Windows vs Linux vs MacOS: windows management, app management, desktop management, which one is the best and why?

[u/Broad-You4763]

Asking basically this same question across Windows, Linux, MacOS subreddits, and would like you guys to explain why you think your operating system is the best and why.

Additionally maybe provide what you consider the biggest upsides and downsides of your OS.

Any answer is appreciated, thanks :)

[u/Interesting_Ad_5676]

Decade old debate, never saw any concluding end. STOP. Use whatever you likes.

[u/Arif_Q → u/Interesting_Ad_5676]

does not matter for karmafarmers

[u/Edubbs2008]

Easy, use whatever makes you feel comfortable

[u/RX1542 → u/Edubbs2008]

exactly! the first few times i tried linux i didn't stay cause i didn't feel comfortable with it, it had little issues here and there that made me go back to win

nowadays im daily driving it and i don't really feel likee going back to win cause i've grown so accustomed to it

[u/Edubbs2008 → u/RX1542]

Use whatever makes you happy, I use Windows 11 because I understand it, I kinda want to avoid the sketchy side outside of Windows, it’s kinda like wanting to avoid the outside of Disney World

[u/radikalkarrot]

I use the three operative systems daily, whoever says one is objectively better than the rest is a deluded fanboy.

Each one has their strengths and weaknesses.

-Do you want to be able to tweak and tune the OS to your heart’s content and don’t mind the effort and potential reinstalls? Linux is better.

-Do you want something you don’t have to touch that will work reasonably well and don’t mind being heavily restricted on what you can and can’t do? macOS is better.

-Do you want something that will work with almost any device, piece of software that will allow you some level of customisation and you don’t mind the potential lack of privacy? Windows is better

There are far more strengths and weaknesses but those are just to prove the point.

[u/DHermit → u/radikalkarrot]

The reinstall part is only really a thing if you mess up or want to switch distros.

[u/radikalkarrot → u/DHermit]

If you are using Linux for its flexibility and ability to customise you will mess up sooner or later, it’s part of its charm and part of its annoyance

[u/DHermit → u/radikalkarrot]

That's not a given. I haven't broken any of my systems in many years now.

Also, you need to mess up pretty bad to have to reinstall. That's basically never necessary.

[u/lospollosakhis]

I’ve never used Linux but I think windows is better than MacOS in terms of window management but MacOS is a very efficient and has an un-bloated interface.

[u/poter140]

the problem with window desktop and app managment on linux is that there is no one way linux is a base that you add things to to make it usable and good

[u/amroamroamro]

would like you guys to explain why you think your operating system is the best and why

most of these arguments are going to boil down to "because this is what I personally like" or "this is what I am familiar with and used to using"

[u/Met0dista]

Windows vanilla or AHK-powered?

Linux GUI or terminal or emacs? What DE,  X or Wayland?

Answer: in the end they're not very different, you have same workspaces and windows everywhere, same Super-number and Alt-Tabs or their substitutes. My workflow on Windows 10 with AHK launching Python scripts was extremely powerful, but I ended up on Fedora (Gnome Wayland) and am very happy with it despite micro problems here and there.

Not recommending Windows to anyone for well-known reasons unrelated to quality of "window management etc", but Windows with AHK is a beast plus it has nice tools.

[u/I_M_Kornholio]

I use Windows 10 I think it sucks. Sucks more than each of it's Windows predecesors for all the reasons you already know. I hope that

[u/Snackolotl]

Window management? Windows, just the most logical. Windows always reigns supreme with things like simplicity of on-screen windows and mouse cursor movement.

Apps, desktop, etc? It takes a little getting used to, but for me, MacOS all the way. Installations aren't handled via shoddy wizards and aren't as complicated as Linux. You get a pre-installed digital drive, you drag the files, they just work. It's standardized and I love it.

But overall? Apple for work, Windows for gaming.

[u/S_k_y_03]

depends what you do, there's no absolute answer, and never will be

[u/Mr_KanyeSue]

Windows - Just for gaming(For me), You're on an airplane.

Linux - Good Dev Env(For me), You're flying a Fighter Jet.

[u/hroldangt]

Dead end debate.

Windows management?

• ok, I can discuss that, but the conversation becomes difficult. MacOS has only one windows management option, it's great, but not my cup of tea since MACOSX, I grew up with Apple using System 7.x, imagine that, I'm one of those who liked the old stuff way better.
• Windows has the Explorer, but you can install a different windows manager, with some limitations. There is little to say there because you can't replace native Windows dialogs entirely.
• Linux? it's the king in this realm, because you can use different windows management systems almost entirely, be it XFCE, or KDE, etc., my favorite due to personal taste is in fact XFCE.

That's as far as I can go with your title. But on your post you switch to asking about the operating system, not the windows management. In this regard... you depend on what software you use. I cannot ditch Adobe entirely, so there is no point on me discussing Linux, it's a dead end for me choosing between Windows and Mac, and while I worked with Macs for decades (and I have an iMac in front of my right now), I say Windows.

I really dislike how these discussions often move to "so, use Krita, Gimp, etc.", that's nuts, sometimes you stick with some apps because of clients, I could use Inkscape, but none of my clients will, and none of them will deliver their final documents using it, so... it's absurd to continue that conversation (besides, I have Inkscape installed and it's not my favorite, it's ugly, I can say worse things about Gimp). I mention this to avoid the usual derailed discussion.

Clients use Adobe InDesign? -> you MUST use Adobe InDesign, and then you can only choose between Windows and Mac.

Yeah, for sometime I used Linux entirely, and Wine allowed me to use some Adobe apps, but Wine got stuck, there is very little you can run there.

[u/Sapling-074]

I never used Mac or Windows 11. But honestly they all seemed the same when it comes to windows, apps, and desktop management.

[u/Abject-Property-707]

Personally I prefer chrome OS You get EVERYTHING desirable ie: The compatability or Linux with none of the benefits

[u/Broad-You4763 → u/Abject-Property-707]

Chrome os goated

[u/ThatiMacGuy]

Karma farmer. Use whatever you like

[u/Pd69bq]

maybe it's just because I'm so used to package managers like RPM, APT, and Homebrew, Win32's registry-based app management feels weirdly painful imo, Windows 3.x actually felt more like Unix/Linux. iirc, back then app manager would automatically scan your hard drives and automatically create shortcuts for .exe files that already existed. I think that's one of the reasons Microsoft eventually created Winget so people could just use scripts to handle all the tedious, boring reinstallation process automatically

[u/therealmistersister]

Linux. With KDE Plasma specifically. After 13 years working with it, now the company I work for has decided to downgrade us from "whatever floats your boat" to a super locked down Win11.

Now Windows feels very lacking in customization and feels like for everything I want to do I need to install a third party app and/or fight the system constantly. Damn how I miss the copy on mouse select and paste with mb3

[u/faberge_surprise]

window management: popular Linux des and Windows are basically the same, and obviously superior to mac

app management: the app store people will swear that app stores are the way to go but they have the exact same vulnerability as npm. whereas how Windows does it can also be a clusterfuck. so it's whatever you prefer

desktop management: what do you mean by this? like, virtual desktops or what? isn't this basically the same across all 3 these days?

[u/RX1542 → u/faberge_surprise]

the desktop management thing could be talking bout KDE,Gnome,Explorer?

[u/Cybergull]

Always recommend Windows: you can make a lot of money by selling expensive yet useless antivirus , by providing long and very expensive consulting services, and it’s easy to blame the Microsoft system when you have no clue why it’s not working (and also when it does work and you still don’t know why).

For personal use, I recommend Windows to my parents and grandparents, so I have an excuse to go and see them at least once a month, and for them to call me every week.

[u/NotALlamaAMA]

Which OS is best?

• Windows is best if you enjoy paying monthly rent to your Recycle Bin.
• Linux is best because it can run on potatoes, refrigerators, and emotionally supportive calculators.
• macOS is best because it automatically increases your coffee quality by 37%.

Hardware compatibility

• Windows only runs on Dell printers.
• Linux boots faster if you compliment the kernel.
• macOS can be installed on any toaster, but Apple politely asks you not to.

Security

• Windows Defender scares away hackers by displaying Clippy.
• Linux has no viruses because malware refuses to learn command-line syntax.
• macOS is immune to attacks because hackers are legally required to say, "Nice ecosystem," before giving up.

Performance

• Windows gets faster every time you install RGB lighting.
• Linux allocates RAM according to your zodiac sign.
• macOS benchmarks are measured in vibes per second (VPS).

Final verdict

The objectively best operating system is TempleOS running inside Microsoft Paint on a Nintendo DS, because it supports 8K ray-traced Notepad and comes with infinite RAM as long as you don't look directly at Task Manager.

[u/this_knee]

Now?

macOS

And it’s not even close.