Microsoft Windows alternatives

It never ceases to amaze me when I’m standing in line at the checkout, and see people willing to spend large sums of money on computer software that is known to be filled with bugs, attract adware, malware and spyware - all because they are familiar with it or because it ‘looks pretty’.

Maybe it’s because I’m getting ‘experienced’ that I use logic when I decide on a computer operating system.

Does it work? (Ok.)
What’s it got? (Wow! And that too?)
And are the bad guys looking for it? (No? Ok!)

These days the stability of an computer operating system is strictly based on how well the computer is protected from bad guys that want to get to it.

People have literally trashed 6-month-old computers here in the United States because they were “running slow” rather than clean up the adware, malware and spyware infections they had and protect them better.

There are currently numerous Windows alternatives available that are EXTREMELY easy to install on your computer, and most already contain all the programs you’d take 3 days installing on your Windows computer.

SimplyMEPIS - http://www.mepis.org
Absolutely wonderfull! All the Flash, Quicktime, office suite, multimedia, email, photo editing, etc. software an average user will need for the cost of a download and a CD. Windows users will feel comfortable right off the bat. I know that because my mother uses it…

Ubuntu - http://www.ubuntu.com
VERY popular and widely used world-wide. Backed by a corporation that has a good idea - create a computer operating system and make money supporting it’s users. Very nice desktop and stable!

Ok, let’s say you’ve got an older computer, you have to re-install because again, it’s running slow, crashed or what have you. But you want a newer operating system on it - where do you go? Run Windows XP on that Pentium II with 256MB of RAM. You could if you have plenty of time…

Try one of these Windows alternatives instead:
Arch Linux - http://www.archlinux.org
DSLinux - http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/
Puppy Linux - http://www.puppyos.com/

All of the above are a free download. That’s right - no charge to the calling party. All of them, with the exception of Arch Linux, have a ‘live’ CD that let’s you try the operating system out and make sure that it works before you install.

And if you feel bad about getting something for nothing, good for you!!! You’re an ethical human! To keep your exchange in for getting such a great operating system, you can help with translations, send a donation, etc..

So, spend hundreds of dollars on ‘pretty’ or get something that works. Your choice.