Completely unscientific poll/curiousity: OSes and CPU architectures

[Prob Lem]

Just idly curious about this one, guys, and I'm not at all looking for a debate, argument, or whatever, about the topic - I'd imagine that most folks here are more than logical enough to be aware that folks use whatever happens to suit them best and that that's the end of it. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" />

Anyway, I was just wondering what folks' preferred computer operating systems and CPU architectures are? I'm randomly curious as to what the spread of them is for the folks on the forum here.

For my part, I use Linux, and also, less-frequently, RISC OS, and my devices are 90% ARM-based. I have only two x86 boxes, one because a workhorse machine died on me and I needed a replacement urgently, and another mostly due to one legacy task (ripping game CDs I've bought for emulation purposes, using a particular program which I run under WINE) for which there is not any ARM Linux equivalent yet; Usermode WINE + qemu was broken on ARM the last time I checked, but once it's fixed, I'll be good to go with switching over to 100% ARM boxes. (The power-savings from ARM are immense, after all, and I have no real need for the wasteful x86 architecture, hence the goal to switch over to ARM-based computers fully.)

My machines used to be 100% PowerPC-based, but PPC processors in consumer hardware became harder to get hold of after Apple stopped using them, unfortunately.

What about the rest of you?

[Proxima]

I'd imagine that most folks here are more than logical enough to be aware that folks use whatever happens to suit them best and that that's the end of it. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" />

Not entirely true -- that choice can be dictated by many circumstances. Natsuki is running Windows Vista, because that's what she came with, and my needs are simple enough that I don't really mind what OS I use. In general terms I'd prefer to use a Mac, but I started using Windows when my sister went to university and I got her old machine, and now I have quite a lot of stuff (mostly games) that wouldn't run on a Mac. I still have one, but I don't use it any more, except to try out various challenges on Mac Lemmings and ONML.

[Mr. K]

Wow, I've never actually run into someone who uses ARM seriously.  Didn't realize it was actually viable considering that you're basically stuck if you ever happen to need anything proprietary, because nobody really touches that kind of stuff for non-x86 platforms.

I just run bog standard x86 hardware.  It's easy and widely supported.  I run quite a variety of OSes based on needs... I sometimes feel like I don't have a home.

I use Windows on my most powerful box because it was built for gaming, and obviously you're not going to find games anywhere else.  I find myself doing a lot of work on it, too-- just feels right and when it comes to special, specific-use software Windows is typically where you're going to find it.  However, I find it to be rather heavy and out of my control, even after lots of tweaking.  It's also only customizable up to a point, which sucks when you want to try putting together a consistent look and feel.

I also have a MacBook and obviously run OS X on it.  This made sense at the time I bought it, as I was working on graphics/artsy stuff.  Also Mac hardware just seems to have the superior notebook experience-- great battery life, decent weight, and a superb trackpad.  While I always really like OS X when I start using it for the first time after a while (dating back to the PowerPC days when I would use friends' machines) I find that the longer I use it at a time... the more I dislike it.  Things just seem way too big and the UI doesn't give me the right feedback (wish I could describe that better).  Finder is junk when trying to manage large amounts of files.  I also have trouble finding software for specialty tasks sometimes.  On the other hand I like its implementation of virtual workspaces, full screen apps, and window management-- and how it ties into the trackpad's multitouch gestures.  However, the notebook experience is decent enough that I keep using it as opposed to selling it off.  Although, if they got the discrete/integrated GPU switching to work on Windows (thus keeping the battery life acceptable), I would probably just install Boot Camp and stay there.

I also use Linux, though mostly as a hobby for now.  In the long run, I would like to switch entirely to it.  I absolutely adore the deep level of control I have over the system, the vast customization and choices of desktop environments/window managers, and cool tricks I can pull off.  I love how in certain distros I can pick EXACTLY what I need and nothing more.  It's true efficiency.  I do feel it's better at having specialty stuff than OS X, but not as good as Windows in that way-- and they're mostly command line so that kinda sucks unless you take the time to script things out (though once you do that, it's awesome).  On the other hand, it's annoying that you pretty much have to depend on your distro's packaging system or compile stuff to get it to work-- you can't just drop binaries around as much like on Windows.  Could be annoying if you ever want to use an older piece of software for some reason (could see this applying to games for instance).  On Windows that's easy, but on Linux not so much.  You're pretty much stuck with whatever is current unless you run an ancient distro, but then of course you don't get current software.  You can't mix and match.

I guess overall that makes me a Windows guy... I get the most useful work done with it right now.  You really just can't beat something that widely supported.

[ccexplore]

and now I have quite a lot of stuff (mostly games) that wouldn't run on a Mac.

I guess overall that makes me a Windows guy... I get the most useful work done with it right now.  You really just can't beat something that widely supported.

I think that pretty much covers it, people are using what they are using due to a combination of "this app I can't live without only runs on this" and "inertia: if it ain't broken I ain't disturbing it".

==========================

Yeah, ARM definitely is more power efficient.  It is enough of a consideration that for example, even Microsoft made an ARM version of Windows for Windows 8 for their "RT" tablets, with something like twice the battery hour compared with their "Pro" version that uses Intel CPUs (granted, the Pro tablet also has more demanding overall hardware specs as well IIRC).  It is also interesting that one of the main complains (besides all the controversy around Windows 8 itself, not going there http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/winktounge.gif" alt=";P" title="Wink-Tongue" class="smiley" />) with their ARM tablets is precisely that they can't run any existing x86 Windows programs, circling back to the "my killer app only runs on this" powerful reasoning above.

[Prob Lem]

Wow, I've never actually run into someone who uses ARM seriously.  Didn't realize it was actually viable considering that you're basically stuck if you ever happen to need anything proprietary, because nobody really touches that kind of stuff for non-x86 platforms.

Really, it's viable if you don't need that sort of stuff, heh. And I don't; Everything I do is platform-agnostic, so I'm free to use what I get along with best, and have long since escaped lock-in. I don't miss it. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/laugh.gif" alt=":D" title="Laugh" class="smiley" />

EDIT: I'd love to add a 68k Amiga into the fold at some point, too, but I can't really justify that at this time, as I'm unsure that I'd be able to put it to productive use. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" />

EDIT 2: Looks like my requirement for that one x86-only program that I use WINE for has been put to an end, https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?pid=430973#p430973" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">thanks to this! http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/thumbsup.gif" alt=":thumbsup:" title="Thumbs Up" class="smiley" /> I'm good to go for a 100% ARM setup, once my current hardware comes to the end of its useful life, now. Sweet! (And right after I've started a Lemmings-based series of hostnames for my gear, too!)

Also, I'm very, very sorry for this, but I actually completely forgot to respond to Proxima earlier. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/sad.gif" alt=":(" title="Sad" class="smiley" />

I'd imagine that most folks here are more than logical enough to be aware that folks use whatever happens to suit them best and that that's the end of it. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" />

Not entirely true -- that choice can be dictated by many circumstances. Natsuki is running Windows Vista, because that's what she came with, and my needs are simple enough that I don't really mind what OS I use. In general terms I'd prefer to use a Mac, but I started using Windows when my sister went to university and I got her old machine, and now I have quite a lot of stuff (mostly games) that wouldn't run on a Mac. I still have one, but I don't use it any more, except to try out various challenges on Mac Lemmings and ONML.

Isn't that just another definition of what suits a person, though, albeit in a more roundabout way? http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/smiley.gif" alt=":)" title="Smiley" class="smiley" /> Anyhow, I hope that my intended meaning was somewhat clear, either way. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/scared.gif" alt=":scared:" title="Scared" class="smiley" />