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Poll: What is your primary operating system

news.ycombinator.com

11–20 of 472 posts

Re: Poll: What is your primary operating system

#11
Every day, I start up a computer running OS X. Then, I proceed to fire up virtual machines for two Linux distributions, Windows XP, and Windows 7.

I occasionally play around with a headless system that I have running FreeBSD. Then I may power up my iPod Touch to test recent changes to my mobile site. I also do a significant quantity of work while I am logged into a remote debian server via ssh.

I doubt that I am the only developer with this type of daily routine. I actually do think that this poll is pretty nifty (and I checked off OS X), but I think that it is still worth observing that the term "primary operating system" just doesn't quite carry the same weight as it used to.

Re: Poll: What is your primary operating system

#15
post #2

You should replace Linux/Unix by Linux and add a fourth option "Other Unix-like OS" or "Other *nix". It would be more clear since both OSX and Linux are Unix-like OSes. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Unix_hist...

Then I guess Chrome OS is a Unix-like too.

So it would be Unix-like or Windows. Eh, and other.

EDIT: I don't agree with your classification. Sorry, Monday morning before my first coffee.

Re: Poll: What is your primary operating system

#16
post #9

Probably should have allowed an option for *BSD. I suppose "other Unix variant" is sort of approximately the same thing, but the former would be more clear.

Actually, I'd be curious what Nix people are using other than GNU/Linux and BSD. Solaris? Unix proper - does anybody still really use that?

Re: Poll: What is your primary operating system

#17
I use all 3 100% interchangeably.

At the moment, I'm posting this on Windows 7 64-bit (my main software development machine), with a 64-Bit Debian for Linux development and a 32-Bit SliTaz for Linux testing running in VMware Workstation at all times and actively used (along with a XP image that I'll spin up once every couple of days for testing).

My MacBook Pro is on the other "side" of my body (my desk is an L), so by simply re-swiveling my chair, I'll be on OS X where I can do more coding, check my email, etc.

I think the OS wars are over. Web apps address the needs of many people (I actually don't use too many), but by and large, all three platforms have seen enough usage and statistics and have been around long enough that there's (GOOD) software to do X (whatever X is) on any of the 3.

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