What OS do programmers use? [Poll]

(Steven Copeland) #1

What kind of OS do programmers use?

  • Windows 7+
  • Mac
  • Linux

0 voters

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Please post below if you have a different one. :point_down:

(Steven Copeland) #2

Please post and tell why to.

(David Leuliette) #3

Hello @StevenCopeland

 Mac OS because i work a a front-end developer.

  • No linux due to a lack of support for design software (Photoshop & Sketch)
  • No Windows because there is not en efficiency terminal for CLI
(Steven Copeland) #4

@flexbox I agree with you but I have always wanted to work on a Linux, because you can download things from the terminal(this might be true with an apple to as I have never worked with an apple) and then you don’t have to worry about downloading un-safe things.

(David Leuliette) #5

With https://brew.sh/ you can download a looooot of stuff :slight_smile:

(Steven Copeland) #6

Very true! :+1:

(Wayne) #7

Recently Mac-- I like having a stable unix environment. This is my first Mac (2015 MacBook Pro). I’ve used linux my entire college run. I switched over to Mac so I could have the best of all three worlds. I do some systems programming.

(Steven Copeland) #8

@leekew What did you think of Linux?

(Wayne) #9

I really don’t know. I’m not too attached to the operating system-- a lot of benefits you get from linux you also can get from using a Mac. That at least holds true for desktop computers. Servers are a very different animal. Linux certainly doesn’t try to hide things from you. Which is a curse and a blessing. You can break things pretty easily, but there’s ways to get around that. Like using git to track changes to configuration files, and easily reverting backwards when something breaks. Having a lot of control over your computer really takes you out of your shell and I think that made me a better programmer.

These were my primary tasks:

  • Writing Papers
  • Writing command line programs
  • Configuring different services

And it did these things very well.

Another thing to note is that open source tools and programs seem to work best on linux. But I think that’s because that’s their target platform.

(Steven Copeland) #10

Thanks! I wanted to know someones opinion on a Linux other than my brother! :smile:

(Michael Mior) #11

You absolutely still have to worry about downloading unsafe things on Linux-based operating systems just as much as you with any other OS. However, I believe it’s true that malware doesn’t target Linux as frequently as Windows or macOS.

(Douglas Urner) #12

Using OS X – my background is on Unix systems, so OS X is very familiar. My rational reasons for using a Mac are:

  • Unix OS and even better a Unix with Berkeley feel to it.
  • Availability of Adobe tools (primarily Photoshop and InDesign).
  • The control Apple exerts over the platform means that there are many fewer loose ends and details that I need to worry about. I can focus on my project and not get side tracked into figuring out how something works on my platform.
  • With a VM or Bootcamp I can run any other OS I need.

There are also some subjective / irrational reasons:

  • I care a lot about design and my design sensibilities line up well with Apple’s. I’m happier using a Mac than most PCs.
  • Apple gets a lot of functional stuff right (IMHO) so the machines are less annoying to use. A good example is that the Apple track pad actually works as intended for me. I’ve tried using a district issue HP machine and I’m always bumping the trackpad. So on that machine I need to disable the trackpad and use a mouse, which kills some of the portability of a laptop.
  • Durability and resale value are very good.
(Steven Copeland) #13

Thanks @DouglasUrner for replying!

(Rob Muhlestein) #14

Isn’t it amazing how something seemingly so minimal early on, a substantial command line terminal, would eventually cause developers to loathe and run from Windows. Problem is the entire underlying architecture does not play well with the a command line terminal (unlike /proc and /dev, etc in *nix).

(Steven Copeland) #15

@robmuh I use windows.

(Alexis Paques) #16

Linux as I need the full control of my machine. This is mainly because I am working on Embedded Software, Embedded Linux, custom Hardware, …

(ItsPugle) #17

I generally use MacOS, specifically Sierra, whenever I do front-end web work. Atom seems to work quite well on MacOS, as well as several differing Git GUI Clients, like GitHub Desktop, GitKraken and Tower. MacWorld UK wrote an article about the why developers often find MacOS to be best for programming.

Namely, features like the Unix Command line, and Apple’s XCode play a big part in that. However, if you prefer different operating systems, then nothing is holding you back from using those instead (except when they fall short) :stuck_out_tongue:

(Eric Kuha) #18

I flip flop between Linux and windows. My workstation is windows 7, my laptop is Ubuntu, my home computer is windows 10/Ubuntu 16 dual boot.

Linux is better for programming.

(Yokesh Rana) #19

who said linux photoshop office not possible iam using it …

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(Daven Paul Casia) #20

Linux. Its free and really cool to use. Font renders well too.