What Are The Advantages Of Using Microsoft Windows?

Don't ask a Linux or an OSX user this question... :)

The core advantages are:

• Over 90% of the world's computer using population uses Windows. This means there are plenty of users who can answer your questions or have questions just like yours. This also leads to the other many advantages.


• Lots of different software available for it


• Lots of games available for it


• Widest hardware support


• All businesses use it


• It is inexpensive compared to OSX (Mac) to purchase


• There are many jobs surrounding the use, maintenance, management and securing of Windows

The opponents of Microsoft will also tell you that:

• Windows has to be patched all the time


• Has no security


• Is buggy / Crashes

The truth of those statements is that with over 90% of the world's market, they are an easy target to attack and learn about. They got to be number one because of easy to use software, better marketing message, and cost. Patching ALL operating systems is a necessity. OSX and Linux will both have well over 100MB of mandatory updates following a fresh installation of their latest operating system revision at this point in time.

Security is in the eye of the beholder. Microsoft made Windows easy for the home user to make use of. Ease of use doesn't always give the best security. Truth be told, there are some very easy things to do to give your Windows system a near miniscule attack surface that could be done by anyone with 20 minutes to kill.

Buggy and Crashing... Well unlike OSX which runs on only one hardware platform with drivers written solely by Apple for Apple in an Apple platform does lend itself to running pretty well. So that is a harder point to argue. Plus, Microsoft also has to account for years worth of old software that people want to use from previous operating systems. Mac users were told to get new stuff and start over. I have seen all operating systems crash and it is usually because of poorly written that an operating system crashes.