The VideoLAN Forums

I have a Dell XPS 1730 laptop running Vista.

Am fed up of Windows but have to keep up with it cause of my professional needs.

So I have Windows running on my desktop & plan installing some Linux platform Or Mac OS?

Once tried Ubuntu8, initially had difficulty understanding & than with utility softwares/messengers, caming softwares & drivers etc.

For windows I use AV, ASW, 7 Zip, VLC, MS Office07, CCleaner, Defraggler, Snagit, Yahoo, Windows Live, G Chrome Browser, Image Burn, Logitech Quick cam Pro 9000 webcam, Secunia, Live streaming Video capture & conversion tools like WM Recorder Replay Video Suite etc.

But now things must have improved.

To sum it up in a nut shell which flavor of Linux or Mac, which would you experienced members recommend, keeping in mind that I have bearded windows for 18 yrs & would like something that is a bit user friendly & less of a headache at the same time.

While both are potential candidates, I would recommend you sit down with both and decide for yourself, simply by spending an afternoon using each. Myself I use a Mac at home, Windows XP at the office and Linux for the servers. Each has its advantages and disadvantages and which ones stand out the most only you can decide. For the tools you use there are equivalents, so you shouldn't necessarily be looking for a Linux or Mac port of the specific application. For example for instance messenger you could look at Pidgin (on Linux) or Adium (on MacOS X).

I could tell you why I think X or Y is better, but this risks just starting another "religious" debate that helps no one. All I can tell you is which computer I have chosen for my own personal preferences.

BTW let me know what you end up choosing, I am curious.