Summary

Alternatives to Windows include the old command-line DOS operating system, Linux, and several versions of Unix. Of these, Linux is the strongest competitor to Windows as a desktop operating system. The three most popular BSD Unix versions are also excellent choices.

Both Unix and Linux are stable and reliable, but Microsoft's success in making Windows the de facto standard for desktop computers means that Windows is still the default choice for most users. Unless you have a good reason not to use Windows-for enhanced security and protection against viruses, because it is a local standard, as a protest against Microsoft, or just to set you and your computer apart from the majority-the Microsoft operating system probably does just about everything you need or want. On the other hand, a larger proportion of the world's file servers and Internet servers use some version of Unix, so you could easily justify choosing to install Unix on your own servers.