People constantly say one is the best for everything, but anyone who has worked with computers long enough knows that there is not necessarily one best solution for everything. So therefore, I will try to lay out clearly and in plain english the advantages and disadvantages of the three in the way that I see it.
Windows
Although this applies to most modern windows platforms, I would like to note that I tend to use Windows XP more than Windows Vista, so the review will tend to favor that version.
Advantages:
- Most common OS in the world, with millions of apps worldwide made for it
- Easy to use, yet with a decent degree of easy to get to control.
- Program for anything you need, almost anything you can find on another OS, you can find on windows
- Standardized installers and all applications have a very uniform look and feel
- Computer itself with basic OS is cheapest
- Can be virtualized
Disadvantages:
- Worst memory management of the three
- Difficult to customize
- Applications have to be updated separately using their own updaters
- Common Microsoft apps are expensive, plus licensing issues can crop up.
- Most computers put a lot of trialware and "crapware" on the new computers, making them feel slower.
- Drivers can sometimes be hard to locate, not work right, or be difficult to set up
- Although sometimes faster virtualized, it is slightly less efficient as a host and with less virtualization optimizations.
Mac
This is based off of primarily OS X, Leopard.
Advantages:
- Most ease of use
- Consistent interfaces
- Can run *some* windows apps in wine and some have Mac candidates
- Most linux apps can run on Mac OS X, but not all
- Easiest Application installation
- Consistent Hardware (No hardware incompatibilities or bad drivers, its all made by mac in a controlled environment to allow for this better compatibility.)
- Most things just work
- Better memory management
- Can run other OSs in a virtual machine with high efficiency.
- App Suites are mostly automatically updated through one updater
- Always *feels* fast due to handing off a lot of graphics to a dedicated GPU.
Disadvantages:
- Hardest for fine control and extreme customization
- Expensive Expensive Expensive
- Not *all* applications get a central updater, just some
- Some drivers just are not available for the Mac
- Cannot write to NTFS formated disks, which is the most common format for USB disks that are used on windows computers.
- Takes some getting used to if you tend to use other OSs such as Windows or Linux
- Cannot be virtualized
Linux
This is based on general Linux experience, although I tend to use openSuSE, Fedora, Ubuntu, Debian, and some other random distros.
Advantages:
- Tons of options and choices
- Drivers for almost everything, possibly the most compatible OS
- Runs on almost anything, even low powered computers
- Free, office suite and all
- Most distros have a single updater which means less background update processes
- Most customizable
- Applications for everything
- Best virtualizing host and memory management.
- Most degree of control and can be optimized for ones specific machine the best
- Can read and write NTFS from windows and can dual boot them all
Disadvantages:
- Tons of options and choices
- Complex install and requires knowledge about the OS (AKA, steep learning curve)
- Highly inconsistent interfaces and many options
- High terminal text based use
- *Feels* the most foreign to new users.
It is ironic, Linux's best asset is also its worst pitfall. It is so customizable and so optimize-able, that it sacrifices simplicity. If you look, I found less disadvantages, but the disadvantages are more notable to the average user than the other two OSs.
It is important to note that these are *not* the only three operating systems out there. Others still exist, although these three are commonly considered the most viable for desktop operating systems.
This comparison is geared towards those who have a moderate to low knowledge of computer operating systems, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments.
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