Not only the base Unix underpinnings, but the sheer lack of support tools on Windows vs. Mac is frustrating. - network problems? just try a quick curl (not on Windows) - did a file transfer properly? do a quick md5 hash (not on Windows) - need to do some quick data manipulation? write a quick Perl, Python, or Ruby script (not on Windows) - connect to one of our remote servers? bring up terminal and ssh (not on Windows) - move files around with sftp (not on Windows) - remove all files in a directory tree older than 60 days? bring up terminal and do a quick find... -delete. (not on Windows). - etc, etc, etc. Yes, all these tools can be installed on Windows, but they are on every Mac by default.

I have pretty much all of those tools on windows and all I needed to do was install Git for Windows, which is super easy.

It was a bit more work to set ansicon + Console2/ConsoleZ (although cmder might be an easier option), but now I can use standard bash scripts and do most of what I need easy.

In addition, this process was a one time deal. It's not like you have to set it up each time you want to ssh somewhere.

Why do I really use windows (vs some linux, I have no interest in Mac)?

Play most games (not on Mac or Linux)

Anything else that cygwin can't get me, I have Vagrant and VirtualBox.

Windows isn't that bad.

Git and Console2 are the first things I install after Chrome on Windows, but Git Bash only gets you so far. You quickly run into a wall because Git Bash is not Unix.

Although my opinion of OSX has soured with each new unstable version, it's hard to give up the Unix underpinning + mainstream app combo (Office and Creative Suite). PowerShell with Unix aliases aren't the same.

I bet you still have to install things that you need on your Mac though. Why the false dichotomy then? Install what you need on Windows and you'll be able to do all of those things.

I find that you can get the same types of programs on Windows, but you have to deal with every UI being a unique snowflake and the (subjectively) high chance of malware from my experience.

Also the installing of CLI programs seems to be really hacky through powershell.

For installing, don't forget about Nuget. Use Chocolatey today and although I don't know what the Windows 10 system will be called, they've already announced an OS system based on that tech.

You're not limited to powershell though. There are at least 4 options that are more appropriate for someone like you like Cygwin, git bash or one of the terminal emulators (ConEmu).

Anyway, I think it's a tradeoff in either direction - Programming on Linux, the way it's most commonly done now, means cobbling together a tool-set to do that work. Windows programming tools are typically more streamlined. However, on Windows you have to cobble together your kit for other things such as advanced command line tools that you may depend on.

While I would agree that ad-hoc bash pipelines are very elegant, actual long-form scripts that run safely turn into horrificaly ugly sludgy messes.

As poor as Powershell's verbosity is for an interactive shell, it's pretty reasonable when writing scripts.

Bash + Perl/Python is certainly a more standard/sane combination on Unix, but not really a fair comparison at that point. :)

What about cygwin or mingw? They give you a pretty full-featured bash scripting on Windows.