The fact that ordinary users and system administrators complain about the operating systems of the Windows family is not a secret for anyone, since the OS itself constantly has some unforeseen problems that can be fixed very long and tediously, and some of them may prove to be irreparable. Some people put up with this state of affairs, in most cases simply installing the system again. Others (smarter) are starting to look for an alternative to Windows. How justified is it and is it so bad with the Microsoft operating systems themselves, then we’ll try to figure it out.
What users and administrators are not satisfied with Windows?
Let's start with a brief description of the main problems of Windows, because of which there are complaints, as a result of which the ratings of the software itself are falling. Firstly, despite constant statements by Microsoft specialists about improving the security of OSs released and their full support from the developer, the system is constantly at risk. Most of the updates released are aimed specifically at patching holes or holes through which viruses penetrate into them (the maximum number of viruses, alas, was created and is created specifically for Windows systems). Secondly, the Windows system toolkit is quite limited, so to perform some important operations you have to use third-party software, which is often incompatible with the systems themselves or may not work correctly. Thirdly, even server versions based on NT are not particularly stable in operation, not to mention desktop modifications. Finally, some built-in applications like Explorer, according to many experts, are very inconvenient to use and, as they say, did not stand next to other third-party software products. Despite this, the "Office", which was one of the first at the dawn of the development of software in this area, is still among the best packages for working with documentation of any type, although some are looking for a full replacement for it.
Windows Explorer Alternative: Which is Better to Choose?
First of all, it is worth recalling the file managers, which not only seriously compete with the application built into Windows, but clearly surpass it in many aspects. Usually, as an alternative to Windows Explorer, it is proposed to use several popular programs, among which the championship, without a doubt, belongs to applications like Total Commander, Windows Commander and FAR Manager.
All of them in most cases have a two-console interface modeled after Norton Commander, which was used in older DOS systems.
Only the first two utilities have a pronounced graphical shell, and the third repeats Norton exactly. The functionality of these programs is much higher, because they have administrative tools, more powerful built-in archivers, and tools for working with disk partitions, command shells, file recovery tools, or resolving problems with access to certain components and media, and much more. . It is believed that performing the most primitive actions like copying or moving files and directories to another location is more convenient.
Administration Tools
First of all, when considering such tools, many users pay attention to utilities for working with disk partitions, considering the tools of Windows-systems to be clearly incomplete. In this regard, the most popular are software products from Acronis and AOMEI, in which any operations performed are simpler and more intuitive. Some utilities have the ability to create bootable disks, which are used, for example, to install a different system than Windows, or to work with the hard disks and logical partitions themselves without loading the main operating system.
There are also complaints about the notorious "Planner", which often does not meet the requirements of users. The best alternative to the "Task Scheduler" Windows, according to the vast majority of experts, is software with the general name CRON.
This applet is freeware, has a GUI interface, runs on Windows and Linux, has much finer settings and an expanded range of features, allowing you to even run in the background programs of other registered users without directly logging into their accounts or without requiring rights administrator.
System care products are also criticized. The same tools for cleaning, checking and defragmenting the disk are often replaced by advanced optimizer programs, among which utilities like CCleaner, ASC and the like are especially popular.
Alternative for the "Office" in Windows
As for the office suite, its main disadvantage is believed to be that there are no free versions of such software in nature. The package is quite expensive, and sometimes it is necessary to activate it using illegal methods, using various activators like KMSAuto Net. In addition, updates and additions are constantly being issued for the "Office", as a result of which some versions of the package can vary quite a lot among each other by the methods of calling one tool or another, and the commands or necessary tools are hidden so deep that it’s very difficult to find them without special knowledge hard.
Here, the best alternative to the Windows office is the OpenOffice.org package, which is absolutely free, has no less (if not more) features and is much easier to use. Previously, preference was given to Lotus packages, but today the relevance of their use is clearly dubious.
Best Alternative Operating Systems
Finally, let's look at the choice of the operating system if the user for one reason or another decided to abandon Windows altogether. What to prefer in this situation, because many want the system interface to be similar to Windows, and work skills did not have to be acquired again? Here, anyone will tell you that it is time to switch to Linux, especially since these systems, unlike the "apple" ones, are installed on ordinary PC standard computers without problems. Despite the growing popularity of such distributions, you can find many alternatives to Windows, among which the following systems can be distinguished:
- ChromeOS
- Syllable OS
- Fedora
- Remix OS
- ReactOS and OS (Russian developments);
- OpenSUSE
- FreeBSD, etc.
Linux distributions
Among all the modifications of freely distributed Linux systems, Ubuntu and Debian are especially popular.
In general, absolutely all OSs of this class primarily attract users not with advanced capabilities or ease of use (except for the command console or administrative tools), but because they are not exposed to viruses, since the registry as such is absent in them. Such systems are installed on any "hardware" on which Windows originally worked. If you delve into some settings and seriously work with the GNOME and KDE environments, their performance can be increased quite significantly, which can make such systems even better than Mac OS X, and you can even install any program designed for Windows into their environment.
ChromeOS
This operating system, as you might guess by its name, is a direct alternative to Windows created by the IT giant Google, whose experts borrowed the OS name from the browser of the same name.
This software product is characterized by low consumption of system resources, but is mainly focused on providing convenient and safe Internet surfing. But the obvious plus is that in this system you can install and run absolutely all applications designed for Android-based mobile devices.
Alternatively, you can use the Remix OS system, which is built on the basis of the Android kernel, but the Chrome OS loses somewhat.
Syllable OS
This system can also be called a kind of alternative to Windows, if only for the reason that its graphical shell is very similar to old Windows-systems. Its main advantages are considered to be the fastest possible download (no more than ten seconds) and many pre-installed programs.
Fedora
Before us is another system with a minimum of settings and a sufficiently large number of "wired" applications. In some ways, it resembles Linux systems, is framed using the GNOME visual environment, has its own cloud storage, is completely Russified, and works quite fast.
ReactOS and OS
These two systems can be called a full-fledged and highly competitive Russian alternative to Windows.
Allegedly, the first system was run by specialists who set themselves the task precisely in terms of competing with Microsoft, which is why the system turned out to be very similar in appearance to Windows, took many interface and control elements from Windows, and can work with all applications , which are installed in the Microsoft system (in addition, it is absolutely free).
The second OS is a kind of Linux, but was developed on the basis of Linux, CentOS and Fedora. When it was created, the developers corrected several thousand errors, taken as the basis of the systems, but focused their software product mainly for use in offices and large enterprises.
OpenSUSE
Many people call this system an alternative to Windows 7, despite not even its similarity in appearance and design to Linux. By default, it uses unobtrusive green tones. The toolkit looks quite impressive, and the OS itself has several modifications, including both the corporate and the version for developers.
Freebsd
Finally, another OS that can compete not only with Windows, but also with Macs (in appearance, it clearly resembles Apple systems).
This UNIX system is mainly intended for use on servers; it supports GNOME, KDE, and Xfce environments. But here's the interesting thing: many experts say that Apple created its “operating systems” explicitly copied them from this system, because when you look at the code, you can find whole pieces exactly taken from FreBSD. Roughly speaking, this OS served as the basis for the creation of “Mac” systems, which in a sense can be called even the most natural plagiarism.