The Best Windows 7 Alternatives

Screenshot of Ubuntu, a top choice in the search for a new alternative to Windows 7

The best Windows 7 alternative for you could be right below. This post is sponsored by Testing Solutions, who are software testers specialising in software testing.

If you are reading this post then you are most probably bored of Windows. And this is okay, because sometimes people just want a change – and luckily there are quite a few operating systems out there that are a direct alternative to Windows, and in some areas these operating sytems outperform their biggest rival. One thing to note is that every operating system has its advantages and disadvantages, with some being better for media and some better for all round tasks.

Mac OS X

Mac OS X is Apple’s take on what a computer should run on. It is highly graphical, highly intuitive and overall a joy to use. Aimed at creatives rather than technicals, OS X is shipped with Apple’s premium products the iMac and Macbook line.

What are the perks of this over Windows?

The perks of using OS X over Windows are actually limited to creative software and speed. However although there aren’t many adavantages overall conventional PC’ing, one key perk of using Mac OS X is that the operating system itself is virtually virus free, which depletes any need for an antivirus (although it is recommended you have one anyway). Apple also market their products which run OS X as a consumer device that ‘just works’ out of the box, without any unnecessary bloatware which will slow down your daily tasks.

So visually, what can I expect to be different?

On the face of it Mac OS X is a completely different operating system to windows, showing no familiarity with common navigation what so ever. Take for example the taskbar, on Windows you view your main programmes by either sticking them to your clipboard or clicking the start menu – but on OS X, the taskbar hovers at the bottom of your display ‘centered’ with main programmes ready for your clicks.  Another thing to note is that visually Mac OS X is far more bubbly, and hovering over your icons makes them warp and distort, seemingly making OS X look more advanced.

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is a completely open source OS project built by a community of project enthusiasts and little helpers, who together have created one of the world’s arguably best operating systems. Debian, SuSE, Gentoo, RedHat, and Mandriva are also in the Ubuntu market, because they are all derived from the Linux platform. However more like Debian than the others, Ubuntu if favoured by people whom have technical know how and is commonly used on servers, with people who use it on a daily basis being treated to a glorious OS. It has to be said also that all the variants of Linux are solid choices when looking for a new OS.

So what are the perks of this over Windows?

One word: Eye candy. Naturally, you want to be productive on an OS but Ubuntu can not be ignored on the basis that it is fantastic looking. The actual Ubuntu website needent say more, as they say ‘By focusing on quality, Ubuntu produces a robust and feature-rich computing environment that is suitable for use in both home and commercial environments. The project takes the time required to focus on finer details and is able to release a version featuring the latest and greatest of today’s software once every 6 months.’

So visually, what can I expect to be different?

Everything. Ubuntu is one of those operating systems which draws very little familiarity with Microsoft Windows 7. From the navigation bar being on top to your windows showcasing distort graphics when moved, Ubuntu is the perfect Windows 7 alternative for you if you are looking for something completely new. You’ll find Ubuntu very refreshing, and whats more, the load up times for this OS (with the right amount of RAM) are faster than both OS X and Windows 7.

ReactOS

ReactOS is a an operating system which  started out following the same architecture of Microsoft’s XP and not any of the Linux architecture, thus resulting in a now (outdated looking) OS when compared to Windows 7, however also offers a fairly cohesive user experience when used. ReactOS was released to be binary compatible with Windows.

So what are the perks of using this over Windows?

At the moment? The name simply sounds cooler – which, to be fair, is no bad thing. The last ‘stable’ release of ReactOS was put into the hands of consumers in December 2009. The main perk of using this OS (maybe as an alternative boot up) is that the OS theory itself has a huge potential to help to expand the total deployed base of free software, and as a resource for developers wanting to know undocumented Windows APIs in the course of writing portable applications.

So visually, what can I expect to be different?

Tricky this one. It’ll be more familiar than different because the layout of the whole OS is the same as XP and current versions of Windows. If you are Windows savvy then you’ll have no problem navigating ReactOS. You can read more about ReactOS by clicking on the heading above names ‘ReactOS’ which will take you to the Wikipedia reference site.