Are you tired of struggling with your computer’s operating system. Do you want to try a program where you do not need to be constantly on the look out for viruses or security attacks? Have you considered giving up your computer because software is becoming too expensive for you to afford? Do not give up, you are not locked into Microsoft Windows, there are alternate operating systems available.

Linux is the open-source alternative to Windows. Linux has been around since the early 1990s and for many people moving to Linux is an easy switch. Linux is considered to be a stable operating system which many businesses choose to run their mission critical computers and websites. Much work has been done to create versions of Linux that can aid people in switching from Windows. Linux is open-source which means many versions of the software are available for free. There is a lot of software available for Linux and many of the documents created are compatible with Microsoft Office. Linux users also see themselves not as customers but as a community. If you decide to switch to Linux and you need assistance or help, you can find someone online who is willing to assist you. No need to contact customer service or pay for expensive in home support.

If your interested in moving to a new computing platform, Apple Macintosh offers an entire line of computers and products for your computing needs. Apple computers are seen as high end computers that will last for several years. Many of the differences between Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows are old and outdated. Mac OS X is a fully fleshed operating system with an community of software developers and users behind the product. You can share files between the two operating systems and network both operating systems together. Mac computers are seen as products used by artistic and creative people. While the high end computing games available for play on Windows computers is not available for the Mac, there is plenty of software to keep everyone happy. If you choose to switch to the Macintosh you will not have the same virus and security concerns that Windows users have but you will need to keep up on security updates as there are security holes in the operating system.

Solaris 10 is a little known operating system that you can replace Windows with. Solaris is based upon the Unix code base. There are two versions of Solaris. Solaris 10 is the professional enterprise level operating system that is designed for companies to use for their servers. Many system administrators see Solaris 10 as an upgrade to Linux. The other version of the software is OpenSolaris. OpenSolaris is the open-source operating system designed for individuals and college students. OpenSolaris is still very rough as the community is still working on the software’s potential. If you missed the early years of LInux and want to be on the ground floor building a new operating system and a new computer community, you may want to consider checking out OpenSolaris. Many of the same features you will find in Linux are available or planned for OpenSolaris. The open source community is working diligently on this operating system so chances are if you try OpenSolaris one month and do not like it, if you return the next month the operating system will look and feel very different and you may like the new version.

If you do decide to move from Microsoft Windows to one of the alternative operating systems available, you may want to try the new software out before you commit your computer hardware fully. Both Linux and Solaris have CD bootable versions of their software available which will allow you to try the software out without erasing anything from your primary hard drive. You also want to take some time to determine if the software you use on a daily basis or an approximate substitute is available for your new operating system. There is nothing more frustrating then switching to a new operating system and discovering that you can not longer use software that helps you run your life.

In the early 1990s there were very few choices in computer operating systems and the alternative at that time were not as robust the alternatives today. Before you start to dismiss one of the alternative operating system with the ideas that they are not interoperable or do not have any software choices, take a second look because you may be surprised on the changes all operating systems have undergone in the last 15 years. You now have choices in your computing and the best part is many of those choices are free or low cost and still have the support and help that any new user needs and desires.

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1. Godel, Escher, Bach by Douglas Hofstadter
Godel, Escher and Bach, written by Douglas Hofstadter, while the title would suggest it is discussion of a mathematician, an artist, and a composer, is a complex examination of how human beings develop perception and meaning. More specifically, the book explores, through a series of dialogues and narrations, how symbols, thought and language are all intertwined and how reality is essentially a composition of overlapping meanings and perceptions. The book challenges the reader to observe the system of symbolic meanings around him or her objectively.

2. The Art of Computer Programming by Donald Knuth
The Art of Programming, by Donald Knuth, is a comprehensive, multi-volume work discussing various programming algorithms and their analysis. The work was voted by American Scientist as one of the twelve best scientific monographs of the twentieth century. The author famously offered a reward of two dollars and fifty six cents for anyone who found and reported an error in the text. The work features exercises of multiple difficulty levels, from basic warm up exercises to ongoing research problems, allowing the reader to work up his skill and familiarity with the material.

3. The Elements of Programming Style by Brian W. Kernighan and P. J. Plauger
The Elements of Programming Style, by Brian W. Kernighan and P. J. Plauger, is an influential book on the study of computer programming styles and languages. It endorses the strategy that computer programs should be written not only to satisfy the compiler, but also keep the human readers in mind. The book utilizes examples taken from actual, published programs. The book’s recommendations are made in the context of the examples which are realistic rather than an academic vacuum.

4. Theory of Parsing, Translation and Compiling, by Alfred V. Aho, and Jeffrey D. Ullman
The book, Theory of Parsing, Translation and Compiling, by Alfred V. Aho, and Jeffrey D. Ullman, is intended for a senior or graduate course in compiling theory. It is a theoretical treatment of a practical computer science subject. Since computer science is an ever changing area of study, this book emphasizes ideas, rather than specific application details. The algorithms and concepts presented in the book should survive to new generations of computer technology, programs and systems. Numerous examples are given, with specific context, rather than on the large complicated contexts normally found in implementations, even in cases where the theoretical ideas are difficult to understand in isolation.

5. The Computer and the Brain, by John von Neumann
The Computer and the Brain, by John von Neumann, is theoretical work which examines mathematics, logic’s, and statistics as the basic tools of information. The book explores how these subjects make up the entirety of the planning, usage and coding of computers. The author explores how mathematics and logic are related to the functions of the organic human brain in the same way they are applied to the artificial automated computer processor.

6. A Programming Language, by Kenneth E. Iverson
A Programming Language, by Kenneth E. Iverson, explores how programming language is a signifier for a whole host of mathematical algorithms and procedures. The book focuses on specific areas of application which serve as universal examples and are chosen to illustrate particular facets of the effort to design explicit and concise programming languages.

7. Writing Efficient Programs, by Jon Louis Bentley
Writing Efficient Programs, by Jon Louis Bentley, illustrates to the reader how the
primary task of a software designer is the development of programs that are not only useful, but easy and inexpensive to maintain. Moreover, the book explores how software must have specific application as well as versatility to me modified for unforeseen uses. Lastly, efficient programs must be efficient to write as the cost of writing will determine their competitiveness in the software market.

8. Computation: Finite and Infinite Machines, by Marvin L. Minsky
Computation: Finite and Infinite Machines, by Marvin L. Minsky, explores how the
introduction of the computer in the last half century has affected the fabric of human society. The book essays to describe the application and limitation of computer technology as it relates to human progress and potential.

9. Operating System Principles, by Per Brinch Hansen
Operating System Principles, by Per Brinch Hansen, gives computer science and professional programmers a general explanation and analysis of operating systems. The book explains how an OS works to allow sharing of information easy and efficient.

10. Artificial Intelligence, by Elaine Rich
Artificial Intelligence, by Elaine Rich, gives programmers an introduction to the techniques and problems associated with A.I. The book features references throughout that allow the reader to pursue the topics deeper than would be possible within the defined scope and space limitations of the book.

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