Which are the best OSs made by Microsoft?

[Gaeko]

Hi,

This is the first poll I ever made.
If there are any problems with the poll, please correct me. :)

Which are the best Operating Systems made by Microsoft, in your opinion?

Thanks.

[ASpace]

Hmmm , the poll is not very correct but ...

In my opinion , Windows XP is so far the best operating system when it comes to stability , resourse-consumption and usability .

Windows Vista/7 are not bad , too , but XP is better for the majority of users .

When it comes to servers - Windows 2003 and 2008 Server are both OK , I can't say which one is better (btw , you haven't included them in the poll selection).

[Gaeko]

-{ Quote: "Hmmm , the poll is not very correct but ...

In my opinion , Windows XP is so far the best operating system when it comes to stability , resourse-consumption and usability .

Windows Vista/7 are not bad , too , but XP is better for the majority of users .

When it comes to servers - Windows 2003 and 2008 Server are both OK , I can't say which one is better (btw , you haven't included them in the poll selection)." }-

Ooops, I'm sorry.
I could't think of any Server editions...
A failure again... :'(

[icr]

My Vote goes to XP :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

[lodore]

Windows 2000,Xp and vista.
Xp is good but its to dated now. windows 2k is a great OS but its very old now.
vista is better and finaly able to run as standard user account all the time. tons of under the hood changes XP-vista which people dont relise.
windows 7 is a tweaked version of vista which is faster and has some nice features such as new taskbar etc etc. I may acually buy it. normally i wait until i get a new PC but i do like windows 7 alot.

if i had listened to all the bad press about vista i would of got XP. im glad I ignored it and tryed vista since it is alot better than XP.
before SP1 parts of vista did crash alot such as sidebar,media player,IE etc but i didnt get a bsod or anything like that.

btw i only had two crashes with windows 95 in 4 years. i didnt use it online thou.

[AKAJohnDoe]

It can be argued that everything prior to NT was not an operating system as they ran on top of DOS. And actually, so did Windows 95 (if you renamed win.com it would boot into DOS).

[Bob D]

XP pro
My experience:
Windows 3.x would crash a couple times a month.
Windows 95 would crash a couple times a week.
Windows 98 daily.
2000, XP are generally quite stable.

I cannot comment on Vista / 7 as I've no experience.

[the Tester]

Another vote for XP here.

[bigc73542]

Windows 2000,Xp and vista with out doubt.

bigc

[JRViejo]

While there is no "best" of anything, Win XP, especially after SP2 came out, wins my vote. Honorable mention: Vista, after SP1.

[Arup]

XPx64 which is based on bullet proof enterprise 2003x64, it has best of both worlds, XP's native GUI with 2003's solid core.

[Kerodo]

I must be somewhat old fashioned, but my vote goes to Windows 2000. I've used it for years, longer than any other, and loved it. Was hard to let go of that one....

[egghead]

XP Pro :thumb: 8)

YES !

[Osaban]

Windows 7, IMO. It is already impressive as a RC, by the time it is officially released it's going to have the speed of XP plus the security and visual appeal of Vista.

[Gaeko]

Hi all,

Windows Server 2000
Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2008

are missing.

And...
-{ Quote: "It can be argued that everything prior to NT was not an operating system as they ran on top of DOS. And actually, so did Windows 95 (if you renamed win.com it would boot into DOS)." }-
You are right.

This poll is a total mess.
Sorry. :-[
Hope the administrator add/delete it for me. :-\

[m00nbl00d]

I voted for Windows 98 SE, Windows Vista and Windows 7.

[ASpace]

-{ Quote: "It can be argued that everything prior to NT was not an operating system as they ran on top of DOS. And actually, so did Windows 95 (if you renamed win.com it would boot into DOS)." }-

It would be so much fun if somebody votes for Win 1.0 or 3.1 (for e.g.) to be the best OS Microsoft has ever created ;D ;D ;D

-{ Quote: "Windows 3.x would crash a couple times a month.
Windows 95 would crash a couple times a week.
Windows 98 daily." }-

I also have bad memories of Windows 98

[tipstir]

There are different types of OS family:

OS Client
OS Server

OS Client
Windows XP Professional

OS Server
Windows 2000 Advanced Server
Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition
Windows 2003 Server Enterprise Edition

Everything else throughout the years from DOS, Windows 3.0, Windows for Workgroups, Windows NT, Windows 95, Windows 98 SE Windows ME these had a lot of issues back then. If it wasn't for Windows 2000 Professional and Windows XP Professional they weren't so bad. Today more of us use Windows XP than Windows Vista. Vista you have to use with your new Dual Core, of course many of us can't use it because of drivers not available.

Windows 7 (just have to see how it goes when it's standard)
Btw way you forgot to mention Windows for Workgroups on your poll list..

[Gaeko]

-{ Quote: "There are different types of OS family:

OS Client
OS Server

OS Client
Windows XP Professional

OS Server
Windows 2000 Advanced Server
Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition
Windows 2003 Server Enterprise Edition

Everything else throughout the years from DOS, Windows 3.0, Windows for Workgroups, Windows NT, Windows 95, Windows 98 SE Windows ME these had a lot of issues back then. If it wasn't for Windows 2000 Professional and Windows XP Professional they weren't so bad. Today more of us use Windows XP than Windows Vista. Vista you have to use with your new Dual Core, of course many of us can't use it because of drivers not available.

Windows 7 (just have to see how it goes when it's standard)
Btw way you forgot to mention Windows for Workgroups on your poll list.." }-

Sorry. :-[
This poll is a mess as usual.
I shouldn't make any polls from now on.
Sorry guys :'(

[noone_particular]

-{ Quote: "It can be argued that everything prior to NT was not an operating system as they ran on top of DOS. And actually, so did Windows 95 (if you renamed win.com it would boot into DOS)." }-
That's a rather misleading argument since DOS itself is an operating system.

I use Win2000, 98 and 98SE, depending on what I'm doing. For normal, everyday usage, 98FE gets used the most. For me, it's been very stable, and fast.

[tipstir]

-{ Quote: "That's a rather misleading argument since DOS itself is an operating system.

I use Win2000, 98 and 98SE, depending on what I'm doing. For normal, everyday usage, 98FE gets used the most. For me, it's been very stable, and fast." }-

DOS was the start then the OS Shells like Windows .. No matter what DOS is still around... Do CMD part of the old DOS code and command tools is still coded within Windows OS.

[quintile]

XP-

-{ Quote: "This poll is a mess as usual." }-

Gaeko, you did fine! If this was just a reg forum, your list would've been enough.
But this is a forum with peeps try'n every OS and prog under the sun..

It could've been worse, ya could've asked "what's your fave linux distro'.. ;D

[GlobalForce]

If you were to ask my ex-DOS-junkie-boss he'd swear by 6.22. 'Course, he'd probably approve the well matured FreeDOS too!

[mercurie]

XP with 2000 close behind.

[m00nbl00d]

-{ Quote: "

[...]

[...] Vista you have to use with your new Dual Core, of course many of us can't use it because of drivers not available.
" }-

That's not true. This system (laptop) I am right now, runs Windows Vista Home Premium just fine, and has a Intel Pentium M 730, which is a single core processor.

[Pedro]

-{ Quote: "It would be so much fun if somebody votes for Win 1.0 or 3.1 (for e.g.) to be the best OS Microsoft has ever created ;D ;D ;D
" }-
Ok, just or you, 3.1.

[tipstir]

-{ Quote: "If you were to ask my ex-DOS-junkie-boss he'd swear by 6.22. 'Course, he'd probably approve the well matured FreeDOS too!" }-

Actually 4 and 5 were the best DOS, but no matter what DOS has it's hooks in the OS today.

IBM PCDOS
MSDOS
NDOS (norton dos)
DRDOS
etc..

[jadinolf]

At my age (75) I hope to go the rest of my life with Windows XP. I don't know what Microsoft plans to do about supporting it in the future.

I have XP on 4 computers and therefore am sitting on $400 worth of the Operating System.

[Saint Satin Stain]

Windows 98SE for its time, then 2000, but the best, so far is Windows XP Pro SP3. Windows 7 has to be really great to beat Windows XP Pro SP3.

[Meriadoc]

Server 2003, 2003SBS, 2008 and Hyper-V

2000 and XP Professinal

[blacknight]

Do you need to ask ? :) XP Pro naturally ! With some transformation pack for the GUI, like Vista Inspirat...

[YeOldeStonecat]

-{ Quote: "Ooops, I'm sorry.
I could't think of any Server editions...
A failure again... :'(" }-

With every desktop version of NT, Microsoft had a server version.

3.1 Workstation was just called NT, and Server was Advanced Server

Windows NT 3.5 Workstation
Windows NT 3.5 Server
Both of the above weren't very well known, with NT 4 it started to become well known

Windows NT 4 Workstation
Windows NT 4 Server

Windows 2000 Professional
Windows 2000 Server

Windows XP
Windows 2003 Server

Vista
2008 Server

My vote would be for 2003 Server for the servers....I'm still warming up to 2008 server.

I'd say so far my vote for a desktop OS would be for XP..it had a much longer than usual lifespan. Vista has the bad rap of Windows ME. Windows 7 is looking very promising..but since it's not officially out yet..can't really count it.

[Az7]

.Windows Server 2008 R2

[c2d]

1.Windows 7-first impressions are very good and this could be the best OS-fingers crossed
1.Windows XP Pro-most stable OS from Microsoft
2.Windows 98-was my first OS

[Dude111]

-{ Quote: "I voted for Windows 98 SE" }-I would agree.....

Win98se is superb :)

[Gullible Jones]

2003 Server and XP, in that order.

[Wildest]

I voted for XP.

My first Microsoft text-based OS was MSDOS 4.01.
My first Microsoft GUI-based OS was Windows 3.1.

Windows XP was the first Microsoft OS that I did not feel a deep annoyance when using it.
In other words, it was good enough.
Decent stability (I can have uptimes without system crashes for 9+ months, disregarding questionable necessity of reboots for updates), decent multitasking, fantastic compability...

IMO it is the first OS that Microsoft made that just stays out of the way; what an OS should do!

Vista/Windows 7 doubles the system requirements just so that I can see windows flying around; not my idea of an OS that is staying out of the way!

Actually Windows Server 2003 and 2008 are very good; unfortunately they are only directed at corporations who won't tolerate needless crap, unlike the glitz-dazzled average consumer.

[doug6949]

DOS 6.22

Just try writing a real time I/O control program in any windows environment.

[Nick Rhodes]

XP sucked when it first came out !
XP became really solid when SP2 came out and IMO is the best desktop OS they made when they finally got it sorted out performance issues and got networking fixed.
Win 2K was a good effort and IMO gets a close second before being quite a good complete package (for its time).

I would say they got things right with Server 2003. Its still not as reliable as our Linux servers, but not bad enough to be annoying.
Win2k Server had far too many security issues with IIS (we got hacked) and running SQL Server required too many reboots due to memory leaks that simply don't happen with Server 2003.

Still they all beat ME. I remember my Uncle getting a new HP from PC World with ME and blue screening on its first boot and being told that its perfectly normal :D .

[StevieO]

Perfectly normal for ME, maybe lol.

Never used it, but i've heard many times it was just a cludge to boost sales between OS's. Bad move by MS, and of course those poor soles who coughed up $ for it !

[acr1965]

Maybe should have had an option for XP Pro?

[Kerodo]

-{ Quote: "Maybe should have had an option for XP Pro?" }-
I think that's what "XP" is for......

[Pedro]

Perhaps he means that we could differentiate further what people use, in this case the most used OS.
However, since it's about "best", it's Pro for a fact.

[TonyW]

I've used Windows 3.0, 3.1, 95, 98, 98 SE, ME, XP & Vista; out of those, XP has been the best for me.

[wtsinnc]

I give XP/SP-2 a slight edge over Windows 2000/SP-4 only because XP has the advantage of being the newer OS and benefiting from lessons learned from W2K.
I would love to use Windows 2000 but my Dell E-510 won't properly display it due to the lack of proper drivers. I can get it about 75% correct, but that's not good enough.
There is also the problem of secure browsing. If you must use Internet Explorer, you must use IE6 or earlier- not good at all.

Vista was a half-baked idea upon it's release and then, MS turned off the oven !

Windows 7 looks to be a real and honest effort and while I plan to stick with XP, I believe W-7 will be a market success.

[Keyboard_Commando]

I'd like to know who the one person is that voted ME - that is surely a trolling effort.

ME was the first OS I used and it was criminally unstable. Thankfully XP came soon and rescued me from the damnation of 99% cpu usage & BSOD.

[michaelboredatwork]

Vista & its not even close... All the others crashed too much & vista was a complete disaster.

I'm expecting windows 7 to be something like vista again + i'll need a computer so powerful to run it that the drivers wont be made yet :(

Actually the hardware to run it wont be around until 2025... and thats the year of the terminator :o

[Kerodo]

-{ Quote: "Vista & its not even close... All the others crashed too much & vista was a complete disaster.

I'm expecting windows 7 to be something like vista again + i'll need a computer so powerful to run it that the drivers wont be made yet :(

Actually the hardware to run it wont be around until 2025... and thats the year of the terminator :o" }-
Windows 7 runs fine right now with most Vista drivers etc. It's very clean, and much lighter than Vista overall. I'm sold..... :)

[acr1965]

-{ Quote: "Perhaps he means that we could differentiate further what people use, in this case the most used OS.
However, since it's about "best", it's Pro for a fact." }-
Yes. I would have differentiated between XP and XP Pro. I would have to then pick XP Pro from the bunch. I am not so sure between XP Home and Vista Home Premium, for instance. So Vista should have been differentiated between Home Basic through Ultimate. For instance, example only, there may be a significant population of people who would consider XP Pro over Vista Basic but maybe not over Vista Business.

[ASpace]

So , what's wrong with the home editions ? XP Home is something less than XP Pro because of some not so big differences ? Well , these are editions - the OS is Windows XP