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RE: OS driven by Software requirements
CAD/CAM has actually been a sticking point for many people that would like to try it out, and has been the focus of much development over the past few years - so your point is very valid. If I lived in CAD, I would still be running MS at home so I could bring work home with me when needed. Depending on your needs, there are programs that import export common CAD files to Linux programs, but I don't know much about Solidworks or Surfcam, they may have very proprietary formats.
As for a stripped down version of Windows, they do sell it - Windows CE. Your cell phone might run it. :-) As for one you can install on PC architecture, I wouldn't hold my breath.
I also agree with you about my computer being a tool. To be frank, I really don't care that much about free-as-in-speech software. I prefer the free-as-in-beer aspect to it much more.
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OS driven by Software requirements
Just for the fun of it, about a year ago I downloaded Ubuntu Linux, put it on a bootable CD and ran it on several different computers with the thought in mind that maybe I would “learn Linux”. I played with it a few weeks off and on; enough to realize that for a general user who wanted to word process, do simple spreadsheet operations, internet and email, it seemed more than adequate for that. Unfortunately for me, my work requires using CAD/CAM software such as Solidworks and Surfcam, and programs like these will not run on Linux or Mac. So my operating system is mostly determined by the applications that I need to run.
Honestly I haven’t had much of a problem with Windows XP crashing or hanging up at all, as some people always claim. I do find that it is getting extremely bulky for 90 percent of what I use it for though. Also it has the Windows registry problem of getting filled up and confused and slowing down over time. At home I’m running XP on the cheesiest eMachines AMD Athalon 64 you can buy, and I can’t even tell you when the last time this computer was rebooted because of a hang-up.
It would be nice to be able have a completely stripped down version of Windows that only contained what was necessary to me.
I feel the same way as some other posters do in that all these computer operating systems and software are just tools, and if the particular tool you are using is working for you comfortably, then keep using it.
I used to work for a decent sized company until about 15 years ago and can remember we had the rabidly die-hard Mac people, the IBM compat’s and the UNIX people all under one roof. Anyone ever use Windows version 2.0? I did. It fit on a couple of 5-1/4 floppys I think.
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