Operating system advocacy

Operating system advocacy is an attempt to increase the awareness and improve the perception of a given computer operating system. The motivation behind this is often to increase the number of users of that system, the assumption being that more users will lead, directly or indirectly, to greater improvement in the operating system ("OS"). The term is most commonly used to refer to OS's that are in the minority of usage, to compare to the OS that the majority already use. A further assumption often made by OS advocates is that most of the users of the majority OS only use it because they are familiar with it or they are locked in. Advocacy of the majority OS is most often in reaction to the sometimes over-zealous advocacy of the minority OS's.

Related Topics:
Computer - Operating system - Locked in

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In the case of commercial operating systems, advocacy can be seen as an extreme form of brand loyalty in which customers are so devoted to the product they devote their spare time to its advocacy. Advocacy is also one of the common pastimes of those who have a deep and abiding interest in the design, construction and usage of operating systems. For these people, the investment necessary -- both in money and time -- to own and operate a computer sometimes creates an emotional investment in their operating system of choice. Such emotional ties can lead to advocacy that can induce emotional arguments as people compare and contrast the virtues and faults of different operating systems.

Related Topics:
Brand loyalty - Operating system

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Jeff Kirvin characterized the "PalmOS versus Windows Mobile" operating system advocacy debates of 2004 as "Ford versus Chevy" debates.1

Related Topics:
2004 - Ford - Chevy

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There are related wars over programming languages, video game consoles, and text editors (Emacs vs vi; see editor war).

Related Topics:
Programming language - Video game consoles - Text editor - Emacs - Vi - Editor war

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