The best OS to use depends on what you are going to use it for. Many if not most programers would use a Unix or PC based OS before using an Apple OS. The majority of graphic designers use Apple's OS and apples software. Now if you are talking about servers then it depends on the purpose of the server. Maybe you run lotus notes, or some other purchased application. Then the vendor would likley require a certain OS (or maybe give a choice of one or two). Microsoft, Sun, Apple and many others have Operating Systems that can be purchased. Each serves its own purpose, you have to figure out yours.

I thought I would add some updates to this particular hub. If one goes out to the W3schools website (www.w3schools.com) there is a section for Browser and OS statistics. Now I'm not 100% sure but its very possible that they only get these numbers from the visitors to their site. However, based on what I have seen on other sites they tend to paralle the actual user statistics out on the web.

Currently windows XP is still king with 67% of users using XP. Vista and the new windows 7 users are growing with 18% and almost 2% respectably. The linux and Mac solutions are curretnly running at 4% and 6% respectably. I will note that there seems to be an upward trend of on windows OS users.

Windows is still king. Over 90% of users are using some sort of windows solution. I still would stick to windows although I would personally recomend skipping Vista and going to Windows 7.