Which is a better operating system windows, mac, or linux why?

There is an old geek joke... which is not totally wrong: - use Mac if you want to lose money - use Linux if you want to lose time - use Windows if you want to lose time and money My personal perception is that 80% of Mac users are in fact adepts and are somehow integrists, so it might be at time difficult to interpret the truth in their enthusiasm. Mac OS is very good, but as every OS has it part of problems... and they are not significantly less than the others. Its small market share (90%.

This is NOT a proof of a better quality, but the proof of a better price/performance for the combination hardware+software. You can run windows on any sort of hardware, whether high or low-cost. Vista has been a failure, because it is draining too much of computer hardware resources.

Windows 7 will try to address that... but although lots of people are enthusiastic about it we will have to wait for the real thing. That Vista is so resources-greedy has had an interesting consequence: the price of hardware has dropped intensely for the last 2 years (independently of the netbook effect I describe later) Drawbacks and advantages: inverse those I described for the Mac. Linux is not yet fully ready for every user station, EXCEPT in some very precise avatars: the netbooks have been initially launched with their own version of Linux, and the combination hardware + software has really created a break.

The success has been so great that Microsoft has had to proactively try to defend Windows against it, and somehow succeeded since most netbooks are offered now with a windows XP version. (Next step for Microsoft is to persuade netbooks manufacturers to deliver more powerful hardware, even at a price increase cost, so that they can run Windows7 and forget Linux). For viruses, Linux is still not a good target so there are not that many.(For those integrists which believe there can be no virus on linux.... remember that the first worldwide virus/worm disseminated worldwide thanks to Unix).

For software, there is now a correct library of applications, although not as high as Mac. BUT THIS IS CHANGING FAST since the open-source movement is developing and creating Linux/ Mac /windows versions of each application. Coming back to you initial question: which is best?

None is best in every situation... - If my neighbour wants a computer for personal use, I would probably suggest Windows: good software, good library, fair enough OS, cheap hardware. - Same for this other neighbour which will run her small business - For this young friend which paints and draws and wants to communicate her work over the Internet, I would probably suggest a Mac. - Same for this old friend which at 80 wants to write his memories and intends doing research over the Internet.

- For my niece who needs a computer for her high-school studies in a literary area... I would suggest a netbook (10") with whichever Linux it will be running.

There is an old geek joke... which is not totally wrong: - use Mac if you want to lose money - use Linux if you want to lose time - use Windows if you want to lose time and money My personal perception is that 80% of Mac users are in fact adepts and are somehow integrists, so it might be at time difficult to interpret the truth in their enthusiasm. Mac OS is very good, but as every OS has it part of problems... and they are not significantly less than the others. Its small market share (90%.

This is NOT a proof of a better quality, but the proof of a better price/performance for the combination hardware+software. You can run windows on any sort of hardware, whether high or low-cost. Vista has been a failure, because it is draining too much of computer hardware resources.

Windows 7 will try to address that... but although lots of people are enthusiastic about it we will have to wait for the real thing. That Vista is so resources-greedy has had an interesting consequence: the price of hardware has dropped intensely for the last 2 years (independently of the netbook effect I describe later) Drawbacks and advantages: inverse those I described for the Mac. Linux is not yet fully ready for every user station, EXCEPT in some very precise avatars: the netbooks have been initially launched with their own version of Linux, and the combination hardware + software has really created a break.

The success has been so great that Microsoft has had to proactively try to defend Windows against it, and somehow succeeded since most netbooks are offered now with a windows XP version. (Next step for Microsoft is to persuade netbooks manufacturers to deliver more powerful hardware, even at a price increase cost, so that they can run Windows7 and forget Linux). For viruses, Linux is still not a good target so there are not that many.(For those integrists which believe there can be no virus on linux.... remember that the first worldwide virus/worm disseminated worldwide thanks to Unix).

For software, there is now a correct library of applications, although not as high as Mac. BUT THIS IS CHANGING FAST since the open-source movement is developing and creating Linux/ Mac /windows versions of each application. Coming back to you initial question: which is best?

None is best in every situation... - If my neighbour wants a computer for personal use, I would probably suggest Windows: good software, good library, fair enough OS, cheap hardware. - Same for this other neighbour which will run her small business - For this young friend which paints and draws and wants to communicate her work over the Internet, I would probably suggest a Mac. - Same for this old friend which at 80 wants to write his memories and intends doing research over the Internet.

- For my niece who needs a computer for her high-school studies in a literary area... I would suggest a netbook (10") with whichever Linux it will be running ...

This is the best comparison I have seen. It is old now, and all of the operating systems have improved significantly since then, but it will give you a good idea of their strengths and weaknesses, and to me the most important part is the end where it says which OS is best for several specific types of users. pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2273486,00.asp It is from PC Magazine.

I agree with the overall conclusion that OS X is the best overall OS for most users.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.