You may use Windows every day as an operating system and you may have become accustomed to it, its windows system or its appearance. But he’s not the only one. It is not the only operating system that we can use, although it is the most widespread. Whether you want to try something new or if you don’t like Microsoft‘s or are looking for something completely free, we review what are the main alternatives to Windows that you may not know and want to download to your computer.
Beyond Windows, two operating systems are on the podium of the most used and recommended by users: macOS and Linux. These are the three major operating systems that developers think of when launching programs and software, beyond mobile phones and tablets, but not the only ones. There are many alternatives to Windows that you can install if you want to try something new.
In addition to Android and iOS, designed as alternatives if we use convertible mobile phones or tablets with keyboards, you can install operating systems on your desktop computer to give it the same use that you give it daily. Some of the systems on this list seem outdated and others are quirky and different alternatives that may not be useful for routine or work but they do interest you and you want to give something unusual or extravagant a try.
What is Windows?
It’s hard for you to get this far without knowing what Windows is, or at least without getting an idea. Windows is the operating system developed by Microsoft and started in 1985, standing out for being a system with a simple and comfortable graphical interface, intuitive and with all the necessary tools to control the computer through a window system, such as its own name indicates. Although you may have gotten used to it, it is not the only one you can use, install … There are many alternatives to Windows and many of them are completely free, open source and free.
macOS
Windows’ main rival was born in the 1980s and has evolved to this day with one main characteristic: it is exclusive to Apple computers, unlike Windows that works with practically any brand of equipment you buy. Those of Apple have a closed system in which the applications or programs are, in many cases, exclusive. MacOS Catalina is the current version and one of the main alternatives to Windows and better, although with the only drawback that you will have to bet on a computer of that brand and it will only be an option if you can afford the disbursement.
Although it has been commonly said that macOS is more secure and this has been the reason for many users to bet on these computers, reports from 2020 already spoke of the Apple operating system now receiving more attacks: in 2020 they increased 400% the attacks compared to the previous year, according to the specialized company Malwarebytes.
Linux
As you may already know, Linux is another of the best operating systems for PC , one of the main and best alternatives to Windows, born in the nineties and with customization as a strong point, in addition to being free. In Linux you can customize practically everything about the appearance and choose ‘distros’ that fit what we want, including tracing the appearance of Windows or the programs that are on this system.
It is a free alternative and is open source so it is usually one of the main alternatives to Windows for PC users and is installed on millions of computers around the world and with it you can access all kinds of programs, applications, website … It is a versatile, free, open source operating system and one of the most interesting and recommendable. Linux is also recommended because it is a more secure system, although in part but it is not an infallible system without vulnerabilities or cracks, but it is also due to the fact that it is less attacked due to having a lower market share and, therefore, computer threats due to Part of the hackers are usually smaller, at the domestic level, than in the case of other operating systems such as Windows or mac OS.
Chrome OS
The Google operating system is based on the Google kernel and is a recommended option for web browsing, for social networks or for word processing. Chrome OS is an operating system that works as an extended version of the browser that we usually use on computers or mobile phones. It is an open source project that is defined as “a project that aims to build an operating system that provides a faster, simpler and safer computing experience for people who spend more time on the web.” If you usually use your computer to navigate, it is one of the best alternatives to Windows. Also, find all the details on their website and receive all the information.
Haiku
Haiku is one of the best alternatives to Windows and other operating systems. It is an open source project that has been running for almost 20 years and is still an excellent option today if you are looking for something with a clean and clear interface, comfortable and interesting. It comes as a legacy of BeOS, an operating system that was launched in 1991 and ended up disappearing but this operating system came, inspired by the first and seeking to be an easy to use, fast or efficient option for any interested user.
FreeDOS
FreeDOS is, as its name allows us to guess, an heir to MS DOS. A free and free version if you are looking for alternatives to Windows pro you don’t want neither multitasking nor a graphical interface. Here you can run all the MS-DOS programs and enjoy the classic adapted to the times. It receives continuous updates and works on any standard PC if you want to use any of the old code and classic operating system programs.
Free BSD
Derived from BSD-Lite, Free BSD is another of the operating systems that you can try or install and one of the most recommended. For example, its code functions are found on the PlayStation 4 console and from its website they ensure that the OpenConnect device that Netflix uses to transmit movies to its customers is also based on FreeBSD. An open source operating system, similar to Unix and that stands out for its great security. It is designed with a large number of network functionalities and you can find more information on its website.
One of its main functions is to be used for Internet solutions and it is compatible with a DNS server, a web server or email services, for example. It may be more minority or less known than Windows but, as we say, a fully recommended option in terms of security so it may be recommended for a corporate environment and many companies are betting on this free system.
ReactOS
Among the best alternatives to Windows is ReactOS and so much so that from their website they promise that you would not notice the change . It came in the late nineties to imitate the windows operating system and it is an open source system compatible with most Windows applications and drivers. It was launched in 1996 as a clone of Microsoft and now, more than twenty years later, it is still a good free option and with continuous updates, with a windows system … it may seem somewhat ‘retro ‘ and obsolete at times, but it can be a good one. option if you are looking for something new. You can download it from its website and, like most of this list, you will find the instructions and all doubts about its operation from the website itself.community behind ReactOS.
Solaris
Solaris, the operating system of Sun Microsystems, had some boom at the beginning of the century and, although it started as a Unix distribution, in 2005 it was released and gave up its code, available in the Open Solaris project. Later the Oracle company bought Sun and this operating system changed its name to Oracle Solaris. Currently, the Solaris 11 version, which is consistent, simple and secure, can be downloaded from the Oracle website. Oracle ensures that one of its strengths is cloud security, as well as avoiding security attacks and its anti-malware protection. It works on SPARC and x86 architectures and its desktop environment is Java Desktop System.
Illumos
Now that we know about Solaris, we can talk about Illumos. Based on Open Solaris, it is a project started by some of the old Solaris engineers to share the base code and allow the creation of different distributions based on Open Solaris. Thanks to this, there are many Illumos distributions, the best known being OpenIndiana, which can be downloaded from its own website. Its latest version is OpenIndiana Hipster 2020.04.
MorphOS
MorphOS is an operating system that is based on one of the great successes of the 80s, the Commodore Amiga computer, a device that had great multimedia applications at the time and which became one of the favorites of lovers of video game. This operating system is available for PowerPC processors and, although there are not many machines to be able to use it, it is a good idea for those nostalgic who have an old computer and who want to recall times past.
Syllable
Conceived as a fork of AtheOS, it was an attempt to build a lightweight and user friendly operating system. Last released in April 2012 it may not be one of the best alternatives to Windows today. Syllable had two systems: Desktop, designed for users with little technical knowledge and easy to use; and Server , a Linux-based system that was intended to act as an operating system for servers. It is free and open use, does not require many specifications to be used and is compatible with x86 architectures.
PrimeOS
If you like Android and want to have it on your PC, you can do it because PrimeOS is an operating system that seeks to merge Android and PC, allowing access to millions of Android applications from your desktop computer . It promises to have advantages of one and the other as a desktop with a start menu and taskbars but it also has a wide catalog of games and has a choice of applications such as editing tools, email, word processors, etc. Android is one of the main operating systems in the world and PrimeOS is one of the best alternatives to Windows if you like using your phone so much that you want the same tools and advantages when you use your computer.
ArcaOS
ArcaOS is a version of the operating system based on that of IBM. A 32-bit operating system that is based on IBM’s OS / 2 Warp and is compatible with most x86-based personal computers, be it desktop, laptop, etc. It is capable of running MS-DOS applications and 16-bit Windows applications, for example. Although its main drawback is that it is one of the alternatives to paid Windows : you can pay $ 129 for ArcaOS 5.0 in the case of the personal version or $ 229 for ArcaOS 5.0 if you want the commercial version, so perhaps it is not one of your best options and you prefer to spend more than 115 euros on another license or on another operating system.
TempleOS
Unlike others for its theme, TempleOS is an operating system that is based on the theme of the Bible. It may not be one of the best alternatives to Windows every day, but it is something curious and different . It is designed for recreational programming, it is open source and seeks to “narrate” the life of its only programmer, Terry Davis, who assures that he would have created this operating system by order of God. It has graphics in 16 colors, continuous references to the Bible and an oracle that allows you to speak to God. Logically it is not the best alternative to Windows that you will find but it can be interesting or fun if you are looking for a free and open source operating system and you are a fan of religious or sacred text.
