Five operating system alternatives to Windows 8 and XP

Summary: XP's end of life-support is in sight and not everybody wants Windows 8. So, what are your other choices?

By Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols for Between the Lines | April 9, 2013 -- 22:03 GMT (15:03 PDT)

On April 8, 2014, Microsoft will stop supporting XP, but most people are not moving to Windows 8. Indeed, according to a TechRepublic survey, enterprise XP users are especially reluctant to move to Windows 8, so what are you going to use for your desktop in 2014? Here are my five suggestions in the order I think you should consider them.

(Image: Screenshot by Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols/ZDNet)

5. Android Tablet/Apple iPad

You really can use a tablet for some work purposes, but it works far better if you're primarily an information consumer rather than an information producer. So, sure, if you're looking up data from a spreadsheet, searching the web, or reading email, they're great. But if you're putting data into a spreadsheet, creating web pages, or writing long emails or documents, the platform can quickly become annoying.

You can solve those problems with a Bluetooth keyboard and a mouse, but do you know what you call a tablet with a keyboard and a mouse? I call it a laptop computer, myself.

I find it very telling that Charlie Sorrel, a true hard-core iPad-for-work user, recently had to throw in the towel because of "Gorilla Arm". This ailment, which had been known about long before the iPad was a gleam in Steve Jobs' eyes, happens when you're always bringing your arm up to touch a screen. Even with a keyboard, Sorrel found that after using an iPad day after day for over a year, the result was so painful that he would "sometimes rush through posts just to get them finished".

Jobs could have told him that. In fact, he did, back in 2010. "We've done tons of user testing on this and it turns out it doesn't work. Touch surfaces don't want to be vertical. It gives great demo, but after a short period of time, you start to fatigue, and after an extended period of time, your arm wants to fall off."

So, go ahead and support bring your own device for tablets if you like, just don't expect them to replace PCs. They won't.

4. Mac

I know, I know, if you're a Windows user you don't want to hear this, but Macs really are fine PC replacements. You can run many Microsoft office applications on them, such as Office for Mac andOutlook. True, they're not the newest versions, but if you have to have Microsoft applications, they are there. In addition, thanks to virtualization software like Parallels, you can still run your native Windows applications.

The downside, as always, is that Macs are never cheap. They'll also require you to learn a new way of doing things. That said, the learning curve from Windows to the latest version of Mac OS X, Mountain Lion, isn't as steep as from, say, XP to Windows 8's Metro.

3. The Linux Desktop

What's always been far more secure than Windows, a great deal more stable, and with the right combination of distribution and desktop interface? And it actually looks and feels a lot like XP. That would be desktop Linux; in particular, Linux Mint with the Cinnamon interface.

The downside is that it's more trouble to run Windows applications on Linux. It is not, however, impossible, thanks to a program called Wine and its commercial incarnation, Crossover Linux. In addition, just like the Mac, there are ways to run Windows virtually on Linux, such as Oracle's VirtualBox.

Frankly, though, for most office work, I find that LibreOffice and Evolution are better than their Windows counterparts, Microsoft Office and Outlook.

Don't believe me? Give it a try. You can download Mint and use it for free. You may just find that Linux is the operating system for you.

2. Chrome OS

Google thinks you don't need a fat-client desktop — any version of Windows, Mac OS X, and most Linux editions at all. Instead, all you need is enough Linux to run a system and the Chrome web browser for all your needs. With Chrome OS, they may be right.

I've been using Chrome OS on older PCs, and chromebooks for almost two years now. I've found that it works really well for most purposes. Better still, Chrome OS will run well on everything from cheap, $250 ARM-powered chromebooks to the fast, beautiful, and pricey, $1,299 Chromebook Pixel.

Perhaps the best thing about Chrome OS and its chromebook is that it has no learning curve whatsoever. If you can use a web browser, you can use a chromebook.

Is it right for you? Sit down and take a long, hard look at what you and your staff actually do all day. If you find — and I think many of you will — that most of their work can be done with software-as-a-service (SaaS) apps such as Google Docs and Gmail, then Chrome OS is your natural choice.

1. Windows 7

What? You thought I was going to tell Windows users that their best move would be to anything else but? Technically, I think Linux is better, but for total cost of ownership (TCO), it's hard to beat Chrome OS. If you're really wedded to Windows, Windows 7 is your best and most natural move.

I would only urge you to at least give the others a look. I really do think you may be surprised at how well they might work for your enterprise.

You should keep in mind that in the long run, it appears Microsoft really does want to switch you over to a Metro-style interface as part of the "evolution" of Windows 8. If that idea gives you hives, then now is the time to start looking for alternatives.

Related stories

• Great Debate: Can Windows 8 be saved?
• The death of Windows XP: It's your permission to go Chromebook, tablet, Linux, whatever
• What Microsoft's Blue is and isn't
• Microsoft needs to start worrying about Chromebooks
• When will Microsoft pull the plug on your version of Windows or Office?
• No Windows desktop mode!? No!
• The Windows XP alternatives gallery

About Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols, aka sjvn, has been writing about technology and the business of technology since CP/M-80 was the cutting edge PC operating system. SJVN covers networking, Linux, open source, and operating systems.

How Does Windows Phone 8 Improve On Windows Phone 7?

Since its release in October 2010, Windows Phone 7 has improved considerably, entering a market dominated by Apple and Android while doing its best to overcome the shrinking market share left by its precursor, Windows Mobile.
The initial launch wasn’t perfect; certain vital aspects were omitted, such as copy and paste and threaded message conversations, but within 12 months these issues and others had been resolved, resulting in a robust and slick operating system for which thousands of new apps are becoming available every month.
This year we will see the launch of a replacement platform, Windows Phone 8. Also known as Windows Phone Apollo, this new release is designed to improve on the previous version, and will be launched alongside (or very close to) Windows 8, heralding the beginning of Microsoft’s attempts to unify their operating system across all device types.
We can expect much from Windows Phone 8 – after all, Microsoft were working on it before they started on Windows Phone 7!

The Strengths of Windows Phone 7

Due in part to its incomplete initial release and also to the unfashionable legacy of Windows Mobile (which the platform is still confused with, two years later) Windows Phone has sadly failed to make the level of impact that Microsoft hoped.

This is disappointing, not just for Redmond but for those of us that own Windows Phones and know what a pleasure it is to use a device that isn’t reliant on a 5 year old user interface, that offers native integration with all of the popular social networks, portable Microsoft Office, SkyDrive integration, mobile access to Xbox Live and much more.

The real strength of Windows Phone 7 is that it is fast. Photos snapped and uploaded to social networks are published in a fraction of the time that they take on Android and iPhone, while fewer steps are required to perform common mobile phone tasks such as messaging, calling, etc.
We shouldn’t forget the Metro UI; the popularity of the user interface among designers and reviewers has led to its wider adoption on the Xbox 360 and it is of course a key aspect of the new Windows 8.

Where Windows Phone 7 Needs Improvement

Naturally, of course, there are some shortcomings with Windows Phone 7. After all, what would be the point of Windows Phone 8 otherwise?
Probably the single worst aspect of Windows Phone is the use of the Zune desktop client as a sync agent. While the application itself is generally pleasant to use it is a little on the slow side. As a replacement for Windows Media Player it is more than suitable; as an alternative to iTunes, however, Zune is only just adequate. All of this makes Zune a little difficult to use, particularly for syncing and applying updates to Windows Phone.
It might also be argued that forcing users to share their contacts to a cloud (whether Exchange or SkyDrive) is a little unfair, but the majority of shortcomings to the platform come at a more technical level. Things like a limit to the 800×480 px resolution, support of only 16 GB of storage, no microSD support, limited Bluetooth, an inability to email documents, limited customization options, lack of Flash and Java support, and various other quirks and foibles exist. The omission of enterprise support and true multi-tasking has also proved problematic for some users.
Finally, Windows Phone 7 simply isn’t as popular as it should be. By releasing Windows Phone 8 alongside Windows 8 and promoting the effortless integration between the two platforms, Microsoft will be hoping to shift a lot more WP8 devices over the next couple of years.

What’s New in Windows Phone 8?

So, what can we look forward to in Windows Phone 8 that improves on the previous release?
Well, how do you fancy improved Bluetooth support and the presence of NFC (near-field communication)? Designed for file transfer and perhaps even making payments, NFC is a technology that is appearing across all mobile phone platforms.

Meanwhile, the limits on the screen resolution in Windows Phone 7 are being overcome with high definition in the shape of WVGA, WXGA and 720p, the result being better control over the size of Start screen tiles.
Another hardware improvement is support for multi-core processor devices, while screenshots will be enabled natively (as opposed to homebrew apps).
Improved (actual) multitasking will enable users to use multiple apps at the same time while native photo resizing/cropping is also expected. A new release of Office Mobile should be included alongside a new Wallet Hub which will store digital coupons, loyalty cards and other payment methods, and will probably integrate with the new NFC hardware. Another new hub will be available to corporate customers, meanwhile; the Company Hub can be tailored to display employee apps and company information.
The Xbox Music Store will replace Zune Music, while backups are set to be provided to enable the storing of apps and messages in your SkyDrive and it will be possible to hot-swap microSD cards to install apps and view media.

Meanwhile a strong degree of integration with Windows 8 tablets and PCs is expected, while Microsoft’s purchase of Skype will see the app fully integrated with the People Hub and phone dialer and video chat available via the front-facing camera that will be found on all Windows Phone 8 handsets.

What About Windows Phone 7.8?

One of the main complaints about the coming Windows Phone 8 is the fact that for existing Windows Phone users, an upgrade is going to mean a completely new phone.
Hardware changes mean that any Windows Phone 8 device is going to be far more future-facing than the original Windows Phone devices. Upgrading might prove expensive, but in order to placate their users, Microsoft have announced Windows Phone 7.8, a sort of midway update that adds several Windows Phone 8 features to first and second generation Windows Phone 7 devices.
Which features will be made available to legacy users isn’t yet known at this stage, however based on what Windows Phone can currently do it would be fair to expect the photos resizing and cropping, app and messaging backups and the Xbox Music Store to make an appearance.

Are You Ready for Windows Phone 8?

As you can see, Microsoft seems to be intending that Windows Phone 8 will be its quintessential mobile phone platform. Every shortcoming of Windows Phone 7 appears to have been revised or massaged (based on what we know so far) so that Microsoft can finally enter the smartphone game back on level terms with the competition (a place they haven’t been since 2006).

A key disadvantage in Windows Phone 7 was the lack of enterprise support – surprising as this was the core audience for Windows Mobile. Restoring the importance of this market to the Windows Phone strategy seems like a good move by Microsoft, who will no doubt be pushing phones to run alongside PCs and servers at their largest corporate customers.
For the rest of us, meanwhile, the feature set of Windows Phone 8 is on a par with that of iOS and Android 4.0. With the Metro UI as the cherry on the top of the cake, Windows Phone 8 could just be the mobile operating system to finally bring some real competition back into the smartphone market.

Windows 7 Professional - 64bit DVD with Original License Key (Box Pack)

Windows 7 Professional - 64bit DVD with Original License Key (Box Pack)

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Windows 7 Installation Guide / Tutorial

The Windows 7 is finally here. It's released for beta testers a few days ago and I am here with a small step by step picture guided tour through the installation process. I downloaded the x86 version of the M3 build ( build No: 6801) from Microsoft Connect site, which is 2.72 GB ISO. The x64 version is around 3.2 GB in size.

The installation process was just like vista setup and to my surprise completed in just around 20 minutes in my low end Virtual hardware. This surely indicates the performance improvements Microsoft has put on this windows vista replacement.

The TestMachine

I decided to install Windows 7 in a VMware workstation first to make sure that the DVD I burned is perfect. VMware is great for taking screen shots and screen captures also.

VMWare Version: VMWare Workstation 6.5
Virtual HArddisk : 9 GB
RAM : 512 MB
Processor : Single Core
Windows Version : Windows 7 Ultimate M3 v6801-0-080913-2030


Preparing the DVD from the ISO image

Since most the people are installing Windows 7 in a real hardware, a DVD should be burned from the downloaded ISO image. You will need a DVD Burner, a DVD burning software and a blank DVD-R or DVD-RW to prepare the installation disk. I used a Sony single layer DVD-R as media and used Nero 8 as the DVD burning software. But for those who don't have Nero installed, CDBurnerXP is a free Alternative.

So using the DVD burning software of your choice burn the Windows 7 ISO image to the DVD. Make sure you choose the a very low burning speed, 4x or 8x, for better results.


Setting up your Computer & BIOS changes ( If required)

Now reboot your computer after popping in the all new Windows 7 DVD you just created in to the DVD Drive. In most cases if you do this you'll automatically boot in to the Windows 7 Installation DVD. But in some cases if the Boot device order is changed in the BIOS it may boot in to your older OS, instead of our DVD. In that case you'll need to change the BIOS settings to gt it done ( More details in a different tutorial).

Booting Up and First Installation Steps

Steps from here are pretty straight forward. Read the descriptions in each pages before clicking the Next button to avoid any disasters. IF there is options to choose in these steps you may find them with each images.










You may choose your Language options by selecting the dropdowns 'Language to install', 'Time and Currency format' and 'Keyboard or input method' here. I decided to leave everything to 'US' but it would be better for selecting the correct settings here for non-english users.


This screen is where the installation wizard begins. The install now options will leads to the advanced install options. For repairing a corrupt installation the 'Repair your computer' button located at the bottom-left can be used. For fresh installs just click the Install now button.




Tick the 'I accept the license terms' checkbox and click 'Next' to proceed.

Which type of installation do you want?

This screen provides two options, Upgrade and Custom (advanced). The upgrade option is for those who wish to upgrade an existing installation of older version of Windows to Windows 7. It is confirmed that Windows Vista can be upgraded to Windows 7 with out any issues, but Windows XP is still a problem.

We will opt for the second option here, the Custom install.

Where do you want to install Windows?

Clicking on the 'Custom' button brings the install location selection screen. In the test machine we have an un-partitioned empty disk. But in the case of a normal installation all your hard drive partitions (e.g. C:\ , D:\ etc.) will be listed here. Choose the drive as you like (a 15 GB size is recommended). Make sure the drive don't have any important data or the Windows 7 installation will wipe-out the contents of that partition. You can backup the data to another partition (e.g. for installing in D:\ drive move important files from there to say E:\ drive or to an external usb drive) for safe keeping.

Partitioning /Creating or Modifying Partitions

Click the Drive options (advanced) for advanced partition management options like 'Delete', 'Format', 'New' and 'Extend'. To create a new partition click the New button. But if you have list of partitions in the previous screen, choose the one where you are planning to install windows 7 and click Format. Then click 'Next' to proceed.


The 'New' option provides a text box to enter the size of the partition you wish to create in MBs. A 15 GB (15*1024 = 15360 MB) is recommended. In this case I opted for the full size of my virtual drive, i.e. 9216 MB. Click the Apply button to continue. You may be greeted with a message To ensure that all Windows features work correctly, windows might create additional partitions for system files. . This is a new feature in Windows 7 to have a small boot partition for system files. Click Okto continue.


So here we are, A new primary partition of 8.8 GB is created along with a System type partition of 200 MB. Select the partition you just created and click Next to continue.


All right, we are all set. The Windows 7 installation begins. time to grab a cup of coffee for and wait for 15 - 30 minutes for the all new OS!

We discussed the initial steps of Windows 7 installation in the first part of this tutorial. In this session the instillation proceeds though the series of screen shots which involves a reboot. No user interaction is required for this Part.

The PART 3 of installation shows the basic setup like entering the Serial Key, setting up the computer name and user account, Timezone selection etc.

This part of Windows 7 installation guide covers the Windows Product code (Serial key) input, Computer name setup, user account and password setup, time zone selection, Windows update configuration, location selection, Home group setup etc.