Because of Microsoft’s aggressive marketing practices, millions of users who have no idea what an operating system is have been using Windows operating systems given to them when they purchased their PCs. Many others are not aware that there are operating systems other than Windows. But you are here reading an article about operating systems, which probably means that you are trying to make conscious OS decisions for home use or for your organizations. In that case, you should at least give Linux/Unix your consideration, especially if the following is relevant in your environment.
Is it time to upgrade that old rig you’ve been using for the past ten years? Are you finally ready to buy that dream computer that will solve all your programming needs? If so, you may be asking yourself an age-old question: should I buy a Mac or a PC? Programmers and software developers have many different factors to consider when it comes to deciding on an operating system. The different kinds of languages, frameworks, and software can all differ between Mac and PC. Today we’ll take a look at some pros and cons of both operating systems so you can make an informed decision! Cost One of biggest arguments against getting a Mac is the cost.
Everybody has a story and my Windows vs Mac story might give you an answer. I was a die-hard Windows user & coder. It makes a lot of sense writing code on the OS you write software for and Windows always was my primary target. Used a friends Mac for some graphic stuff at times, always disliked it. There’s Support for Most Programming Languages. Linux supports all of them, and the list goes on. Sure, you will hit some roadblocks. Visual Basic only supports Windows, but you can use Apple’s Swift. Generally, if a programming language isn’t limited to a specific operating system, then it likely works on Linux.
Many people feel that the price is too high for the system and hardware you get. Buying a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro can cost over $1,000—and that’s only with minimum specs. Buying a Mac desktop, while cheaper, still can cost a lot.
If you’re looking for an affordable Mac, you’ll get stuck with a machine with sub-par specs that you can’t really upgrade. A Windows computer, on the other hand, includes machines from all price ranges. Both desktops and laptops are offered with many different options and styles so you can shop around until you find the perfect one that fits your needs. And if you are feeling really tech savvy, you can buy parts and build a customized rig for even cheaper! Security Macs are praised for their security and lack of spyware and viruses. With fewer viruses, most Mac users can get by without purchasing any virus protection. Windows users, however, need to be ready for constant driver and security updates.
They’ll also need different kinds of antivirus and spyware protection so that their computer won’t become bogged down and inoperable. OS Support Macs have a great deal of flexibility regarding what kind of OS you want to run. A Mac can easily (and legally) run both Windows and Linux using a variety of methods. However, Windows cannot easily (or legally) run the OS X operating system. This may not be a big issue if you are looking for a machine only for development, but if you want to test your projects as well, it’s a good idea to have more operating systems available. Another great reason to pick a Mac is that it is Unix-based. This means that you get a terminal that is a bash shell with all standard Unix utilities, a built in Secure shell, as well as other software that’s very useful for development.
On the other hand, to do this on Windows you would need to get PuTTY, Cygwin, and PowerShell, which are just not as good as the Unix terminal. Software and Hardware Compatibility Windows has tons of software, much more than what is available for Macs. Windows offers users a huge array of applications and software—everything from computer maintenance programs to video games. On a PC you get an unlimited amount of choices regarding what types of software you want to install and use. If one type doesn’t fit your needs, you can simply find another one! Macs offer considerably fewer options for users and some of the software they offer might even be considered subpar.
Another PC advantage is that Windows has hardware compatibility. In all cases Windows will have support for all hardware since usually all hardware is designed first for Windows computers. Mac users might need to pay a bit more attention to compatibility. Development In regards to development, both platforms are equally good for programming and it really depends on what environment and language you want to use. If you are planning to work in Visual Studio and SQL server, it would be better to develop on a PC. If you want to develop for OS X or iPhone, a Mac is the way to go. For all other cross platform programming languages, it usually doesn’t matter which operating system you are programming in—it’s up to the user’s personal preference.
What About Linux? Linux is another popular operating system that many programmers have taken a liking to. In general, Linux offers a lot of control to the user, although it doesn’t provide much compatible software. Most users would switch to Macs for the Unix Terminal and other Unix features, while other people would switch to PC for control and customizability. However, Linux still provides programmers with many useful features that can’t be found on either Macs or PCs. Macs and PCs both offer a different experience to the user with a variety of pros and cons.
In the end, it really comes down to what your main focus in development is. Both machines are good at programming, however both also offer different features. To really pick a machine, you’ll need to know which features will benefit you, as well as what you want to develop. By Wiley Shi.