Windows XP or Linux?

[jub3i]

I plan on running mame(xmame), and an emulator for NES, SNES and N64.  What operating system would work best?  Does xmame support just as many games as mame?  I think snes9x works for linux, but what about a linux NES or N64 emulator?  I don't have a problem running linux, I've used it before, so it's just a matter of if there are linux emulators out there.

What is ArcadeOS?  I've seen it tossed around but I don't know much.  I think I heard it's DOS based?  What about those bootable linux OS's that I've seen?  (I can't think of the name of any right now.)

I have Windows XP and Fedora Core, and can download any other linux distro if need be.  Any help on OS choice is apprecaited, thanks guys!

[vputz]

xmame IS mame, just with X interfaces.  It even maintains the same release numbers; the changelogs invariably start with "everything from MAME version x.xx"

XMame and XMess are both fine emulators.  If you want to host tons of other emulators, make a good inventory of what doesn't work under Linux (Visual Pinball, for example, if you're into that).  Also, some front-ends are Windows only, if that matters to you.

A good Linux installation and AdvanceMame (from what I've heard) is a great combination.  Yes, there is a touch more overhead than, say, DOS, but I think even just from a system maintenance perspective it would be preferable to use Linux.  I just use xmame.x11 myself, and it works wonderfully (and even supports multiple trackballs under X).

Having said that, XP's quite usable as well.  Matter of taste more than anything, really.  I use Linux and X because my emulator box is also my home theater PC (and I wuv Linux...), but both would be good choices.

-->VPutz

[TalkingOctopus]

I think that XP has a better selection of frontends and I would choose it for that reason.  Also, there are some fun PC based games that play well on a cab, which are windows only.  

[Jakobud]

As much as I would like to give praise to Linux game emu's, the best NES emu is VirtuaNES (Windows only) and the best SNES emu is ZSNES (Win and maybe a commandline version i think).  Overall, WinXP will give you the best choice of emulators and frontends.

[Tiger-Heli]

What is ArcadeOS?  I've seen it tossed around but I don't know much.  I think I heard it's DOS based?

DOS-Based frontend for MAME.

 What about those bootable linux OS's that I've seen?  (I can't think of the name of any right now.)

Knoppix, There's also Knoppix MAME.  I played with both of them, but couldn't figure out how to find my roms in KnoppixMAME or how to start X-MAME in Knoppix.  Pretty steep learning curve in Linux, although many people say it's worth it.

[GadgetGeek]

What about those bootable linux OS's that I've seen?  

AdvanceCD is another one with a small footprint so you can put lots of roms on your disc.

[jub3i]

I think I'm just gonna have to try some stuff out.  Thanks for the help though guys.

[SirPoonga]

I hve been running linux on my cabinet because of necessity (spelling)?  I;d rather go with windows so I could play other emus like nebula or kawaks better.  I don't mind xmame, it's pretty good.  It had features I like over the windows version.

I have tried AdvancedCD.  That's decent, great if you don't have a large computer or disk space.

[Howard_Casto]

I think that XP has a better selection of frontends and I would choose it for that reason.  Also, there are some fun PC based games that play well on a cab, which are windows only.  

I hate to beat linux down... but actually nearly EVERY pc game is windows/dos only.  Also most "guied" emulators (which are all of the cool new ones) are windows only.

As others have said, unless you wish to run mame and only mame and you have found a linux fe that you like and your pc is so puny that you can't handle anything else then you should go with linux.  

Otherwise, there really isn't a reason.  

It's nothing against the os, it's just if you wish to make any kind of gaming rig you should be using some flavor of windows as all the other oses pretty much don't do games.   Emulation is an exception, but there are still far more fes/emulators/emulator utilities for windows than any other os.