recommend an operating system please

[quintoncoert]

hi. i am planning on assembling a computer by buying and putting together motherboard, processor, memory etc. The problem is an operating system. windows vista costs a fortune.

But worse is my intended use for this computer. i am planning on learing the C programming language on this computer mostly. but I have seen some information on sites and in posts // threads that C programmed incorrectly will mess up your computer system. So i assume that I am going to re-install the operating system more than once.

the problem is that one of my friends told me that windows XP can be installed only a limited number of times. i am worried that vista might be the same. then i would have to re-buy after a certain number of mistakes.

so can you guys recommend an alternative operating system? i am also going to use it to learn C++ and program in C sharp. in addition it must be able to use a reasonably good word processor and I would also like to install a chess program on it. the chess program must be reasonablystrong and i would like to be able to set up positions in it. chessmaster comes to mind but i am not sure if it works on linux. in any event the chess program is of secondary importance.

i was thinking of linux especially since it is free but i know nothing of linux. can linux do all of the above? or what operating system would be good?

[sunnysingh]

Hello,

Windows XP Professional is the best ever OS

And you got the wrong info. from your friend that the XP can be insatlled with Limited # of times.

Actually the fact is that the Hard Drive is the case sensetive in such cases.

A user is never suggested to Format his Hard Drive frequently with high level format.

So I would suggest you to go for
Windows XP Professional

Regards. :cool:

[Infarction]

The EULA for WinXP only allows you to install it on a certain number of machines (2 IIRC but I could be mistaken). That said, for your programming it's a toss up. I find that a Linux distro is great for C, whereas C# could be a pain. If you stick with Windows though, you can use VC# express, which is a pretty nice IDE. I don't know how well VC++ express would suit your needs for C though (I haven't even used it for several years...)

[rwaforums]

If the cost of OS is prohibitive for you I agree with infarction go for a linux distribution.

Check out this article I just found:

http://www.csharphelp.com/archives2/archive317.html

[The Dude]

Windows XP Professional is the best ever OS

Some would beg to differ my friend...

[quintoncoert]

thanks. i think i shall go with linux. my chief problem was C# and chess. thanks to rwaforums' link i have at least one problem solved and the other would be fine.

[paetechie]

go for linux. xp pro has its own share of problems.

I dual-boot both xp pro and linux, btw