The vast majority of computer users can't even imagine the concept of using a computer without Micro$oft Windows, even though they actually know in the back of their mind that computers have been around longer than Windows has. Do you really think the computers that the Apollo astronauts had on-board in their rockets actually ran a version of Windows? Microsoft didn't even release the first version of Windows until November of 1985, and even that was nothing but a lame hack attempt at copying the look and feel of the first Macintosh introduced at the beginning of 1984. It was buggy, required DOS to be installed and running first, and couldn't do much because there weren't any programs for it yet (aside from the 10 basic programs that Micro$oft bundled with it). A few years later came IBM OS/2 and then Linux (plus a handful of other obscure operating systems that never really took off). IBM OS/2 eventually died off, but Mac OS and Linux are still very much here. You've probably heard of Linux in the news, but you've never seen a commercial for it on TV like you see for Windows and Macintoshes. There has to be some reason why you never see Linux commercials on TV...Right?

For the most part, Linux is a free operating system and nobody is going to pay for million dollar TV ads to promote a free operating system. What I mean by "for the most part" is that there are numerous Linux distributions, and only a small handful of them cost money. If you're unsure what I mean by "distributions", it means that there are numerous software entities that package their own version of Linux and distribute it how they see fit. This practice dates all the way back to the first version of Unix created back in 1969 and all the companies that bought the source code and branded it as their own (with Micro$oft being one of them). Whereas with Windows, there is only one distribution source, and that's Micro$oft. The same goes for Macintosh OS (yet another version of Unix), Apple is the only distribution source. It's fair to say that over 90% of Linux distributions are free, and the reason they're free would take a long time to explain, so I won't go into that here. If you want to learn more about it, I suggest reading the Wikipedia page on Open Source Software and all of the related links in that page. Let's just say that with the existence of Linux and Macintoshes, there is absolutely no reason that you should believe that you are stuck with Windows or any other Micro$oft products.

Linux and Macintoshes can do anything that Windows can do, except for two things...Getting infected with viruses & spyware, and running video games that are written specifically for Windows. Now, if you happen to be one of those uber-geeks that's out to try and prove how much more you know than anyone else and fire off a message to me to tell me that Linux and Macintoshes have been hit by viruses before, be sure you include the exact virus names and dates that they existed. Honestly, it doesn't make any difference what may have been possible 10 years ago, what's possible today is all that matters. All viruses and spyware today are targeted at Windows systems because nobody has been able to get anything like that into a Linux or Macintosh system for 10 years or more just by pure nature of their design and built-in security system. The difference between Micro$oft and the Linux/Macintosh world is that Micro$oft is slow to admit when they have problems and even slower to fix their problems. When a problem creeps up in the Linux/Macintosh world, it's addressed and fixed, overnight in most cases. With Micro$oft products, you're stuck sitting on that problem for a month or more, or even years in many cases. As far as games are concerned, there are games for Linux and Macintoshes, but not as many as there are for Windows. If games are really that important to you, then I would suggest getting a gaming console instead (such as an X-Box, PlayStation, Wii, etc) and save your computer for something actually useful and productive.

So, how exactly do you break the Windows choke-hold? All you have to do is make the decision to switch, instead of finding more reasons to b*tch. Sorry if that sounds a little harsh, but that's the honest truth. There's no major hurdle that you have to jump over and you don't have to shell out any money unless you want to buy a brand new Macintosh (which is definitely something that you would not regret). But if you're seriously tired of dealing with viruses & spyware, paying for special software to protect you from them, and paying for upgrades, then just make the switch to Linux. If you don't mind paying for the upgrades, then switch to a Macintosh. But no matter how you slice it, there is nothing forcing you to stay in Micro$oft's monopolistic world of never-ending problems. If you had a car that had as many problems as Micro$oft products have, would continue to keep that car and continue paying to repair it, or would you replace it with something more dependable? I'll bet you just said that you'd replace it with something more dependable. So, why not use the same logic when dealing with your computer problems?

If you're worried about a major learning curve, quit worrying. Even if you buy a new car, you have a learning curve. When it comes to computers, no matter what operating system they're running, the only skills you need are the ability to type and use a mouse. Things in Linux and Macintoshes may be in different places than they are in Windows, but that's not a problem that's hard to overcome. I'll bet the last time you bought a different car, you had to learn how to program the radio stations, set the clock, operate the heater & air conditioner, and adjust the seats. Did that make you switch back to your old car, or did you learn and adapt to the new car? It's no different with a computer, you can learn and adapt, and it's not a difficult process. To break that choke-hold, you just have to be willing to make the change. That's all there is to it, the decision is in your hands, you just have to take the first step. If you'd like to discuss the matter further, call one of the numbers on the Contact Us page or send a message with any further questions you may have.