Open Thread: What Operating System Do You Use and Why?

The vast majority of businesses choose Microsoft Windows as their operating system but if you’re an independent web worker you don’t have to. Whether you run Windows XP, Vista, Mac OS X, or Linux, you’ll have to make some serious tradeoffs. However, they’re all viable choices these days, especially if you do the majority of your work online with web apps.

If you go with Windows, you’ll have to take special caution against spyware, viruses, and adware. If you go with a Mac, you won’t have as much to choose from in the way of hardware or software. If you go with Linux, you may be trading off ease of use against the philosophical and technical pleasures of open-source software with a venerable history.

You might find these resources helpful if you’re considering a switch:

What operating system are you running right now? Why? Do you have any thoughts of switching?

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