Topic: What's your beef, dude?

[Andy @ Allerton!]

We've heard the arguments and moaning. But what cuts the mustard? Which is the one for you?

A poll on your favourite Operating System!! YAY!!

[cloggypop]

Needs the option of more than one vote. I use a few depending on what I am doing.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Needs the option of more than one vote. I use a few depending on what I am doing.

What's your favourite one?

[Titi Camara]

No option for ribeye? And where's the brisket?

[cloggypop]

What's your favourite one?

Depends what I'm doing.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

No option for ribeye? And where's the brisket?

'other'

[CraigDS]

Used Macs for about 15 or 16 years, whenever I use a Windows PC I wonder why people still bother.

[cloggypop]

Used Macs for about 15 or 16 years, whenever I use a Windows PC I wonder why people still bother.

A Mac isn't much use if you want to play Fallout 4 though.

[Titi Camara]

Used Macs for about 15 or 16 years, whenever I use a Windows PC I wonder why people still bother.

Bother with what? To use a windows based PC?

Price, performance and continuity I would expect.

[tubby]

Used Windows my entire computing life because it's always been pre-loaded with a PC or it's what my employer has used.  Messed around with Linux a few times but never used it consistently.

[Les Willis]

I chose Linux, because I quite like the adaptability - particularly with Android apps and also, I'm in unix by trade. But realistically, Microsoft cornered the market years ago, so if I'm honest, my laptops or pcs always have windows on as it's simply easier for the family to use. If I was on my own, I'd possibly install Linux on my laptop and use that.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

I chose Linux, because I quite like the adaptability - particularly with Android apps and also, I'm in unix by trade. But realistically, Microsoft cornered the market years ago, so if I'm honest, my laptops or pcs always have windows on as it's simply easier for the family to use. If I was on my own, I'd possibly install Linux on my laptop and use that.

I've had to use Linux on and off and found a great Ubuntu loaded PC with 6GB RAM and a 1TB drive for £300 - missus bought me it for my birthday

I also code on a Windows XP PC running Cygwin (Which is ace!)

[CraigDS]

A Mac isn't much use if you want to play Fallout 4 though.

Bother with what? To use a windows based PC?

Price, performance and continuity I would expect.

Maybe I was being a little dramatic with what I said 

What I more mean is, for me, I don't see why I'd ever bother going back to a Windows PC. In the 15 odd years since I've personally had a Windows machine as my main computer (I've had the odd Windows laptop I occasionally use), I've yet to see anything (bad on OSX, or pro on Windows) which would persuade me to do so.

[Millie]

Been using Apple - both iMac and MacBooks for the past 12 years or so now.

[Walshy nMe®]

Obviously apple.

Because you can't just use bootcamp to run windows and have both systems. 

[Kashinoda]

The video and image editing stuff on Windows is so much better now where there used to be a massive gap, I can't see why I would ever goto Apple really.

Then you have games, difficult upgrades, paying premium for hardware. Just not for me.

[CHOPPER]

6 Stella and a large jack Daniels in the morning. 

How anyone can operate on any other system is beyond me.

[Kashinoda]

Obviously apple.

Because you can't just use bootcamp to run windows and have both systems. 

What a cop out, you need to pick your best operating system not hardware

[Kashinoda]

6 Stella and a large jack Daniels in the morning. 

How anyone can operate on any other system is beyond me.

Chopper's still using an Amiga, this much is obvious.

[Packalacky]

Really depends on what the computer is being used for. My favourite for each category are:

Desktop: Windows 10
2 new laptops: Windows 10
Old laptop: Linux (Arch Linux)
Home server: Linux (Unraid)
Media player (Pi 2): Linux (Kodi)
Mobile phone: Linux (Android)

[Ken-Obi]

Used all three.

Windows for the huge overall support for applications and games. Chances are almost everything you want with a PC has a Windows version.

Mac for doing what Windows can do, better but no games.

Linux for the sheer extensibility and customisability as well as doing what Windows can, better, at a fraction of the cost. And yet no games. Using it at work as a 'cost cutting' guinea pig made me think about the Windows Servers used to power or server infrastructure - "So much flash and steps to do one simple thing" at many times the price.

[Buck Pete]

Really depends on what the computer is being used for. My favourite for each category are:

Desktop: Windows 10
2 new laptops: Windows 10
Old laptop: Linux (Arch Linux)
Home server: Linux (Unraid)
Media player (Pi 2): Linux (Kodi)
Mobile phone: Linux (Android)

Really wish you would change your avatar!!

I am endlessly swatting my screen because of it

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Used all three.

Windows for the huge overall support for applications and games. Chances are almost everything you want with a PC has a Windows version.

Mac for doing what Windows can do, better but no games.

Linux for the sheer extensibility and customisability as well as doing what Windows can, better, at a fraction of the cost. And yet no games. Using it at work as a 'cost cutting' guinea pig made me think about the Windows Servers used to power or server infrastructure - "So much flash and steps to do one simple thing" at many times the price.

Loads of games you can get for Linux nowdays, plus it has Steam (And the number of conversions are increasing every week) PLUS IF you bought it on Windows then you can run the Linux version as it's included.

[Kashinoda]

Loads of games you can get for Linux nowdays, plus it has Steam (And the number of conversions are increasing every week) PLUS IF you bought it on Windows then you can run the Linux version as it's included.

Let's not pass Linux off as a viable gaming platform.

[John C]

6 Stella and a large jack Daniels in the morning. 

How anyone can operate on any other system is beyond me.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Let's not pass Linux off as a viable gaming platform.

Mine has got a pretty decent graphic card and 6GB RAM plus a 1TB harddrive, so it's not too shabby. Plus an AMD 64 overclocked processor.

[LiamG]

Apple, i used to get windows laptops and desktops, then decided to take the plunge and get a macbook, great decision, so much more reliable than windows

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Apple, i used to get windows laptops and desktops, then decided to take the plunge and get a macbook, great decision, so much more reliable than windows

This I've never got as a claim. If you use legal software, legal websites and have the slightest idea what you're doing then Windows is stable.

I could count the number of problems I've had over the years on one hand and they were all hardware (Which can happen to any platform)

[Claire.]

This I've never got as a claim. If you use legal software, legal websites and have the slightest idea what you're doing then Windows is stable.

I could count the number of problems I've had over the years on one hand and they were all hardware (Which can happen to any platform)

Most people don't have a fucking clue, though, which is why there's so many issues I've been using Macs for 8 years or so, if I was to switch or get something else it'd be Linux. Don't like Windows.

[Party Phil]

I have a macbook pro running El Capitán with bootcamp running Windows 10. My work laptop is Windows 7.

I prefer OS X for casual internet browsing, managing my photos and basic document creation. For anything more serious or work related I'd always go back to Windows for the office suite, can't stand Numbers, Pages and Keynote.

So I'll vote for OS X as my favourite basically because I enjoy the things I  use it for  more (i.e. Leisure over work) .

[CraigDS]

I have a macbook pro running El Capitán with bootcamp running Windows 10. My work laptop is Windows 7.

I prefer OS X for casual internet browsing, managing my photos and basic document creation. For anything more serious or work related I'd always go back to Windows for the office suite, can't stand Numbers, Pages and Keynote.

So I'll vote for OS X as my favourite basically because I enjoy the things I  use it for  more (i.e. Leisure over work) .

After using Office for years, including on a Mac, I ended up switching to Pages as at the time it was easier for working across different Apple devices (namely iPad). It's different, and after knowing most Office programs inside out having worked on them for years it took a fairly long time to fully figure out how to do everything, and to do it as quick as I used to - got the hang of them all now though and use Pages and Numbers on a daily basis.

[Disregarder]

Took the plunge a few months back and bought my first macbook pro after always having windows.  Liked the idea of better longevity, reliability etc but never had the cash before.

Returned it to the apple store for a full refund after aweek as I just couldn't get on with the OS.  There were so many things that needed a slightly different approach that it slowed my work down no end.  Also had compatibility problems with files that supposedly shouldn't have been there.

I won't try again.  Windows all the way from now on.  If I could've spared the time to get accustomed to the Mac OS it might have been worth it but at the time I felt like I'd been a bit conned and sucked into the apple hype.

Bought a new windows laptop for a third of the price.  Couldn't be happier.

[thelinnen]

OS X is by far the best operating system available, however it's not practical in some circumstances e.g. on a gaming pc.

[Ken-Obi]

OS X is by far the best operating system available, however it's not practical in some circumstances e.g. on a gaming pc.

I'd get a Mac if it's not for the pricetag and no severe lack of game support.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

OS X is by far the best operating system available, however it's not practical in some circumstances e.g. on a gaming pc.

In your opinion. I'd say Linux, for instance, is far, far better.

[thelinnen]

In your opinion. I'd say Linux, for instance, is far, far better.

Well they're both unix operating systems. The efficiency of OS X impresses me though.

[Kashinoda]

I've given Linux so many goes, it never sticks with me.

Everytime I try to use Mac OS I turn into a bumbling idiot who has no computer knowledge, despite my degree and job in the field

For those with a Macintosh, can you explain to me why it's worth paying a 30-40% premium to do everything you could in Windows?

https://youtu.be/TReJmvn5nKY?t=326 Linus' complaints about Finder/Explorer has always been my biggest issue when using a friends Macintosh, it feels ancient.

[Ken-Obi]

In your opinion. I'd say Linux, for instance, is far, far better.

How far?

The OSX has a Unix base with a superb UI design built on top of it, perfectly balancing the needs of the average user while easy enough to use for the novice but sophisticated enough for the more demanding user. Commercial support for software while not as wide as Windows is still pretty good although the OSX itself already comes with quality applications developed by Apple itself.

In a nutshell, the OSX experience is engineered to be as intuitive, simple yet sophisticate.

[Claire.]

For those with a Macintosh, can you explain to me why it's worth paying a 30-40% premium to do everything you could in Windows?

Is it really a premium? I have a macbook air and an iMac. If I was to buy an equivalent to those machines (spec and design) I imagine the cost will be very similar. If I just want a laptop then I know I can pay £300 and 'just get a laptop' but that's not what I need, I want the portability so it needs to be small, but not netbook size, and really light... but I also need to use it for development so can't be low spec, oh, and it needs a great battery. The closest I can see on currys that would match the specs, size, weight of my macbook air is the lenovo yoga, cept it's actually more expensive and the battery doesn't last as long.

There isn't an equivalent to the 5K iMac to even compare, closest is a lenovo one for £1200 and it's not really comparable. Apple have stuck to the same pricepoints for years, I don't have any issue with them and I certainly don't see it as being a premium.

["21C or 70F?" SchizoidWeatherMan!]

Is it really a premium? I have a macbook air and an iMac. If I was to buy an equivalent to those machines (spec and design) I imagine the cost will be very similar. If I just want a laptop then I know I can pay £300 and 'just get a laptop' but that's not what I need, I want the portability so it needs to be small, but not netbook size, and really light... but I also need to use it for development so can't be low spec, oh, and it needs a great battery. The closest I can see on currys that would match the specs, size, weight of my macbook air is the lenovo yoga, cept it's actually more expensive and the battery doesn't last as long.

There isn't an equivalent to the 5K iMac to even compare, closest is a lenovo one for £1200 and it's not really comparable. Apple have stuck to the same pricepoints for years, I don't have any issue with them and I certainly don't see it as being a premium.

Doesnt the Mac Book air come with only a Broadwell M processor? And a single port? 

For that cost, you can get an 5th gen i7 laptop with 8 gigs or more RAM. Not to mention access to years and years of legacy software.

Seriously do not see the point, unless you are into animation/design and sound engineering.  For everything else, Windows beats it for usability and convenience.