OS Smackdown: Linux vs. Mac OS X vs. Win Vista vs. Win XP

The war over desktop operating systems has raged, with each side proclaiming the unrivaled superiority of its chosen OS and the vile loathsomeness of all others. Computer world asked four experts to lay out their best arguments in support of their desktop operating systems of choice.

Linux: Light on its feet and ready to strut its stuff

If running Adobe Premiere is the most important thing in your life, or you want to play Halo, Linux isn't going to do it for you, at least not at the moment. While most Windows software can run under Linux in one fashion or another, applications that make extensive use of hardware drivers or high-end graphics may not work right.
But for everything else, Linux is definitely the way to go.

Unlike Mac OS and Windows, Linux is free as air and open to development by folks who are motivated by the desire to make the technology better, rather than by corporate tech farms whose real interest is the bottom line.

Linux is free, fast, small, powerful, stable and flexible. It will get you off the "new hardware every other year" life cycle and let you concentrate on being productive rather than playing nursemaid to your operating system. You almost certainly already have Linux in your home or business, even if you don't know it.

Mac OS X: All you need in one dynamite package

If you want a simple-to-use computer that can run virtually any application you need on stylish hardware that gives you easy online access and instant connectivity to all types of satellite devices, just go to an Apple store and buy a Macintosh.

Apple capitalizes on its unique position as sole operating system designer, application developer, hardware engineer and media distributor, offering a seamless experience across its entire slate of product lines and services. Macs may not "just work" exactly 100% of the time, but they sure work when I need them to.

Windows Vista: the best there is

Vista, the operating system that people love to hate. The system that has been blamed, it seems, for everything from global warming to the U.S. economic meltdown.

The conventional wisdom is flat-out wrong. Vista is a solid, hard-working operating system that will run whatever software you need with simplicity and grace. And it doesn't suffer from the world of woes that affect its competitors.

If you want a safe, modern operating system that will run the software you want on reasonably priced hardware without requiring an advanced degree in geekology, Windows Vista is the only way to go.

Windows XP: The people's choice

Microsoft gamely touts increasing Vista adoption, but the backlash against XP's successor is unprecedented.

The operating system should be like a referee -- invisible and anonymous -- and that's exactly what XP does. It provides all the features I need in an environment that is completely familiar and easy to use.