If you want to upgrade your computer or buy a new one, you should know that the operating system is the backbone of how it interfaces with you and the choice you make will have a big impact on how you will be able to use your PC. To get an informed operating system, consider what you will use it for, your budget and your future needs.
1. Consider the ease of use
You will need to take into account the learning time that you will need if you are not familiar with an operating system. The ease of use of macOS has been its best-selling point over the past few years. Linux has long been the most difficult to implement and operate, but newer distributions of this system tend to catch up with Windows and macOS very quickly in terms of the convenience of setting up and operating a computer.
2. Define the software you will use
Windows generally offers the highest level of software compatibility, because most commercial programs were designed for use with this system. Mac offers a large library of software specific to it, while Linux offers a very large number of free and open source options for commercial software.
3. Learn about safety
Windows is by far the most prevalent system and is therefore also the most vulnerable to viruses, although almost all of these can be avoided by developing healthy surfing habits. Historically, Mac has suffered very few virus attacks, although it seems that this fact has been evolving for some time. Linux remains the most secure of systems for now, because any program requires authorization from administrator to be installed, modified or executed.
4. Consider the range of games available
If you are an avid gamer, the choice in this area will have a very strong influence on the system offering the greatest availability in this direction. Windows is by far at the forefront of the video game market, but newer versions of Mac and Linux are now offering more and more.
5. Define your audiovisual editing tools needs
If you edit a lot of images, videos, and soundtracks, Macs are the go-to as they come standard with powerful editing programs for these kinds of activities and many people prefer to use Photoshop on a Mac.
Windows also offers a lot of options, most of which are chargeable. On the other hand, Linux does not offer a very wide choice in this field of activities, most of the editing programs there are open source solutions whose characteristics and functionalities correspond to the most popular commercial products. They are, however, a bit more difficult to handle and seem less powerful than their Windows counterparts.
6. Compare programming tools
If you are developing software, you need to compare the different options available on each platform. Linux is the best choice for desktop software development, while Mac will be very efficient for iOS application development. A large number of free and open source integrated development (IDE) environments and compilers are available for all operating systems.
Thanks to the large amount of source code available in Linux, it is possible to use a lot of examples when learning a programming language.
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7. Define what you will need for your business
If you are running a business and need to decide which system will work best for your people, you will need to keep a few considerations in mind. A group of machines running Windows will cost much less than the same number of PCs running macOS, but those running macOS will prove to be much better suited for creating commercial content such as text, images, videos or sounds.
When you computerize your business, all computers should be running the same operating system for easy networking and greater compatibility between them. Windows is cheaper and may seem more familiar to you than macOS, but it also offers a lot less security.
8. Choose between 32- and 64-bit architectures
Most computers now ship on a 64-bit architecture. This conformation offers greater speed and better management of memory and multitasking, and your hardware must be able to support it in order to be able to derive the best benefits from a 64-bit operating system.
Programs intended for a 32-bit architecture generally have no problems running on 64-bit systems, but it is best to be sure when purchasing them.
9. Evaluate the costs of the operating system
If you buy a computer with the operating system already installed, it is included in the purchase price of the hardware. However, if you are going to upgrade a system like macOS, it will cost you $ 120-140 less than if you want to buy a new version of Windows.
If you are building your own computer, you will have to choose between the cost of Windows and the usability of Linux. Almost all Linux distributions like OpenSuse, Ubuntu or Linux Mint to name a few, are free.
10. Purchase the “full” version of your operating system, not the “upgrade” version
If you’ve taken a good look at what’s going on with Windows, you might have noticed that Microsoft produces a standard version of a given system and then sells its upgrades. It is better to buy the standard version rather than the upgrade. It will cost you more, but you will save yourself a lot of inconvenience. If you want to install this copy of Windows on your computer, you will need to install an older version of it before you can use the upgrade version.
Conclusion
You don’t have to limit yourself to just one operating system. Windows and Linux can coexist on a single hard drive, and you have the flexibility to choose which to boot to when you turn on your computer. Using a Windows product does not prevent you from installing Linux or BSD in parallel on the same computer.
