I share the same distrust of M$ that most of you do. Even though I prefer windows, I have installed several different Linux distros just for the learning experience (I currently have a distro of RH running on an old P150), and I have nothing bad to say about Linux...but until I feel 100% confident that I know what's going on inside my Linux box I won't put it online as my primary computer. I think it's an irrelevant arguement to say one OS is better than the other...it's a preference for the user.

Let the flames begin! :eek:

good response, t1t3sonet. use whatever you feel you're most comfortable with and whatever suits your needs. While i think Windows can be a great OS, I don't advocate MS as a corporation. Personally, i'm glad that they are being forced to release their code to the states.

Linux is just as capable as Windows is when it comes to crashing. At least, the copy of Mandrake Linux I downloaded is. Either that or it's my crash-talent at work.

:) At least Windows has drivers for my USB DSL Modem and Sound Card. (Yes, I know it's a partial manufacturer issue...)

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In my opinion, any OS can do whatever any other OS can do. The only limitation is the hardware. Windows can be just as secure as Linux, and Linux can be just as user-friendly and compatible as Windows.

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Windows can be just as secure as a linux I don't think so, You might wanna do a little research before posting such a statement.

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Originially Posted By: Terr
Linux is just as capable as Windows is when it comes to crashing. At least, the copy of Mandrake Linux I downloaded is. Either that or it's my crash-talent at work.

At least Windows has drivers for my USB DSL Modem and Sound Card. (Yes, I know it's a partial manufacturer issue...)

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I did something the other day that I never knew was possible...I crashed my TI calculator...

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Originally posted here by I am a cracker


Windows can be just as secure as a linux I don't think so, You might wanna do a little research before posting such a statement.

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Neither is secure out of the box...that is what the admin is for. I wouldn't trust any OS with a default install (except openbsd).

Contrary to popular belief, linux is NOT secure out of the box!!!

Oh yeah...as far as my preference ( i use them all) but I would have to go with freebsd. There is something to be said about simplicity. The funny thing is that it takes a complex wealth of knowledge to understand the simplicity of *nix. Oxymoron??

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Originally posted here by [WebCarnage]
I did something the other day that I never knew was possible...I crashed my TI calculator...

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Good job. Now, Grasshopper, you must graduate to the cellphone. Then the walkie-talkie. And eventually, you shall master the art of Crashing the Party, Hanging the clothes, Debugging the flourescent zapper, and Corrupting the Politicians. Do not fail in these tremendously difficult tasks!

P.S. Booyeah! I just noticed JP seems to have updated the quote code so that a link to the original post exists!

Who ever gave me the Negative Antipoints with the reason of "Stupid M$ **********" and didn't sign their name, your a coward and a pussy,
you know who you are. If you got something to say be man enough to put your name to it. Otherwise keep that tail tucked between your legs bitch.

quad ; i got the same thing

I normally use Windows, just because it's the most common OS and I help a lot of people w/ their computers, so it's good to have a lot of personal experience with the same OS as them. I'm currently running XP Pro on this computer, and 2k pro on my other one (networked of course). I have a couple distribs of Linux, but neither installed ATM. I will prolley get a distrib of BSD just to try it out later.

I have no personal favorite, because in my opinion it depends on what you're doing as to what OS is best.

stick with unix and u will be ok :)