I currently use the 64-bit version of Linux Mint 8. Before that, I had been on Linux Mint 7 for a while and had also briefly given Xubuntu 9.10 a try.

And if you're interested in hearing my Windows history: my parents got themselves a computer when I was 8 years old, which ran on DOS but one could also choose to go to Windows 3.1x from the DOS-menu. Later, we got Windows 95, then Windows 98 and then finally Windows XP on that computer.

When I got my own computer in late 2000, it ran on Windows 98 at first but would later run on Windows XP. I continued to run Windows XP on that computer until August 2009 - then I built myself a new computer (from new parts that I had chosen and bought myself) and installed Linux Mint 7 on it. I pretty much completely went cold turkey with Linux and it fortunately hasn't been too difficult a learning process. I love it a lot and wouldn't ever want to go back to Windows again, no matter how slick Microsoft makes their Windows versions look. Linux is here to stay for me.

Vista.

XP and loving it.

This happened to me last week (XP computer broke, on 7 now). It's somewhat of a shift, though a more subtle one. Once you're used to the taskbar and one or two niggling annoying interface things, all will be well

Vista. My version of windows keeps telling me that it's ungenuine and that it needs to be activated even though it's been activated for 75% of time I had the laptop. I think the product key that it was using was the manufacturer's OEM key so I can't use that one (which is the only key that comes up when I use a keyfinder). The sticker on the bottom of the laptop is faded so I can't use that one..So I'm probably going to have to buy a new version of Windows 7 (I probably can't upgrade either).

I come here using Ubuntu 10.04. I just started using it (I've used 9.04 and 9.10 a lot though). About time Ubuntu's default theme was nice looking.

I still use Windows XP. No reason to change.

i use both Win7 and Linux (mint).
Games for Win7, everything else for linux.

This is mine:

mm lace...cough cough, er xp here, still the best in my opinion, besides my computer isn't really good enough for windows 7. All those crappy gimmicks slows it right down. Im going to keep using xp till my one breaks and when i finally get it, im going to edit it around to look as much like xp again as possible.

Windows XP Professional SP3. Do I like it? When it comes to the operating system itself, not really. It has adequate but not very high security, a lack of customization options, is overly user-friendly (yes - too much user-friendliness can be a negative thing) and isn't open-source (I'm a huge fan of open-source software, though when necessary, will use proprietary stuff). I like the software I run on it though as Windows surprisingly has lots of good open-source freeware available for it. For Linux, I still don't know of anything comparable to Foobar2000, Miranda IM, Media Player Classic - Home Cinema and a few other Windows-only apps. It wouldn't make sense to run all of these apps through Wine.

I hate to dual boot, so if I had two systems, I'd definitely install a good minimalistic Linux distro such as Arch Linux so that I could run a wider range of software. I'd switch back and forth between my Windows and Linux machine to do whatever needed to be done. For encoding stuff, listening to music, editing images and watching videos, I'd use Windows. For everything else, I'd probably use Linux.

Edit: Oops, already replied.

I use Windows 7 on both my desktop and main laptop. On my backup laptop, I use Windows XP Professional. In case anybody is wondering, my desktop is a self-made system that I pieced together little by little, my primary laptop is a Gateway NV5378u, and my backup laptop is a Dell Inspiron B130.

I've really been enjoying Mandriva these days... you can go with Gnome or KDE. Personally, I like the KDE layout better for this one.
For anyone wanting to breath new life into a really old pc or laptop, you should definitely checkout Puppy Linux.
I like that it runs off ram because one of my laptops doesn't have a hdd... so, it's perfect for situations like that.

have to admit i tend to kill operating systems as fast as i install them, not sure how though. they last a month then ill bsod once or twice if windows, or will have fatal errors for linux by month 2 its usualy takes a few tries to start up. as for operating systems i've used them all apart from apple products.
in order of favorites
Linux: Fedora, Redhat, Mint, Ubuntu, Arch, Slackware
Windows: Windows server 2008 R2, windows xp, windows 7, vista
and UNIX. haven't used UNIX in ages but ill add it in.

I am driving myself insane looking for a Linux distro to install on my new computer. I'm so fucking indecisive it's not even funny.

I really like Arch Linux and Slackware. AFTER you get them all set up. Doing the set up, not so much. I have wireless on it, and although my wireless adapter has a Linux-friendly chipset, it's still a big pain in the ass to set up WPA encrypted connections. So much of a pain in the ass that I'm always irritated to the point where I seriously start to think about just saying the hell with it and going back to unprotected wireless. It isn't even *hard*, I'm just LAZY.

But not lazy enough to just use Ubuntu or something like that. Even though, in the long run, it would make more sense. I don't care about having perfect optimization. I really only care about having a pretty interface and a decent package manager. I LOVE pacman, which is why I loved Arch so much. That and the rolling releases. But it is SUCH A HUGE PAIN IN THE ASS TO CONFIGURE.

I hate Debian. I'm a horrible person and having a system consiting of totally free software doesn't matter to me nearly as much as having my fuggin' video card drivers and flash set up right off the bat. So, there goes the most reasonable option for me. Aaaagh. I can't bring myself to use Ubuntu. It was my first distro. It doesn't make me feel elite enough.

This post is really stupid and rambling.

Anyways, anyone have a suggestion? This doesn't warrant creating a new thread, I don't think, as I probably won't be swayed by anybody anyways. 'Cause I'm an idiot.

Don't be lazy and install Arch Linux or Slackware, or at least go with some other minimalist distro that sounds promising. You'll be happy when it's installed and won't have to worry about the installation process anymore.

I honestly haven't installed a Linux distro for years now, and I've never really done more than tinker with Linux, so I probably shouldn't be the person to recommend anything to you. However, I don't see why anyone would install Ubuntu when there are faster, more customizable, and stabler distros out there.

Linux Mint 9, won't let me vote "invalid"

I had been using Windows XP for several years until my desktop hard drive crashed a month or two ago, now I'm using a laptop with Windows 7.

I'm thinking about getting a new hard drive and installing a linux distro on my desktop for the hell of it.... no point in installing XP again when I have Windows 7.

For some reason I figured you'd be a Linux user. Guess not.

Yeah - there isn't much point of installing Windows XP on a new machine. Windows 7 is slightly better than XP but some low end PCs, such as mine, from only 3 years ago don't run fast with Windows 7 installed. I wish I wouldn't have had to revert to XP, but I didn't have any choice.

I'm kind of surprised that 15% of the users who voted in this poll are Linux users considering that Linux's usage share is a measly 1.24%.

Most people on here are nerds though.

I fell in love with it right away.

I use windows xp on my computer but currently have no Internet connection so it's useless. So atm I'm just using my iPhone to browse the web.

XP in all eternity...
Or till I suddenly change my mind and upgrade right away