We are told that when we buy a computer, we own it. But in 2025, the operating system you choose determines whether you are the owner, a tenant, or the product. Let's break down the three giants and rate them based on the only metric that matters: Control.
Linux: The Undisputed King (9.5/10)
Linux is the only OS where "Administrator" actually means Administrator. On Linux, the root user is God. If you tell the system to delete the entire kernel while it's running, it might warn you, but it will Obey you.
True Ownership: "Everything is a File"
The beauty of Linux lies in the Unix philosophy: everything is a file. Your hardware settings? A file. Your kernel parameters? A file. Your network configuration? A text file you can edit.
There is no "Registry" (like the nightmare in Windows) hiding settings in binary blobs. If you want to change how your system behaves, you edit a config file. You don't need a special proprietary tool; you just need a text editor.
Security via Permissions: Linux is statistically the most secure OS not because it's obscure, but because of its strict permission model. Nothing runs without explicit consent. It relies on the user being intelligent, rather than the OS being a nanny.
It loses half a point only because the learning curve can be steep for absolute beginners, but once you climb that hill, you have a system that is unbreakably yours.
The Package Manager Superiority
On Windows, you download random .exe files from the web and hope they aren't malware. On macOS, you are pushed to the App Store.
On Linux, you have repositories. You want Python? You don't browse the web; you ask the system:
# Fedora, RHEL, CentOS, Rocky, AlmaLinux (dnf) sudo dnf install python3 # Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint, Pop!_OS (apt) sudo apt install python3 # Arch, Manjaro, EndeavourOS (pacman) sudo pacman -S python
It is clean, verified, and updates automatically with the rest of your system. This is what a modern OS should look like.
macOS: The Gilded Cage (7/10)
macOS is beautiful, Unix-based, and hardware-optimized. But make no mistake: You are renting this device from Apple.
Even the root user on macOS is a lie. Try to uninstall a system app you don't use, like the Apple TV app. You can't. Even with sudo, the system will deny you. This is due to SIP (System Integrity Protection).
Essentially, Apple decides what is "safe" for you to touch. Processes like Software Update supersede your authority, updating things in the background regardless of your preferences.
How to Disable SIP (The "God Mode" Guide)
If you want to reclaim ownership of your Mac, you can disable this nanny feature. Warning: This reduces security against malware that attempts to modify system files. Proceed only if you know what you are doing.
- Shut down your Mac.
- Apple Silicon: Hold the power button until "Loading startup options" appears. Intel: Hold
Command + Rwhile booting. - Select "Options" → Continue.
- In the menu bar, go to Utilities → Terminal.
- Run the following command:
csrutil disable
Restart your Mac. You are now the actual owner of your file system. You can delete system apps, modify core binaries, and truly control the Unix underbelly of macOS.
The Hardware Trap
We cannot talk about macOS without mentioning the hardware. Apple serializes parts to the motherboard. If you swap a screen from one identical iPhone to another, it might stop working. This is hostile design intended to kill the repair market. While macOS software is decent (7/10), the hardware philosophy is pure anti-consumerism.
You are now the actual owner of your file system. Use this power wisely.
Windows: The Spyware Platform (3/10)
Windows has become a joke. It is less of an operating system and more of an ad delivery platform that occasionally runs applications.
- Intrusive Ads: The Start Menu now serves ads. The Settings app serves ads. The OS nags you to use Edge and OneDrive relentlessly.
- AI Bloat: Microsoft is shoving "Copilot" and AI features down users' throats, recording screen activity (Recall) and uploading telemetry data constantly.
- Security Nightmare: Windows remains the easiest OS to hack, simply because it carries decades of legacy code and prioritizes "convenience" over security boundaries.
The Update Tyranny
The most defining feature of Windows is the screen that says: "Getting Windows ready. Don't turn off your computer."
Windows does not respect your time. It will force restarts in the middle of work. It will consume your bandwidth to download updates you didn't ask for. It treats the user as a nuisance that needs to be managed, rather than the owner of the machine.
WSL: Admission of Defeat
The funniest part of modern Windows is WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux). Microsoft realized that developers hate developing on Windows so much that they literally built a Linux kernel inside Windows just to keep them from switching.
If the best feature of your OS is that it can run a competitor's OS, you have already lost.
Windows treats you like a product to be sold. It is heavy, slow, and fundamentally insecure. Avoid at all costs.