I am about to buy a fancy laptop primarily for the purpose of doing all my cryptocurrency stuff (but not mining).
Can anybody help me decide between Windows and Linux? My main question is do wallets/nodes tend to be developed on Linux first or Windows first? I want to know which platform Bitcoin clients, but also other cryptocurrency clients/wallets in general tend to get developed on first.
I am not an expert with command line (although I can use Linux in a basic way), so I refer mainly to GUI type wallets. I am interested in software for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Monero, Factom, Synereo, Dash, Maidsafe, Storj, NEM, Sia and Lisk. So Windows or Linux for these?
My advice is to install VMware Workstation. Install a Windows system and completely update it but don't install anything on it. Then create what is called "Linked Clones". Make a linked clone for EACH and every one of your crypto currencies. You can probably put Litecoin and Bitcoin on the first one, but each shitcoin should have it's own VM.
You will notice some shitcoins only really have a Linux wallet. If that's the case then do the same thing with Ubuntu 16.04 LTS.
What I do is a bit different. I have an install of Ubuntu 16.04 LTS. I use what is called LXC containers. Each LXC container has a node on it. One for bitcoin, one for litecoin, a few for shitcoins, etc. But I'm a lot more technically apt than most people.
I would also completely blow away your laptop and perform a vanilla installation of Windows 10 without all the bloatware. Most importantly, do not browse the internet or install anything else on it.