In mainstream computing the typical operating systems we hear about are Windows, Leopard, and Linux. There are several other operating systems that you may not have hear about: Sun Microsystems’ Solairs, IBM’s AIX, Amiga’s AmigaOS, SGI’s IRIX, Novell’s Netware to name a few. So how do you know which operating system to choose?
The answer is simple: which ever makes you most efficient. In the world of business down time is money down the drain. We’ve all heard the advantages and dis-advantages of using Windows versus Linux versus Mac OS X and visa versa. We can start year long debates on code efficiency, memory management, file handling, and hardware compatibility. There is no magic pill to cure all your aliments the same is true for operating systems.
I have experience with MS-DOS v6 – Windows Vista, Mac OS 9 – Leopard, and Slackware, Redhat v5-8 (before Fedora), Debian, and Ubuntu Linux. I have not used a single operating system exclusively. I use Windows for hardware compatibility and applications that may require ActiveX. All the devices I’ve purchased works with Windows XP and Vista for example Blackberry software (**Note: Now Mac OS 10.3.9+ is supported). The device is recognized and the drivers are installed with ease. I use MacOS for occasions when I need stability and easy of use. When plugging and unplugging Ethernet cables the operating system automatically picks up and IP address. There is no ipconfig /release and/renew or ifconfig up or down. The operating system shuts down and restarts very quickly. I use Linux to run my web, email, database, and file servers. This is cheapest solution in a cut throat industry. Should I squeeze all my requirements into one operating system? WHY? Each operating system does a particular task better then the other, some are easier to use, and some do not cost out of pocket expenses.
The answer is clear to me. What about you?
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