Top 10 Best Operating Systems

The world of operating systems is a vast and varied landscape, filled with numerous options, each with its own unique features and benefits. Your operating system choices range from the sleek and user-friendly interfaces of some, to the robust and highly customizable nature of others.

When voting, consider what you value most in an operating system. Is it ease of use? Flexibility? Security? Or perhaps it’s the support and community that comes with it?
The Top Ten
1 Windows 7

Windows 7 is the best OS from Microsoft I have ever experienced. It's easy to install, crash-free, and has fabulous graphics support for high-quality games and more. Windows Vista is the worst OS from Microsoft.

Very simple to install, and it has a better user interface as well as enhanced security features. The themes are also very good.

I tried Windows 10, and it had too many bugs for a system that has been out for over a year. I wasted untold hours trying to get sound back, only to have it revert to no sound again. Files couldn't be deleted, and so on. These are all bugs that developed after a few months of use. Microsoft apparently really wants you to use Windows 10, sacrificing your privacy and feeding you news with no way to opt-out of these intrusions.

Trying to go back to Windows 7 is difficult because the newest hardware is not compatible with it. You'll see more and more of this as they try to regain the control they ceded to individual users. I have to figure out how to load Windows 7 on a Samsung 950 Pro. Apparently, no one really knows or cares how this can be done. The future looks grim. You will be forced to use Windows 10 on upcoming Intel systems.

2 Ubuntu

Ubuntu is a mixture of Windows and Macintosh. It looks like a Mac, but its shortcut keys are similar to those of Windows. Great work, I love it.

For me, this is the only operating system where I can get any real work done. It's free, fast, reliable, stable, secure, and has everything I need as a developer. Everything that Windows offers is also available for Linux under a different name. All free, all legit. It's as easy and simple to use as Windows and also gives you access to more powerful features if you wish to use them. Unlike Windows, which either shields or outright prevents you from doing what you want, Linux doesn't impose these limitations. There are no constant updates, and it doesn't try to force you to do everything a certain way (their way). It also looks nice. Why more new computers don't ship with Linux Ubuntu installed is beyond me. 10/10.

3 Windows XP

First off, stop telling me how old Windows XP is and that I should upgrade to the latest OS. You should know that Windows XP is the best operating system Microsoft ever created, aside from the security issues it has always had. If you keep it clean and updated, it works. Then Microsoft started making really poor software. We all know about Vista. They tried a bit harder with Windows 7, but Windows 8 is pure junk. It's basically a poor imitation of Windows XP, with annoying tiles and missing many of XP's convenient configurations.

I would rather upgrade to Ubuntu, but it lacks in the software department. And let's not even talk about Apple, Inc. right now. People are going to continue to use XP, just like there are still people who use Windows 3.1, Windows 95, and 98. They need to return to the creation of software that has the stability and usability of XP and remove the tile-based interface found in Windows 8.

4 macOS (Mac OS X)

If people conducted an honest review of which operating system is the most stable, easiest to use, and most visually appealing, you just can't do better than the Mac. I use both XP and Mac at work, and there is no comparison. The only reason we use Windows at work is that there are thousands more programs available for it than for Mac. This makes it the only option for covering our specific business needs. Most people I know buy a lesser OS for similar reasons - gamers, for example, have to use Windows to access a full range of games. But being forced to use an OS doesn't make it better. If only more people would try out OS X, they'd never look back.

5 Windows 10

It is the most secure, reliable, and fastest operating system I have ever had. I have been using it since the upgrade was released, and not a single time has it crashed or lagged. I started with Windows 98 and have used every version of Microsoft OS for a considerable amount of time. This is the only operating system that I've never had to reinstall. You can trust it.

I was on Windows 7 before this, and while I can admit to not being fond of Windows 10 at the start, it grew on me. Windows 10 is the fastest OS I've ever used. It has its own integrated app store, so coupled with the new Windows Defender, viruses will be much less of a problem. Also, provided you have the supported hardware, it includes DirectX 12, which will speed up your game performance! So, yeah... Windows 10 is the best!

6 Android

It's really hard to define which is better if people don't know where they really belong. iOS is a pure OS. Most people are just forced into an impure version of Android. Their lack of knowledge about Stock Android makes them desire to have an iPhone. I personally prefer and recommend Android, especially the pure version. But it's best to stick with whatever OS or Android UI you like. Wealth should not affect our preferences. If I had more money, I would just buy the most expensive Stock Android phone.

Other devices with Android include Android TV for televisions, Android Auto for cars, and Wear OS for wristwatches, each with a specialized user interface. Variants of Android can also be found on game consoles, digital cameras, PCs, and other electronics. Most Android applications are written in Java, and as of August 2020, the Google Play Store has over 3 million Android applications published.

7 Windows 8

Windows 8 is a super fast and very elegant operating system. It runs all of "my" XP software even better than XP ever did! (Although apparently there are legacy programs that it does not get along with.) You get all the new features of a touchscreen (or you can just click on it or swipe with your mouse) and iPad-like apps, along with virtually every familiar and useful ability you've known from Windows 3.0 through Windows XP. (Yes, there is a desktop!) As with every new interface, some people need to learn that it takes a little effort and time to access all the new features and find where all the old standards are tucked away.

8 Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 is an underrated OS. It is what Windows 8 should have been. The biggest complaint from people who dislike this OS is the Metro Start Menu. Microsoft made a big mistake by ditching their classic start menu for the Metro Start Menu. By then, the high ground was lost in the public's mind to such an extent that the majority never gave it a fair trial. Most people don't even realize that you can install third-party programs like Classic Start and never see the Metro Menu again.

Windows 8.1 is more stable and bug-free than Windows 10, and it handles memory and disk management much better than Windows 10, from my experience. These factors make me continue to run Windows 8.1 today, and I'm not planning on upgrading until Microsoft stops supporting it.

9 Windows 2000

A very fast and functional operating system that works perfectly to be used in business settings. People would prefer it over Windows ME with all its bugs.

This was the OS my first computer used back in the late 2000s. It was used at the time. It was more stable than its predecessors and had the perfect amount of "old-school cool" from a modern standpoint. It was nifty as heck at the time, and there are still some features I miss as of this writing in 2020. I love how simple everything looks, as opposed to the flashy, "mobile-optimized" operating systems of today. I also like XP and 7, but I have to give 2000 the gold.

10 Linux Mint

I have most of the top 20 operating systems that I run on VMs to play with, but Mint is still my choice for everyday work. You can load different desktop environments on most Linux operating systems and tweak it to fit your needs.

My cloud servers run on Ubuntu. It helps a lot that Mint is largely based on Ubuntu. With such a huge support base for all major Linux distributions, I will probably never go back to anything other than Linux. I didn't switch to Linux because it was free. I switched because of its stability and speed. The system is rock solid. And don't tell me, Yeah, but what about software? I can do everything I need from Linux, and it is better. You just need to apply your mind and be open to investigating better options for completing tasks.

What you can do, since most Linux operating systems are free, is make a small donation every now and then. Alternatively, you can get involved by doing a bit of coding and publishing it back, or by open-sourcing some of your work. Then, everyone wins.

The Contenders
11 Arch Linux

Arch Linux is an independently developed, x86_64-optimized Linux distribution targeted at competent Linux users. It uses 'pacman,' its homegrown package manager, to provide updates to the latest software applications with full dependency tracking. Operating on a rolling release system, Arch can be installed from a CD image or via an FTP server. The default install provides a solid base that enables users to create a custom installation. In addition, the Arch Build System (ABS) provides a way to easily build new packages, modify the configuration of stock packages, and share these packages with other users via the Arch Linux user repository.

12 Windows 95

It introduced the start menu and the internet, and is perfect for multitasking. This operating system is revolutionary and nostalgic, despite its slow cursor, constant crashes, and bugs, which is understandable due to its age.

What happened to the original Windows? The Start Menu was the best invention ever by Microsoft, and they took it away in Windows 8. I mean, I'm a computer tech, and I'll be doing something in Windows 8 and hit some random key that brings up that dumb tile interface. I despise Windows 8, almost as much as I hate Vista and Windows Millennium Edition.

13 Windows 98

Best OS ever, even if it is manually done. It may not be a user-friendly OS like Windows 8 and Windows 7, but for me, it is the most perfect OS ever created. You can do anything in Windows 98 manually if you have the knowledge to do it. It may not have the best graphics like modern OSes and other stuff, but it's still a wonderful OS if you know how to use it. And I don't usually like the "loading stuff" every time I do something (Vista, 7, 8).

Windows 98 is generally considered the best OS in the world from Microsoft because you can do anything you want with it. It's totally open, understandable, and the fact is that all other Windows OS versions have this core inside them, with more or less new features. Also, it's hard to track over the internet, and you can also install it with a few tweaks on any modern computer.

14 FreeBSD

FreeBSD is one of the best OSes out there, able to rival the likes of Ubuntu and Windows 7.

It takes a bit of effort to set it up since it has no UI at first and needs drivers set up for it, but let me tell you, it's well worth installing.

Though it doesn't have much compatibility with apps, that's mostly because it's fairly esoteric in comparison to more mainstream OSes like Windows. Just install Wine, and those apps will work fine.

FreeBSD is an operating system used to power modern servers, desktops, and embedded platforms. A large community has continually developed it for more than thirty years. Its advanced networking, security, and storage features have made FreeBSD the platform of choice for many of the busiest websites and most pervasive embedded networking and storage devices.

15 Chromium OS

Chromium OS is a free and open-source operating system designed for running web applications and browsing the World Wide Web. It is the development version of Chrome OS, a Linux distribution made by Google.

Chromium OS is an open-source project that aims to build an operating system that provides a fast, simple, and more secure computing experience for people.

Can't run it on my 64-bit system, but it looks good, fast, secure, and crash-free. Also, Chromium is better than Chrome.

16 Slackware Linux

I have been using many varieties of operating systems in my work and lifetime, from the early CP/M days through IBM DOS, MDDOS, OS2Wrap, Mac OS, Windows, FreeBSD, and Linux. Each has an application that matches the needs of different user types.

Slackware has been around longer than most operating systems out there, and it doesn't come with a fancy GUI, etc. Instead, it forces you to think and learn how to build a tight, faster-than-most OS and customize it according to your preferences. Slackware is not suitable for newcomers to Linux who have migrated from Windows (which is where it gets its reputation of being hard to deal with). However, if you're seeking to understand the nitty-gritty of Linux, get a book or ebook on Linux administration and a copy of Slackware. By the end of the book, you will understand Linux and easily pass the Linux Admin Test, as well as be able to manage a system inside out, from the custom build of the OS to the graphical interface details.

If you are a user looking to "use" an alternative to MS Windows or macOS, then this is not the Linux distribution for you.

17 Fedora

I've used many, if not most, of the operating systems on here, going back to Amiga OS and DOS. I have lots of good feelings and nostalgia for many of them. Fedora 30 KDE, however, feels like an OS revolution in every way: fast, bleeding-edge, beautiful, easy to use, great for productivity and gaming, easy to download software, open source, and it never crashes unless you've done something to mess things up. It's highly optimizable. It's an operating system that I actually find fun to use - like I want to be "productive" using it. Why do I want to use it? Because everything is exactly where I want it to be, when I want it to be, how I want it to be. It gets out of the way and lets me work.

18 Microsoft Windows 3.1

Aside from MS-DOS 6.22, this is the first operating system I've learned and loved. It is a great leap from DOS, or even Windows 1, because of its multitasking capability. It is not limited to 640 KB of memory and takes advantage of the Intel 386 microprocessor. You can't appreciate this unless you've lived back in time.

This is where it started. True, you had to upgrade Windows and DOS separately, but you had fewer crashes and it was easier to repair. Win 95 and 98 weren't bad. Then we got XP through 8.1, with each version getting more and more bloated, requiring huge amounts of RAM just for the OS.

19 Google Chrome OS

The operating system is fast, secure, stable, lightweight, and easy to use. It's one of the best operating systems you could use since it works on low-cost computers, whether they are of good or bad quality.

My Chromebook boots in 7 seconds, so the difference between starting from off and from sleep is imperceptible. It's an ASUS C100PA-DB02, and it weighs less than 2 pounds. It has a great touchscreen, folds into a tablet, accepts freehand text input, and rotates the display as I rotate the screen. The screen is beautiful, and the keyboard only has keys for operations that I'll actually need to use. I can easily go for 2 days without having to charge it. I don't have to worry about virus protection or installing OS and application updates. Switching between apps is as simple as clicking on a different browser tab. Any printer visible on the network can be used as a cloud printer. I get 100 GB of free Google Drive storage for 2 years. My SSD is silent and cool and is far superior to a magnetic disk drive. Very high-quality apps are available, and they're usually free of charge. Best of all, it's so pleasant not having to constantly fight and fix Windows.

20 Windows Vista

Amazing operating system. Most people who disliked Vista were using it on underpowered computers. If you use it on adequate hardware that can fully utilize Vista's features, it's an amazing experience.

Vista was also very important in paving the way for newer versions of Windows, with many elements of that path still visible today. Windows 7, which is highly rated, would be very different without Vista.

With Service Pack 2, Vista became a great replacement for XP and an excellent OS in general. Unfortunately, it received heavy criticism from tech critics and users alike when it first launched, and for good reason. It ran slowly on most hardware, was buggy, and was packed with excessive features. However, issues were patched and features were streamlined, making it a great OS in the end.

All in all, Windows Vista is an amazing operating system that was sabotaged by a mediocre launch. I would definitely give it the number one spot, not for being the best, but for its importance in the Windows family.

21 GM-NAA I/O

The GM-NAA I/O input/output system of General Motors and North American Aviation was the first operating system for the IBM 704 computer. It was created in 1956 by Robert L. Patrick of General Motors Research and Owen Mock of North American Aviation. The system was based on a monitor created in 1955 by programmers from General Motors for its IBM 701.

The main function of GM-NAA I/O was to automatically execute a new program once the one that was being executed had finished (batch processing). It consisted of shared routines for programs that provided common access to input/output devices. Some version of the system was used in about forty 704 installations.

22 DOS

The successor to CP/M (Control Program for Microprocessors), DOS was the first OS to achieve widespread popularity on personal computers. Small and lean, it's not so much an "OS" by today's standards, but more a collection of services subservient to the running application (which is a *very* good thing). DOS allows the application to be king, instead of the OS being ultimately in charge, as is the case with Windows. It's a developer's dream, offering complete control of the computing system without a bothersome, buggy, or overbloated OS getting in the way.

DOS is still being used in industry in many different ways, including as an embedded system OS. Development tools are mature, and nearly all are free. Utilities, software, and games for DOS are plentiful, and most can be downloaded for free. There is even a great free version of DOS itself (FreeDOS). If you only need to run one application at a time, especially if you are on a budget, DOS is the way to go.

23 Gentoo Linux

Gentoo Linux is a versatile and fast, completely free Linux distribution geared towards developers and network professionals. Unlike other distros, Gentoo Linux features an advanced package management system called Portage. Portage is a true ports system in the tradition of BSD ports, but is Python-based and sports a number of advanced features. These include dependencies, fine-grained package management, "fake" (OpenBSD-style) installs, safe unmerging, system profiles, virtual packages, config file management, and more.

24 openSUSE

Super stable. Everything under the sun always works perfectly, and it is FREE! So you cannot beat that. Plus, there are no viruses or malware in the last almost 20 years I have used it. It is superior to any FREE or paid OS I know and can be customized without ever slowing down.

Very stable, with great repositories full of every app a modern desktop/laptop may need. Fantastic documentation. Large, active, and easily reachable community.

Very mature and feature-rich Linux. Great KDE desktop and YaST setup tool. It has great forum support and a nice community. The only downfall is the RPM package format and software support.

25 Windows RT

Windows RT is a tablet-focused operating system designed to run on mobile devices powered by ARM-based chips. While Windows RT has been developed for use on tablets and similar mobile devices, it isn't designed for smartphones, which will instead utilize the forthcoming Windows mobile operating system.

Just Windows 8 for tablets with keys. Windows RT.

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