[Burned Phoenix]

Installation


Windows 7

• Pros
  - Install is quick, easy and painless.
  - After working through a few wizard screens at the beginning, the install is automatic
  
• Cons
  - None really

Ubuntu 9.10

• Pros
  - Option to “try before you install” using the Live CD feature
  - Can easily install as a dual boot or even inside Windows using the Wubi installer
  
• Cons
  - Unless you’re luck to get a CD, you do have to mess about with .ISO files and burn a disc. If you’re happy doing that, it’s not really a problem.

Speed/Performance


Windows 7

• Pros
  - Both are excellent
  
• Cons
  - None really

Ubuntu 9.10

• Pros
  - Both are excellent
  
• Cons
  - None really

Software


Windows 7

• Pros
  - If you’re willing to pay, there’s a lot of software for the Windows platform
  - Equally, there’s a LOT of free stuff if you look around
  
• Cons
  - Bundled fayre is pretty poor

Ubuntu 9.10

• Pros
  - Comes complete with an excellent array of software
  - Access to, and installing, new software is a snap
  
• Cons
  - None really … just don’t expect to run Windows software (even if you do resort to Wine)

Media Support


Windows 7

• Pros
  - Excellent support for media formats, including DRMed media, out of the box
  
• Cons
  - Windows Media Player isn’t the best bit of software around

Ubuntu 9.10

• Pros
  - Good support for media formats
  
• Cons
  - If you want to play DVDs then you need to resort to “Restricted” codecs
  - Many media formats that use proprietary DRM just won’t work on Ubuntu because of DRM restrictions

Hardware support


Windows 7

• Pros
  - On the whole, Windows 7 offers excellent support for modern hardware right out of the box
  
• Cons
  - You might be out of luck with old hardware

Ubuntu 9.10

• Pros
  - Overall, hardware support is good, and getting better
  - On really low-end hardware you can substitute Ubuntu for Xubuntu
  
• Cons
  - There are no guarantees
  - There’s no “Works with Linux” logo that buyers can look for when buying new hardware

Source: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

[Genius314]

I doubt it's fair that I voted, since I haven't tried either yet.
But I prefer Ubuntu more for it's customization, so I picked that.

[pataoengineer]

I prefer Windows 7. The only reason is "It's very easy to install an application,
I don't need to google how to sudo make!!!".

[dtack68]

I can't do my job w/o Photoshop. GIMP cannot substitute for it.

And Ubuntu just feels weird and unfriendly.

[uch_haiden]

Picked Ubuntu this time (or Linux for that matter), Seven is just a glorified Vista. After Vista SP2 (+ latest updates), Seven is not worth the upgrade.

You can do much pretty everything in Ubuntu than Windows (from ancient to modern software/hardware). Heck Linux supports MS-DOS programs better than Vista or Vista Second Edition (Seven). Besides it takes fewer mouse clicks in installing Ubuntu plus its deployment is a hell lot easier.

This post has been edited by uch_haiden: 02 November 2009 - 12:56 AM

[PurplePeopleEater]

dtack68, on 31 October 2009 - 09:34 PM, said:

I can't do my job w/o Photoshop. GIMP cannot substitute for it.

And Ubuntu just feels weird and unfriendly.

This,

however photoshop isn't my job, but I just cant work with gimp.

Ubuntu, I like it it's cool but I just cant settle with it like I can windows

[ayoshi]

Windows OS is for everyday use. more applications to install.

Ubuntu Linux is for advance users because of its different commnands,
its free and secured too!
but it is improving and the only problems for ubuntu are the drivers.

[Munkypoo7]

Chose Win7

Although, Win7 will win, guaranteed, its simply more mainstream than Ubuntu... but as far as "rescue" disks, all I've ever used are Linux distro's... when the shit hits the fan, the simpler the OS, the better it is for recovery, thats where i tip my hat off to Linux

[LonghornGT]

I like Kubuntu because of the KDE desktop. Yes, I know about KDE on Windows project, but it's unstable and many features don't ported yet

[zool]

Hmm.. so hard to choose coz i didn't tested Karmic Koala yet - still waiting the CD..
About that Photoshop, i can agree on that. GIMP is quite hard for me although some of the functions is a lot better than Photoshop.
What i like about Ubuntu is that whole applications(from web, media player, explorer, dock, compiz, etc) are integrated seamlessly as if they are one unit. Everything can be connected inside Ubuntu..
For Windows, they just a lot easier to work with, especially games..

I wished someone could port Gnome-do to windows.. I used that dock too much - controlling media player, internet launch, file searching, terminal, launch files/apps, etc...

This post has been edited by zool: 01 November 2009 - 05:46 PM

[Gragier_521]

Both are great but I prefer Windows 7 because of gaming and the apps I'm addicted to.

[gergux]

Preferred OS Poll? Useless poll, we all already know that Windows will be the "Preferred Operating System"

I believe this is WinMatrix and not LinMatrix ..."Yet"

This post has been edited by gergux: 02 November 2009 - 03:29 AM

[doubletrance]

pataoengineer, on 01 November 2009 - 04:13 AM, said:

I prefer Windows 7. The only reason is "It's very easy to install an application,
I don't need to google how to sudo make!!!".

this.

[Borix]

W7 and Ubuntu 9.10 are not in the same league.

W7 wins because it is mainstream, but it is hard to ignore a free alternative.

[MidnightRider13]

Windows 7 - Simply because I'm more familiar with the Windows OS
However, for a free OS, Ubuntu and other Linux Distros really are amazing in my opinion. They're stable, lightweight, and almost infinitely customizable.