Trying to decide which way to go initially. I would like to use Linux but my impression is that windows/dos supports more/better front-ends. I'm most concerned about mame. I want to use a 27" WG monitor but may rethink that, if it matters. Any thoughts or expreineces any of you could pass on would be greatly appreciated.
Monitor support won't matter. Either choice will enable you to use a true arcade monitor, especially if you pair them up with an ArcadeVGA.
FrontEnd choice is a big one. Cabinet-specific frontends for Linux are limited to:
MAMEd:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~phulshof/mame.htmlAdvanceMenu:
http://advancemame.sourceforge.net/menu-snapshot.htmlThere are other more MAME32-like frontends, but I don't consider these good enough for cabinet use, as you want something simple, intuitive and accessible via standard arcade joysticks and buttons (ie: no mouse control necessary).
Windows is a clear winner there for overall choice in FrontEnds (I won't bother to list them all). For me personally, despite the sheer number of frontends in Windows, I've only ever found MAMEWah (Win32 only) and AdvanceMenu (Win32/Mac/Linux) to be satisfactory for my needs, so heaps of choice isn't always the winning factor.
The link posted above by 'screaming' is a good read. An objective thread covering the pros and cons of various OSes. At the end of the day there can be no clear "winner", but merely what you find suits your needs and budget the best.
The smartest thing to do is try them both for yourself, and see which you prefer. That beats the hell out of strangers on a forum telling you what to do.