As regular readers of this site are aware, I test a lot of different operating systems both new and old. On the new side it’s almost 100% GNU/Linux distributions and on the old side it’s almost 100% older editions of Windows. The goal is always the same – to try to see which OS can do the most in the most efficient way.
For example, recently I installed Windows NT 4.0 Workstation just to see if I could ‘get along’ with it on the modern internet (to which the answer is yes, by the way):
(click to enlarge)
(Small side note: Yes, it is NT 4.0 Workstation. I purposely changed the fonts and color scheme to make it look like Windows 2000. Easy enough to do.)
Aside from that however, I want to know what you are running for an OS, be it single or multiple operating systems. If multiple, name them all off. All the newer ones, older ones, which you use regularly, which you use sparingly, and so on.
Also, don’t forget the mobile OSes, should you use them.
The PCMech.com weekly newsletter has been running strong for over 8 years. Sign up to get tech news, updates and exclusive content - right in your inbox. Also get (several) free gifts.
I like GNU/Linux OS
On my laptop I have Ubuntu 11.04, and I have Arch, Fedora, Nattyit(yeh an other one ^_^) and a WinBugXP in a VM..
At home its Ubuntu 10.04 64bit for me, while my wife is on a Windows 7 laptop. At work its XP Pro, and Ubuntu 10.04. I don’t much like Unity, and I love the Long Term Support release by Canonical, so 10.04 is the distro for me.
running windows 7 on my desktop that i use mostly for gaming. laptop has 2 hard drives (dell 1737) has the original vista install (yuck) for a bit of light gaming, and after watching one of your recent reviews on pclinuxos i installed that over my ubuntu 10.04 install that i used for web browsing and a bit of web design. absolutely love pclinux, boots quicker than my ubuntu install, looks a lot nicer, and seems a bit quicker and uses less ram. only reason i use windows is because of gaming, if the games/graphics cards worked on linux perfectly i would drop windows completely.
On my main computer, I got Windows 7 Professionnal. On my 486 computer I have MS-DOS 6.22 and Windows 3.11. On my Dual Pentium 3 server I have Windows 2000 Server. On my Pentium II I have Windows 98 SE and on my laptop I use Ubuntu 11.04 with classic interface.
Arch Linux with a android phone and tablet. I mess around with BSD some, but not enough to call it anything but a hobby. So pretty much Linux all the way.
I use Slackware 11 on my main rig, Linux Mint LXDE on my X60 Thinkpad, Multi-Boot Test rig Vista Bus64 / openSUSE 11 / eComStation 2.0 (hot-swap drives). The wife uses Windows 7 Professional 64bit.
I use PCLinuxOS.
At the moment, I’m using Debian Sid. When my recently purchased netbook gets here, I’ll be using Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. I may run a Linux distribution side by side with it, but I’m not sure yet. I installed Ubuntu 10.04 on my mom’s netbook and Linux Mint 10 LXDE on my brother’s desktop.
Using Windows 7 and Linux Zorin.
I use two different operating systems on my desktop. My primary operating system is Linux Mint 11. I used to be a heavy Windows 7 user, but I decided to give Linux a try. It was the best move I have ever made. Especially since I didn’t rely on any specific windows programs to get work done Linux is just a better fit, easier to maintain, and much faster.
I do have Windows XP installed as well, but it is used on rare occasions. I just mainly use it for gaming or updating portable devices such as my phone and GPS. Windows XP is definitely old, but I have a few games that will absolutely not run in anything higher than XP.
When it comes to my phone I have a rooted Samsung Captivate running Android 2.2. I used to use iOS on my iPod Touch, but I definitely like how Android let’s me be much more flexible with my device compared to iOS.
I use Mac OS lion and windows 7 on my laptop with a bit of ubuntu sometimes. My desktop has windows 7 and Zorin OS, and my galaxy 5 phone has CyanogenMod 7 (based on android gingerbread)
At the moment I used Ubuntu 11.04 as primary on my laptop and Xubuntu on my netbook. Been experimenting with Liquid Lemur Linux.
my main desktop uses Win 7 Home 64, my netbook uses Win XP, my two old laptops run XP as does my old desktop (all of which are working and used periodically). It’s just easier to stick with what came with the computer.
My main PC runs Ubuntustudio 11.04 and that’s what I work with. I run Win7 on my other (gaming) PC for games.
Macbook Pro has Lion and 7 with my older IBM thinkcenter having Ubuntu 11.04 used mainly and Windows XP available if needed.
OS X Lion, OS X Snow Leopard, Ubuntu Hardy Heron, Android (froyo), eeebuntu 3
Desktop PC I use Windows 7 HP and on my netbook I use Linux Mint 11 Gnome
AT home XP, WIndows 2000 and Windows 7, on three separate machines to accomodate various legacy work functions and games. And doubling down, I have a test copy each of Windows 2000, XP and Win7 in VMMachines for purposes of testing software or finding bugs.I have also Ubuntu on VMware, but have no personal use for it other than to learn its quirks.
At work, when the last 4 older PC’s die, that’ll be the last of Windows 2000. The others are Windows XP and One Windows 7 workstation (Which the staff does not like).
On the Server side, we’re running Windows 2000 Server, Windows 2003 Server and Solaris 10 Server inside VMWare.
Linux Mint and Ubuntu! (A friend with Windows 7 recently lost a week to a virus. Why do people voluntarily submit themselves to this hassle?)
Win 7 Home 64 on my HP Compaq laptop, and Win XP on my Toshiba Netbook.
Win 7 64Bit Pro
Win Vista home prem (hate it but it’s only on a laptop)
Ubuntu 10.04 (Laptop)
Android 2.1 (Mobile and Tablet)
Windows XP (Old test rig)
I use the Ubuntu 10.04 Server Edition for my needed Internet services (email, webserver, proxy, etc) and Ultimate Edition 2.6.1 which is based off Ubuntu 10.04 LTS. I have a Windows 7 machine that primarily serves as a dust collector if I run into some compatibility issues with my coursework at college. For me its Linux all the way, nothing else comes close to what I get from Linux
Three workstations running XP. A notebook running Win7.
It’s nearly $100 for an OEM Home Premium Win7 license. Considering Win7 doesn’t present me with anything worth the $100, my workstations will stay on XP until applications I use no longer support it or driver support is no longer there.
However, for my gaming rig, I might consider upgrading for DX11 support, though the benefits for the games that actually use DX10/11 are currently negligible.
Windows Vista Home Premium – primary machine
Windows 98SE – secondary machine (primary until recently)
Windows XP – tertiary machine
Windows 95
Windows 3.1
DOS (several versions)
Ubuntu 11.04 on my primary desktop. Have a old desktop dual with Win XP and DOS 6.3 (still like the old DOS Games). Have a laptop With Win 7 and another with Ubuntu 11.04.
I have XP on my three primary machines (one for everyday use, one with a stereo attached for converting 78′s (I’m that old), tapes, and LPs to CDs, and a video editing setup), two machines still running well Windows 98 (lots of stuff still stored on them), and I’ve kept one with DOS. Packed away is my first computer, a Radio Shack Color Computer.. if I could find the game “Linus” on a PC, I’d get rid of it.
Long Live XP
4/5 computers are running win7 in this house.
My gaming rig is running Ult. 64bit.
The media computer, Mom’s, and Dad’s PCs are running win7 Home Premium.
My brother’s is on XP because he doesn’t really use the computer much.