Honestly, I think that stable, modern operating system is Windows 7. I was at Best Buy looking at computers recently. I asked if I could get one with Windows 7. The sales associate was practically grinding his teeth telling me that no, I could not. "So what if I want a computer that works well as a laptop rather than an extra-bulky tablet?" "Well if you're interested in Macs, we have a lot of nice options over here that fit that bill..." Ouch.