I’m a Mac. I love my Mac. I’ve used Windows, I’ve used Linux, and while I like them both, but when I have my way, I use a Mac.

There are a few reasons I choose to use a Mac—it’s not for the “cool factor” (though that is a nice perk). My reason for using a Mac is because of usability. As a software developer, that is an area of primary focus for me, how do I make it usable? How do I make it so that anyone can pick it up and just use it? I’ve found that Macs are easier to use, and have a lot less problems than PCs, and that’s why I chose to use a Mac.

But, while I’m a Mac, I’m also a pragmatist.

If you like Windows better, that’s great, use Windows. A lot of people like Windows and that’s just fine. In fact, my purpose in writing this post is to explain to everyone that I think it is okay for you to be devoted to whichever OS you prefer.

The best analogy I’ve herd comparing two operating systems compared two cars. Each car is the same. They are the same color, brand, model. They have the same radios, interior, and tires. They are exactly the same in every detail except one. One car was built for America and the other was built for England. Americans think that English cars are “weird” because the steering wheel is “on the wrong side of the car.” Does that matter really? If an American person took an English car for a spin, chances are he could get used to it, though it may take some time. That is the same for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. If you spend enough time with any of them you’ll be able to use them quit proficiently. Chances are, you wont have to spend a ton of time either to become proficient. You may develop a preference, but you could probably drive an English car just as well as an American car with some practice. All cars are about the same the pedals of the car may be in different places, the car may look completely different, but really they are designed for the same purpose. Operating systems aren’t much different, they may have different buttons and menus, they may test your adaptability, but they were all designed to add another layer of abstraction from running the computer.

What about security? People are always comparing the securities of different operating systems. Here’s the truth: any system build by man can be broken. Any security device someone can build can be bypassed by someone else. The best thing anyone can do for security is to know what your doing on the web. Don’t go to suspicious sites, even if it promises you a brand new car if complete 50 offers. Don’t forward those “cute” email messages that have been forwarded 100 times before that say that “someone who cares about you sent this to you, send it to someone you care about” (that’s were you get a lot of your spam, by the way). I’ll always advocate security measures, but ultimately, users can still have computer problems because they didn’t know any better. If you want security, the best thing to do is to know how to interact with the web.

But which is better? I’m also not going to tell you that I’ve never ever had any problems with my Mac (less problems, yes, but I’ve still had problems). In fact, I write this post on my wife’s Mac because mine in being repaired (the screen started wigging out on me). I’ve had other problems on my Mac too. Now, I will say that I’ve had a lot less ID10T errors (what can I say, Macs make more sense to me).

The reason for my choice? Ultimately, the reason I chose my OS is because I really think Apple puts a lot of thought into the end user experience. Everything from the look and feel to the key strokes make more sense on a Mac. Because things make more sense to me on a Mac, I got a Mac. I suggest you do what makes sense to you. I think that Macs are the best and I’ll continue to use them until something better comes along.

So buy a Mac, buy a PC, use Linux, buy a granite boulder and chisel it out to look like a new computer, I’d recommend getting or waiting for a tablet computer, but really, it is all up to your preferences what is best for you. If you don’t know much about computers, ask someone you trust, but you may want to take it all with a grain of salt.

What do you think? Is one OS better than the other? Am I off my rocker? Feel free to say so.