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I started using Ubuntu on my desktop when I started developing for the web and because my web-server ran ubuntu. Love the fact that I can have a server-like OS on my desktop, that also does pretty much does everything that windows and macs do

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Both Windows and Mac OS X have server versions, that can easily be installed on desktops.

...neither of which come with the normal versions (and, indeed, are quite a bit more expensive), so most people will never even touch them on their PCs.

Most ppl haven't touched Linux on their PC either ;-)

There is a 6 month trial of Windows Server http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/trial-softw...

Students can get a Windows Server licence for $19 http://blogs.msdn.com/b/gautam/archive/2010/02/18/msdnaa-sof...

OS X comes preinstalled with Apache. No need for OS X server.

Although there is something to be said for running the same software stack on your desktop as your server.

Though, I'll grant you, web development on OS X is really nice.

Seriously? Would you run a web-app on a Mac or Windows server?

Something like 30% of the Web servers on the Internet run Windows. There are millions of ASP.NET developers worldwide and Windows is by far the most popular Web platform for internal business apps.

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