Windows, Linux, and MacOS?

Which one do I use?
Well, the answer is...all of them.

As many do and have done, I started on Windows. For years, I was an "Only Windows" kind of guy. Linux was scary and, well, I just didn't like Apple or their OS (I still don't like Apple but, we'll save that for another post). When I stepped into the Information Technology realm, I knew I'd likely have to venture outside my comfort zone if I wanted to be an effective technician and, ultimately, broaden my career path. Despite this, I held onto my security blanket and didn't move away from Windows.

It wasn't until I made the pivot into a cyber security focus that I finally dipped my toe into the linux pool. The water was dark, deep, and there were no pretty floaties to make me feel comfortable. The one thing that was overwhelmingly clear was the control and performance. It wasn't just lightweight and fast, it was unbelievably fast. No loading circles or anything to suggest I'd need to find other things to do while I waited. Things would load or execute nearly instantaneously. In addition, there was a sense of complete control over every process and task with no restrictions (other than the learning curve). With those things in mind, I made the dive into linux, headfirst, without looking back.

Distro Hopping
I spent the first month or so trying to find the right distro. I started in Ubuntu but, made my way through Mint, Pop, Manjaro, Kali, Fedora, Elementary OS, and finally Zorin. Ultimately, Zorin was where I spent the largest amount of time. By that point, I had decided to use the OS as my daily driver, for work, and I felt like I needed that familiar Windows feel so I could operate in somewhat functional capacity. 

The challenge became the constant fight with work-related applications and either a working, linux version or a comparable alternative. While this may not be an issue for those that can just adapt their workflow, my company has a strict requirement for a few of the applications. I fought the good fight for nearly a year and a half with regular driver hurdles or software solutions that lacked versions with compatibility for the respective kernal I was using, etc. With the aforementioned challenges in mind, I knew I was going to have to come up with a better OS solution. 

MacOS
After kicking the issue around with my colleagues, it was recommended that I try MacOS. My initial response wasn't one of an open-minded nature but, after taking it for a spin on a test device, I realized the experience was much better than I had anticipated. Although it's a rough generalization, it felt as if I had found a happy medium between the attractive Windows UI and the light-weight performance of linux. As a benefit, I was also able to use linux commands in the MacOS environment so, I maintained that granular control that I appreciated. As a result, my daily driver (for my career) is a Mac device.

Yeah but, you mentioned you use all 3...
That's still the case. For home use/gaming, I run a custom built Windows device. For work, I use a newer M3 MacBook. However, for pen-testing and some other use-cases, I run a few different linux variants (such as Kali Linux). In all honestly, I like each operating system for different reasons.

This post is the 3rd of my #100DaysToOffload challenge. Want to get involved? Find out more at 100daystooffload.com.