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July 27th, 2007

If you were to ditch Windows, would you go to Linux or Mac?

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 2:17 am

Categories: Apple, Linux, Microsoft

Tags: Linux, Apple Macintosh, Microsoft Windows, Here, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Here’s a question for all you Windows users out there. Let’s say that you were to switch from Windows to either the Linux platform or the Mac platform, which would you choose?

If you were to ditch Windows, would you got to Linux or Mac?

View Results

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Here’s the odd thing. If I go back five years or so I didn’t come across many people who were actively considering making the shift from Windows to another platform. Sure, I knew a few people running Mac or Linux on the desktop but there were usually considered to be deviants (or designers). The handful of people who I knew who were seriously thinking about abandoning Mac for Linux were either hardened geeks or oddballs.

Nowadays things are very different. Not only are more people making the shift from Windows to another platform (and an awful lot more thinking about it), it’s both acceptable, and even sexy, to do so. In fact, it’s been interesting to see watch how dissatisfaction with Windows XP and now Windows Vista has been the encouragement that some need to look elsewhere.

But what platform should people choose? Free or paid for? Open-source or closed-source?

Here’s the pattern that I’m seeing “in the wild”. I’m generalizing but I’m finding that people with a basic working knowledge of Windows are migrating to Mac because they perceive it as being simpler and easier Windows. Folks migrating to Linux seem to be those with a really good working knowledge of Windows (and computing in general). While it’s far too early for Microsoft to be worried about this platform migration, it should be having a think about why it’s happening.

Personally, I’m leaning towards Linux, but I do have to admit that I keep thinking about buying a Mac more and more, especially as we do more video work at the PC Doc HQ.

Thoughts?

Adrian Kingsley-HughesAdrian is a technology journalist and author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology. He also runs a popular blog called The PC Doctor. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations

Want to get in touch? Got a tip? Feel free to drop me a note! I ALWAYS respect anonymity. I'm also on Twitter (@the_pc_doc)

Right to Reply: Should any industry representatives wish to comment on any posts on Hardware 2.0, I will be happy to publish their reply verbatim on this blog.

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  • Talkback
  • Most Recent of 283 Talkback(s)
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Posted by: Hrothgar - PCLinuxOS User Posted on: 05/04/08 You are currently: a Guest | | Terms of Use
Astute Observation  nmh | 07/27/07
I agree  TtfnJohn | 07/27/07
A lot of hip tech types are also going to Mac. You can run virtually  DonnieBoy | 07/27/07
RE:A lot of hip tech types .  owner@... | 07/27/07
Well, I know a number of very smart people using Macs, that use the command  DonnieBoy | 07/28/07
My personal impression...  Hrothgar - PCLinuxOS User | 05/04/08
Maybe both  chromeronin | 07/29/07
I already did, 6 months ago.. to Mac  kriskl | 07/27/07
We already did, years ago... to Linux  bportlock | 07/27/07
Exactly  Tim Patterson | 07/27/07
thoughts...  anywho | 07/29/07
You must have exotic hardware...  chemist109 | 07/31/07
Hours to setup????  davidsarmstrong | 08/20/07
Nuts!  bohicarico@... | 01/05/08
Duel Boot  amused2 | 01/07/08
We switched to Linux as well  davidsarmstrong | 08/20/07
Why switch at all ?  None_Zealot | 07/27/07
NZ! How sweet of you...  vulpine@... | 01/04/08
Uh, look again  frabjous | 01/04/08
Yup, You're right!  Kromaethius | 04/26/08
To expand on your theory Adrian  Scrat | 07/27/07
Please do not take the above post too seriously!  Scrat | 07/27/07
"Those Windows users...  msalzberg | 07/27/07
RE:Those Windows users...  joe6pack_z | 07/27/07
Apple's "BSD" can't be too shabby  MacCanuck | 08/02/07
Or use a Mac & get everything  Ken_z | 07/27/07
Choice is useless, only meaningful choice counts  NonZealot | 07/27/07
I didn't pick a good example  NonZealot | 07/27/07
Message has been deleted.  Intellihence | 07/27/07
I didn't pick a good example  owner@... | 07/27/07
You continue to bring up the TPM DRM chip .  Intellihence | 07/27/07
ROTFLMAO !!!  None_Zealot | 07/27/07
Innovative  chromeronin | 07/29/07
Good Points  davidsarmstrong | 08/20/07
You forgot to mention one thing ZEALOT !  None_Zealot | 07/28/07
Good lord , talk about the FUD you create .  MythBuster | 07/28/07
Parallels...Yuck!  jhhicks@... | 07/27/07
RE:To expand on your theory Adrian  owner@... | 07/27/07
Linux! Free and runs on nearly everything  pjotr123 | 07/27/07
free but:  kriskl | 07/27/07
Beg to disagree...  Linux User 147560 | 07/27/07
re  kriskl | 07/27/07
Hehe, arguments like this crack me up!!!  NonZealot | 07/27/07
yhmm,  kriskl | 07/27/07
Actually  Michael Kelly | 07/27/07
Did you miss this?  Jambalaya Breath | 07/27/07
Linux Mini  pj_mouse | 07/27/07
Re: Linux Mini  nix_hed | 07/27/07
Doesn't take an argument t o crack YOU up  Ole Man | 07/27/07
re:re  joe6pack_z | 07/27/07
And Doesn't . . .  JLHenry | 07/27/07
what are superior solutions?  kriskl | 07/28/07
Other options than Quickbooks  laura.b | 08/09/07
I have to disagree  ye | 07/27/07
Especially with price pressure if this is true  TripleII | 07/27/07
He was getting ripped off then...  Linux User 147560 | 07/27/07
re: free but...  owner@... | 07/27/07
Bull Crap!!  hbashman@... | 01/04/08
Viruses despite up-to-date AV software  davidsarmstrong | 08/20/07
I think this is a financial matter  nucrash | 07/27/07
no one cares about SW being open source  patibulo | 07/27/07
Wrong on both counts  nucrash | 07/27/07
One possibility  bportlock | 07/27/07
re: One possibility  daftkey | 08/09/07
Nothing wrong with Apple controlling..  reclaim25 | 07/27/07
Don't forget  voska | 07/27/07
Parallels changed the rules  nucrash | 07/27/07
What's so special about parallels?  chemist109 | 07/31/07
re: Don't forget  daftkey | 08/09/07
You don't understand linux  davidsarmstrong | 08/20/07
Yes and no  Yagotta B. Kidding | 07/27/07
Apple's greed has nothing on MS  intrepi@... | 07/27/07
No kidding  comp_indiana | 07/27/07
Not a bully?  mds_z | 07/27/07
Not quite...  voyager529 | 07/27/07
You'll have no argument from me  intrepi@... | 07/27/07
Apple is just as greedy.. they just have a name..  reclaim25 | 07/27/07
There is a standard  davidsarmstrong | 08/20/07
Not quite...  voyager529 | 07/27/07
Apple is a hardware company  Ken_z | 07/27/07
I'm impressed, no doubt about it  intrepi@... | 07/27/07
A lot of users go 3rd party for memory  Ken_z | 07/28/07
A perhaps more interesting question  Yagotta B. Kidding | 07/27/07
What surprised me ....  bportlock | 07/27/07
Why indeed.  spstanley | 07/27/07
another aspect  Michael Shurtleff | 07/27/07
Adrian: change the title  NonZealot | 07/27/07
Advantages....  bportlock | 07/27/07
More BS from Loverock Davidson ,,,  Intellihence | 07/27/07
Hey XP has been a pain but it's not as bad  intrepi@... | 07/27/07
Well, there are a few more than 1  intrepi@... | 07/27/07
Defeatist  Jambalaya Breath | 07/27/07
You really aren't too far off the mark  intrepi@... | 07/27/07
I'll use everything & anything but MS OS's  intrepi@... | 07/27/07
Support Calls  laura.b | 08/09/07
Definitely not Linux  Rick_R | 07/27/07
The handicap of knowing what you're doing  bportlock | 07/27/07
Power users have the worst time  voska | 07/27/07
I agree with your observations  docbillnet | 07/27/07
You are right but learning MS DOS was not easier than linux  intrepi@... | 07/27/07
U definitely need a bit of working, like googling  squall0806@... | 07/29/07
Linux will cost me too much and Mac will not run what I use  peter@... | 07/27/07
You are correct. Time is money...  bportlock | 07/27/07
check your facts.  Mitch 74 | 07/27/07
Linux.. is not easy..  reclaim25 | 07/27/07
I'll disagree with this  NonZealot | 07/27/07
I agree  Skullet | 07/28/07
nonsense  sjaaxken | 07/28/07
Great Post!.. I strongly agree...  LazLong | 07/28/07
Ick....  Hrothgar - PCLinuxOS User | 05/04/08
You aren't continually tweaking Windows?  TripleII | 07/27/07
Updates?  reclaim25 | 07/27/07
As opposed to X reboots?  TripleII | 07/27/07
Still Not Easier  TechnoCritter | 07/27/07
different disros have different feel  Hrothgar - PCLinuxOS User | 05/04/08
Updates  chromeronin | 07/29/07
It's completely inconsistent (OMG, read all of it!)  martinfam@... | 07/27/07
Done with style! 10 Points! (NT)  devlin_X | 08/02/07
Ditto  Hrothgar - PCLinuxOS User | 05/04/08
Huh?  3dtodd | 07/27/07
Where have you been?  chemist109 | 07/31/07
You for got a big difference!  devlin_X | 08/02/07
Windows and Linux cost too much...  wodenickel1@... | 07/30/07
Some tough absolutes.  devlin_X | 08/02/07
Hours of tweaking?  devlin_X | 08/01/07
re: Linux too much, mac won't run what I want  daftkey | 08/09/07
Use Parallels  bodoinski | 08/26/07
This Poll is Fixed  howard_walters@... | 07/27/07
No...  rapson | 07/27/07
Read the question!  p0figster | 07/27/07
A BETTER Question  howard_walters@... | 07/27/07
That's not the point of the blog  rapson | 07/27/07
Oh!  howard_walters@... | 07/27/07
Um my business moved to Linux  douglasids | 07/27/07
A Success Story Here!  howard_walters@... | 07/27/07
Regardless of the size of a company  Ole Man | 07/27/07
Business Case  chromeronin | 07/29/07
zOS is NOT Linux  daftkey | 08/09/07
re: my business moved to Linux  daftkey | 08/09/07
RE:This Poll is fixed  owner@... | 07/27/07
No. It is not!  mwagner@... | 07/30/07
Yes it is! You didn't  No_Ax_to_Grind | 08/03/07
Like Windows, It's not fixed......  devlin_X | 08/01/07
who buys windows?  inertman@... | 08/08/07
Yes it is, he didn't include the best Unix  No_Ax_to_Grind | 08/03/07
Don't be an idiot.  bmerc | 08/07/07
MacTel with Bootcamp and...  Thomas Moser | 07/27/07
Only get rid of Boot Camp  Michael Kelly | 07/27/07
Mike, I have a Question....  LazLong | 07/27/07
For 90% of people Mac would win  j.m.galvin | 07/27/07
Agreed  The_Quietman | 07/27/07
A kink in your theory  SteveMak | 07/27/07
MS Office?  The_Quietman | 07/27/07
Both!  dclark652 | 07/27/07
OSX gives the best of both worlds  roystonlodge | 07/27/07
Bzzt, wrong! OSX gives the worst of both worlds  NonZealot | 07/27/07
Oh that's right Zealot  Intellihence | 07/27/07
Quote me or crawl back into your hole  NonZealot | 07/27/07
Message has been deleted.  Intellihence | 07/27/07
OSX is what Linux should be.  green[ | 07/27/07
Wow, you are good!  NonZealot | 07/27/07
More lies from the Zealot NonZealot  Intellihence | 07/27/07
I've Got Some Cash...  TechnoCritter | 07/27/07
The Office Argument  TripleII | 07/27/07
Office isn't just documents  mdemuth | 07/27/07
Sharepoint/Communicator, etc  TripleII | 07/27/07
In this case you're right..kinda  TtfnJohn | 07/27/07
It comes down to purpose.  dbrimlow | 07/27/07
Photoshop?  The_Quietman | 07/27/07
Already have several linux boxes......but  linux for me | 07/27/07
Ubuntu Studio  devlin_X | 08/01/07
freebob still not working on presonus firebox  christopher@... | 07/27/07
the world is changing  raggi | 07/27/07
I chose a mixture. Here's why:  mtgarden | 07/27/07
Hehe, it must be good because you paid for it?  NonZealot | 07/27/07
I'm NoneZealot you hear .  None_Zealot | 07/27/07
Well if thats how you feel....  devlin_X | 08/01/07
Money matters  hughva@... | 07/27/07
DRM is a handcuff  TripleII | 07/27/07
DRM is a handcuff !  None_Zealot | 07/27/07
Yes, I meant coming from Windows...  TripleII | 07/27/07
Not A Choice  Mr_Wizard | 07/27/07
Wow, people still use Macs!  J2002 | 07/27/07
XP Was The Last Straw For Me  pj_mouse | 07/27/07
I'd Go Linux  voska | 07/27/07
Exactly right!  NonZealot | 07/27/07
Also would Apple be any better  voska | 07/27/07
Right , so everyone should choose Linux and dump Windows already .  Intellihence | 07/27/07
No argument there, Linux loads on any PC  intrepi@... | 07/27/07
Woz gone  The_Quietman | 07/27/07
Already switched to the Mac; Linux coming soon  pointzerotwo@... | 07/27/07
Mac; better software selection ... for now  chas_2 | 07/27/07
Hehe, dominating retail markets for software!  NonZealot | 07/27/07
You missed a poll choice  JDThompson | 07/27/07
It depends on what you value  mlindl | 07/27/07
Leopard Trial Version  johnfenjackson@... | 07/27/07
Adrian, you'd have to be downright stupid  labarker | 07/27/07
OS = Firmware with no clothes  Cornhead | 07/27/07
BSD all the way  Resuna | 07/27/07
Why can't you run OSX in a VM?  NonZealot | 07/27/07
Message has been deleted.  Intellihence | 07/27/07
I am in the preocess of switching  jackie40d@... | 07/27/07
looks good!  kriskl | 07/27/07
I am NonZealot , I am NonZealot !  None_Zealot | 07/27/07
professionals indeed wink  firepages | 07/27/07
I think you are missing something...  owner@... | 07/27/07
LINUX???  3dtodd | 07/27/07
I am now on a MAC!!!!!!!!!!  jt3346@... | 07/27/07
I gotta be practical  iandmac | 07/27/07
You're thinking backwards...  msalzberg | 07/27/07
Windows to Unix.  old_fogey@... | 07/27/07
Good Argument  TechnoCritter | 07/27/07
Already did...  wainscotting | 07/27/07
Actually . . .  ky_druid | 07/27/07
I'd pick neither Mac nor Linux.  fuego96@... | 07/28/07
I agree  Krazyken39 | 07/28/07
Dvorak  kriskl | 07/28/07
Leopard is coming to PCs  okpj | 07/28/07
Identify your need, pick your poison.  AFUMCBill | 07/28/07
I already did, one year ago... ...to Linux  trentreviso | 07/28/07
Mac Hardware is the same or less expensive as Dells  rolla_ifs@... | 07/28/07
really??  inertman@... | 07/28/07
Again, comparable hardware is the same...  rolla_ifs@... | 07/28/07
again, no, no, no...  inertman@... | 07/31/07
And the cost ends at the purchace?  Bruizer | 07/31/07
point taken,  inertman@... | 08/02/07
Ve-ery Simplistic  jplatt39 | 07/29/07
Perfect Windows of opportunity  MarcB_z | 07/29/07
Mac  ron@... | 07/29/07
What is the next killer application?  THEE WOLF | 07/29/07
Need something better  tonymcs@... | 07/29/07
Three warmed-over versions of a 70s OS  jplatt39 | 07/30/07
Need to know what's good  Ole Man | 07/31/07
Simple. You don't switch from Windows  Crestview | 07/29/07
What you have to realize  jplatt39 | 07/30/07
i chose linux  queroph@... | 07/29/07
Alternatives  andypiesse@... | 07/30/07
Try Knoppix 5.1  landt@... | 07/30/07
For me, it would have to be Macintosh  mwagner@... | 07/30/07
That said ...  mwagner@... | 07/30/07
notcompletely true  inertman@... | 07/31/07
Macintosh!  donnie126_2002@... | 07/31/07
Would not ditch for either one...  MsJazz | 07/31/07
I upgraded: XP to Mac  mikecepek | 08/01/07
Need newer MAC  kokuryu | 08/02/07
I ditched Windows 15 years ago.  rsteiner@... | 08/02/07
Those two choices suck. I would go Solaris.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 08/03/07
Solaris execs unethical, go with Linux or Mac  Professor8 | 01/04/08
Switched to Linux 3 years ago  jrepin | 08/06/07
Linux takes to long to reach "Stable" versions.  JCPayne1 | 08/08/07
Also with linux you change one little thing and your  JCPayne1 | 08/08/07
I switched to Mac two months ago  Landrue | 08/08/07
Don't know  Ronny102 | 08/10/07
Spelling and Grammar errors on CNET  Woostiwa | 08/10/07
TalkBack: Reply to message  iMusicus | 08/15/07
Spelling and Grammar errors on CNET  iMusicus | 08/15/07
Spelling and Grammar errors on CNET  iMusicus | 08/15/07
Windows Ditched: Linux or Mac?  chankane | 08/22/07
RE: If you were to ditch Windows, would you got to Linux or Mac?  wp@... | 01/04/08
I'd rather support 500 Macs than 500 Linux boxes  kferraro@... | 01/04/08
RE: If you were to ditch Windows, would you got to Linux or Mac?  S.Towle | 01/04/08
I'd never go Mac...  Narg | 01/04/08
I'd never go Mac...  Narg | 01/04/08
If it were only about the software...  dshawk | 01/04/08
Why Switch?  ceh4702 | 01/04/08
closed circles of like-minded people  Professor8 | 01/04/08
WIndows or Linux  cavlosnap@... | 01/05/08
NO MORE BLUE SCREENS !!!!!!!!!  gregtheodosis@... | 01/04/08
A good survey would have given  windozefreak | 01/04/08
go to Linux?  craiglarry | 01/05/08
go to linux for a lot less money.  craiglarry | 01/05/08
RE: If you were to ditch Windows, would you got to Linux or Mac?  cavlosnap@... | 01/05/08
RE: If you were to ditch Windows, would you got to Linux or Mac?  Jane.Malloy | 01/05/08
I've already ditched Windows  John Musbach | 01/05/08
It's already started for me...  UCase | 01/07/08
Yesterday is the time I would change  Mr_Bill | 01/07/08
RE: If you were to ditch Windows, would you got to Linux or Mac?  powercat | 04/14/08
RE: If you were to ditch Windows, would you got to Linux or Mac?  justin.list@... | 04/14/08
RE: If you were to ditch Windows, would you got to Linux or Mac?  powercat | 04/14/08
I chose Ubuntu Linux over 4 years ago  starcannon99022@... | 04/14/08
RE: If you were to ditch Windows, would you got to Linux or Mac?  jmhalloy_z | 04/14/08
RE: If you were to ditch Windows, would you got to Linux or Mac?  DoSeR? | 04/15/08
Just to add to the confusion  lazslo | 04/29/08

What do you think?

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