How many options do you have when you go out to buy a bike, a car, a fridge, a television, a mobile phone and so many other things. And how many options do you have when it comes to choosing the operating system to rum your PC hardware? None. Is that so? Does the world ends with Micrsoft's Windows? And have you not gotten bored of the same old interface -- start, shut down...etc.?

But what do we do? I hope most of the people from India and other such developing must be using pirated versions of Windows as well as Office suite. This I know must be giving some sense of guilt that thay are using an stolen product. What if I tell you that you can get an operating system not as good as Widnows, but a bit better, would you believe me? No. And what if I add to that, that is is legally available for free -- with the free word processor or office suite.

You would say that I am joking in the morning. I do joke at times but not now. Not this time. I will take you to the world of GNU/Linux or Free and open source software.

Now, before I tell you about other things lets me make few things clear so you know what I am talking about. Windows is not the end. There are many alternatives of Window operating systems and they are available for free. Some could be sent to your doorsteps for free. You just give  them your postal address through a sinple e-mail.

What else, you will not need to 'format' and then 'install' the operating system on your PC. Just put the DVD, CD in the drive and restart the machine, the OS will run directly from the CD, and you can start using it without even installing it. That is something you would have never even heard of in Windows' world.

If you like the operating sytem you can go ahead and install it. You will have to create some space on you hard drive for the OS, and you know what it will recognise all the windows created files, you will be able to use your documents, images and what not.

Problem area: you have been using windows since your childhood days so you may not feel confortable Linux at once, dont expect that. But it is similar to a Sony Erricson user buys a Nokia phone -- he may feel uncomfortable for a while, am I right?

So, if you want to try out the FREE and Open source software and want to know how you can get one for free, just send me a message and my next blog will tell you how you get get your own copy of free and legal operating system and stop worrying about the stolen, pirated Windows OS.

Next Blog: Are you tired of boring Internet Explorer? Try FireFox...I tell you, once you try FireFox, you will never want to return to Internet Explorer.

(Note: Windows is a good OS, but so are the others, There should be place for all, and that is where you will find Windows try to improve itself.)

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