What's the right OS for your child?

Note: I’m like 2 months behind on articles because I got stuck on this one. Not that I’ve been slacking off. I have a couple of pretty cool things I plan to add to the site soon. The sooner I get these last two “finals articles” out, the sooner I can add those things and work on some other exciting topics I have prepared.

A quick search for “Parenting books” yields several highly rated and supposedly helpful books on raising children. And while I’m sure that First Time Dad: An Expectant Father's Weekly Guide to Pregnancy by Troy Horne is an enthralling read full of heaping helpings of practical information, I don’t think it tackles selecting a computer operating system for your fetus. I plan to raise my kids on Windows, at least until they are mature enough to pick an operating system for themselves. But each OS has its advantages and different parenting styles call for different platforms.

Windows

The most widely used Operating System globally. Currently, Windows has the best AI integration with Copilot and Bing AI is baked right into the taskbar on Windows 11 and will one day have Copilot accessible right from the keyboard. Fingers crossed Microsoft has released a version of Windows that is void of the various Windows 11 shortcomings by the time your fetus is using a keyboard. The default browser is Edge with the Bing search engine. This would be considered not ideal for the vast majority. Microsoft 365 is usually included for the first year on new Windows devices. There is mobile compatibility with Android and iOS devices through the Phone Link app. Windows is arguably the best platform for PC gaming right now, which could be a pro or a con depending on how much screen time you want your tiny human to have. Systems running Windows range from low to high end and there are several OEMs to choose from.

Overall, Windows is a very versatile operating system with a surmountable learning curve. The environment allows users to explore and tinker with the OS in a fairly protected environment. Using Microsoft 365 over free services like Google Suite is a far better experience for schoolwork from my personal experience. Its main drawback (in my opinion) is the default Microsoft apps like Edge.  Windows is my top rec when it comes to starting to use a computer.

MacOS

Full disclosure, I am personally anti-MacOS. I know many people, especially in America and in my age group, prefer using MacOS but it has never been my bread and butter. That being said, it does have some clear advantages and is still a solid operating system.

MacOS has a lot of bumpers built in to keep its users safe. I haven’t glanced at too many Macbooks and seen some awful-looking popup ad sitting on their desktop like I have with Windows laptops. However, this is a double-edged sword since it means any kind of tinkering is going to be more difficult or not allowed at all. Mobile integration is going to be the best on Mac for most people as their ecosystem allows for seamless connectivity with Apple devices. However, you are paying for this walled garden with Macs. This makes them typically priced far higher than Windows machines of a similar spec. Macs usually fare a lot better with battery life, which can be a huge quality-of-life improvement for classes. The default search is Google on the Safari browser which is generally considered preferable to Microsoft’s defaults. Gaming is coming to Mac through Wine although I would still expect a better experience on Windows machines. Office 365 is available, but I personally had trouble using my TAMU email on the apps, getting a message saying it wasn’t supported by my organization, which is a problem I have seen others have on MacOS.

It's not the worst OS to raise a kid on, but I think it could be a technological limiter. For the longest time Apple has had this, “USE THE DEVICE LIKE I WANT YOU TO UNEDUCATED USER,” mentality when it comes to all their products.

ChromeOS

ChromeOS boomed in popularity right around the pandemic when schools needed to provide students with laptops and didn’t have the money to buy Windows machines. Chromebooks get a bad rap for being incapable machines but that isn’t the case for all of them anymore. Chromebooks with reasonable specs do exist now. An old Windows machine could also be repurposed to use ChromeOS as well if cost is an issue. Defaults on this machine are all… Google. (Duh) The majority of lower-level educators now use Google Suite for everything over Office since the students have an easier time learning the software compared to Office 365. As far as what you can do outside of Googling, there isn’t a ton. ChromeOS is based on the Linux kernel and would need to use some kind of compatibility app to run programs not designed for Linux. (Which is a lot of them.) I’m all for encouraging people to tinker with their electronics but this is a big barrier for someone just starting to use a device.

For the right person, this is a very solid choice. For most people, I think this is a bad start because of how specific its use cases are. Technology is supposed to open doors, don’t start someone in a room where there are none.

Linux

Ubuntu is the only distro of Linux Linux I’ve used. My friend told me how when he was younger, he had to earn Windows by first using Linux. I don’t know if that’s true, but it is a funny thought. If you want someone to become a techy then this could be the best or worst choice for someone. Perhaps if you plan to abandon your child, leave them a laptop running some form of Linux. The modern-day A Boy Named Sue.

SteamOS

This is a joke but also maybe not. The Steam Deck is a very capable Linux machine. People exist who dock it and use it like a normal Linux workstation. Again, Linux is probably not the best starting point for someone who hasn’t used a computer before.

Conclusions

Now this isn’t a comprehensive guide to picking an operating system for a child. The primary reason I wrote this was to picture children coming to class with some kind of Linux system. I didn’t go into things like parental controls, education tracks, and other relevant factors for picking a child’s/student’s laptop. A complete breakdown could fill up a book and I don’t think I have the patience to write that. I always like talking about these types of things so if you think you have something to add to the conversation then please reach out. Of course, it’s recommended to always consult your local tech nerd before purchasing a device you’re unsure of.