Windows or Linux

[acevic]

I'm using Win7 as a primary OS since I have to make heavy use of Adobe Creative Suite. I don't find linux/open source alternatives for that software nearly as good. However, I'm running a development environment on Ubuntu 12.04. I've got a bunch of SDKs and compilers running on that OS and I find it much easier. I also feel that the Linux interfaces (including Unity) are very developer friendly. Overall system load is minimum. If I had a choice where I could move my necessary apps to Linux, I would not think twice.

[edone automaton]

I'm using Win7 as a primary OS since I have to make heavy use of Adobe Creative Suite. I don't find linux/open source alternatives for that software nearly as good.

Totally. No matter how many people tell me the gimp is great, I hate it. CS and corel paint are actually two of the reasons I did not fully convert to linux back in the day (others being music production software, which still largely sucks). But I hear that the CS software now runs reliably in wine, provided that you are running a genuine copy...

[LoGiCaL__]

Really it comes down to open source vs.proprietary software. First, from a developmental standpoint on my own personal machine I'm going to learn open source:

A) Because well it's open source and I don't have to pay.
B) Mostly the logic/theory is still the same.

If you could learn MySQL for free why would you opt to purchase Microsoft SQL server just for the purpose of learning in a mock database environment. If you do end up getting a job that implements Microsoft SQL and you can write the code out, it's just a matter of learning new syntax. That's the advantage of learning to write code over using a gui imo. Thank you google.

Those familiar with c++ know there is a difference between coding in linux and windows. Why(who knows)? . However, eventually you will need to code in both given enough time.

Then you have javascript, php(just to name a couple). Out of the woodwork comes asp/asp.net. Unless I work for a job and they're willing to support it and I can remote onto their servers, I'm going to first choose the least path of resistance.....Open source.

If you have windows you can use VBScript. However, while VBscript is somewhat similar to VB there are still definitely differences syntax-wise. Useful yes, but practicality it comes down to what your main purpose/(problem to solve) is in which environment. Basically, I'm not going to re-invent the wheel and write a program in c++ that pings a location when I can use ms-command line or powershell. While it may be a good learning exercise it's going to take a lot longer to create and in a job scenario it would probably be frowned upon.

Something that requires more problem solving or a more unique way of achieving a certain goal that really didn't depend on the OS environment, my first choice would be linux. More creative freedom with less overhead. A bigger bang for you buck so to speak. The point is that you need to be able to recognize what would be better for your situation and also the problem/goal at hand. That is why it is best imo to be able to use both.

If you're into gaming then you're probably going to go with windows over linux until gaming is a lot more stable on a linux OS. This is where I think the racket comes in. Windows has deals with vid card vendors which has deals with vid games and the circle of death is endless. Why would they make it easy to run games on a free OS where source code could easily be viewed for rival companies. Because quality of a game isn't as important as the way it looks. So lets create drivers that are compatible for windows.

I kind of ended up in a conspiracy theory toward the end but that's just how it seems. I'd love to view others opinions on this so feel free to critique and/or comment. Like I mentioned previously it's going to come down to the task at hand.

[acevic]

Totally. No matter how many people tell me the gimp is great, I hate it. CS and corel paint are actually two of the reasons I did not fully convert to linux back in the day (others being music production software, which still largely sucks). But I hear that the CS software now runs reliably in wine, provided that you are running a genuine copy...

I recently bought the CS6 Master Collection and most reviews say that it's either incompatible or is buggy and most features don't run. But for 3D rendering and animation, Blender puts up a great fight against commercial competitors. Inkscape is great software for vector production but does not even compare to Illustrator. Gimp is not nearly as powerful as Photoshop. Forgive me for not being a huge fan of Corel; I sort of find it slow and complicated. Dreamweaver though, is a piece of shit and open source IDEs and web development platforms beat it at any time. My conclusion: If you are working as a professional on design and production, you should have Win7 bundled with Adobe. For devs, nothing beats Linux. If Linux had support for the Adobe Creative Suite, I'd gladly switch. Overall, in terms of efficiency and as an OS, Linux dominates. Windows gets my attention only because most professional software are developed for Windows. I also run a mac mini at times but that's only for xcode. OSX is not for someone who likes flexibility. However, the Adobe Creative Suite runs best on OSX. I just wish they had more apps developed for linux, better ones...and a more comprehensive driver suite.

Really it comes down to open source vs.proprietary software. First, from a developmental standpoint on my own personal machine I'm going to learn open source:

A) Because well it's open source and I don't have to pay.
B) Mostly the logic/theory is still the same.

True and I gladly support open source.

If you could learn MySQL for free why would you opt to purchase Microsoft SQL server just for the purpose of learning in a mock database environment. If you do end up getting a job that implements Microsoft SQL and you can write the code out, it's just a matter of learning new syntax. That's the advantage of learning to write code over using a gui imo. Thank you google.

You would have to be crazy to learn MySQL through the purchase of Microsoft SQL server. I'd too opt to learn to write code and that's what I'm following atm.

Those familiar with c++ know there is a difference between coding in linux and windows. Why(who knows)? . However, eventually you will need to code in both given enough time.

Like I keep saying...I know a couple of c++ basics and have read alot about the differences on both the platforms. I'd find Linux 'coder friendly' in this case.

Then you have javascript, php(just to name a couple). Out of the woodwork comes asp/asp.net. Unless I work for a job and they're willing to support it and I can remote onto their servers, I'm going to first choose the least path of resistance.....Open source.
If you have windows you can use VBScript. However, while VBscript is somewhat similar to VB there are still definitely differences syntax-wise. Useful yes, but practicality it comes down to what your main purpose/(problem to solve) is in which environment. Basically, I'm not going to re-invent the wheel and write a program in c++ that pings a location when I can use ms-command line or powershell. While it may be a good learning exercise it's going to take a lot longer to create and in a job scenario it would probably be frowned upon.

+1

Something that requires more problem solving or a more unique way of achieving a certain goal that really didn't depend on the OS environment, my first choice would be linux. More creative freedom with less overhead. A bigger bang for you buck so to speak. The point is that you need to be able to recognize what would be better for your situation and also the problem/goal at hand. That is why it is best imo to be able to use both.

I'd conclude both. You speak from a dev's point of view. Speaking from the viewpoints of both a designer and a potential developer, I'd choose both on dual boot. Windows has its perks when it comes to automation and ease of use. Great for designers and prototyping. Linux works for a great developing environment. So the conclusion is that there is no definite answer. All depends on the user. I am majorly biased for Linux though.