Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Stu Redman]

This has been bothering me for a while. Do you say on Linux, in Windows, or under MacOS ? 
Native speakers, husbands of native speakers, or other experts of English please comment.

[x0rsw1tch]

I will try to explain this the best way I can


There are several ways to say it....

When someone is referring an application that they use within a specific operating system, the most common usages would be:

"I am running aMule on my Linux box"

or

"I am running aMule on my Windows box"

It wouldn't make sense to say "I am running aMule under my Windows box" or "I am running aMule in my Mac"... Those don't sound right at all hehe.

Now there is a difference between the statement that you run an application within a specific operating system and what you would offer as advice or offering instruction, or some other context.

Example 1:

2nd person:  "If you want to run aMule as a daemon, I would recommend running it under a Linux environment"

another version: "If you want to run aMule as a daemon, I would recommend running it within a Linux environment"

What you're looking at is essentially 2 different ways of saying the same thing

Example 2:

"If you want to install aMule on Linux, you will want to check your distro repository for an official release."

"If you want to install aMule in Linux, you will want  to check your distro repository for an official release."

Again, they both mean the same thing.


When it comes to software, on, in, and even under are somewhat interchangeable. Its a bit confusing, and trying to explain it is even more confusing lol. The reason is that software is not a tangible item, so on and in both work sort of the same way.


Performing an action (correct).... I need to put the luggage in the car.
Performing an action (incorrect).... I need to put the luggage on the car. (it will fly off!!!)
Performing an action (incorrect).... I need to put the luggage under the car. (you will run it over!)

Now with software....

Performing an action (correct)... I want to compile this application on linux
Performing an action (correct)... I want to compile this application in linux
Performing an action (correct)... I want to compile this application under linux


So in summation....

If your referring to a physical/tangible object, use the examples above. If you're referring to something nonphysical, then attempt to imagine a physical state and use the proper word accordingly.

Correct: I want to dive in the pool
Incorrect: I want to dive on the pool

There are exceptions though...

Correct: I run amule on debian
Incorrect: I run amule in debian


Thats about all Ican think of. Hope this helps!

[Stu Redman]

Thank you for bringing some light to this issue!

I was afraid there is no simple answer. Actually it's a bit confusing:

Performing an action (correct)... I want to compile this application in linux

Incorrect: I run amule in debian

What's the difference? That you can picture yourself running on the street, while compile is rather abstract?
And I'm not sure you can't run in the street, but quite sure you can dance in the street. 

[x0rsw1tch]

I know it doesn't make the most sense..... It has to do with how the object/noun is perceived.

A street can be classified as an area of sorts, so you can dance within that area.

When referring to a singularity type noun, for instance, a soccer ball as opposed to a soccer field.

You can stand within a soccer field.

You cannot stand within a soccer ball, but you can stand on a soccer ball (albeit that would be difficult).


Re-reading that incorrect sentence, well I considered it incorrect because the sentence structure itself is wrong lol (I was tired when I wrote it)

The correct way to say it would be I am running aMule in Debian.

In tends to mean the same as being within or inside.

On tends to mean the same as being on top of something.

In some cases they can be interchangeable when referring to software platforms.

[bunbun]

I'm not sure that "I run aMule in Debian," is a problem sentence at all.

To my mind, it means, "I habitually run aMule in Debian," or "I am accustomed to running aMule in Debian."

[x0rsw1tch]

I'm not sure that "I run aMule in Debian," is a problem sentence at all.

To my mind, it means, "I habitually run aMule in Debian," or "I am accustomed to running aMule in Debian."

Yeah, technically it appears correct, but it sounds like a fragment if it were being spoken. As written its fine though.

Moral of the story, any one of the variations will work. I personally use "in" mostly.

[Vollstrecker]

Performing an action (correct)... I want to compile this application in linux

About this I'm not really sure. If you extend the sentence you have two ways. "compiling in linux environment" or "compiling on top of linux system".

From grammar view, there maybe is one correct way, but as a friend of mine that studies linguistics said, at some point you don't think about what is correct grammar, instead you switch to what is understandable/acceptable for a native speaker.