Which Operating System is free of cost?

Which Operating System is free of cost

Those who love Windows will surely stay faithful to it, and the same is said for Mac. After years of comfort with our operating systems, we are normally reluctant to change. But we pay a price for this love which leads us to question if there are free good alternatives. Do you know which Operating System is free of cost?

We’ll see that in this article. We also want to know if any of this software is going to stand up well next to the power of Microsoft Windows or Apple iOS.

Table of Contents

  1. Which Operating System is free of cost?
    1. What is Open Source?
  2. The top 9 free Operating Systems
    1. Linux
    2. Chrome OS
    3. Haiku
    4. Elementary OS
  3. Wrap Up

Which Operating System is free of cost?

In this article, we are going to look at the top 9 free operating systems and some of their key features. All of the programs we mention are open source.

So, before looking at which operating system is free of cost, let’s explain a little more about this.

What is Open Source?

Open source means that the original source code is freely available to everybody. People can take the original source code and modify it to better suit their needs.

They can also then redistribute it. Microsoft Office is a closed source program, whereas its rival, OpenOffice, is open source. In practically all cases, open-source software is free.

The top 9 free Operating Systems

There are plenty of free operating systems and quite often, the choice is down to personal needs or your technical ability to modify code.

We have compiled a list of some of the most popular free software for personal computers.

Linux

As Linux is widely considered the most popular free operating system and it is now the world’s largest open-source software., we will go into quite a bit of detail here.

Linux is software that manages your computer’s hardware and its systems. It’s like the middleman between the resources that carry out the tasks and the software these tasks require.

Linux Kernel is a core part of the Linux operating system. It is a set of software packages that allow Linux to run on a huge range of hardware from smartphones to supercomputers.

The Kernel is responsible for memory process and file management as well as the communication between the system resources and the hardware.

It is highly efficient and less vulnerable to security breaches than Windows. Because of the various distributions, you will be able to use Linux for a massive number of uses, even to revive your old computer.

Linux has 25 distributions and you can use this download link to access them all.

Due to Linux being open source, the first few on the list are Linux-based. Users favor this software because the user interface is similar to Windows with a simple desktop.

There are a number of pre-installed applications that will help if you need to work on older hardware that needs more memory. You can enjoy LTS support, and GTK2 and GtK3 engine support.

The original purpose of this Debian-based Linux operating system was for users to play video games on hardware other than PCs. You can use SteamOS with Windows, Mac, and Linux. It is perfect for gamers who want to stream any game to SteamOS computers.

With the GNOME desktop environment, you can carry out other tasks apart from games. With Nvidia, Intel, and AMD graphics support, you can access the Steam store for films and music.

You have to give Debian respect for the way it has matured over the years. It was the first operating system to be based on the Linux and FreeBSD Kernel way back in 1993.

There are more than 51,000 free online repository packages. Highlights of Debian include LibreOffice, VLC media player, GIMP image editor, and Evolution mail.

Ubuntu is another Debian-based operating system from Linux. As well as desktop and mobile use, it is a good option for powering IoT devices.

The Ubuntu Software Centre has a ton of games and applications in case you can’t find what you are looking for in the pre-installed software.

Ubuntu has some of the best security of the free operating systems with a built-in firewall and virus protection. It also comes with Empathy, an instant messaging service, and for developers, a tool center.

This is another alternative that has a similar user interface to Windows. In fact, the original version was a Windows 95 clone. Today, there have been over 6 million ReactOS downloads in 100 countries.

Because of the privacy written into the code, users don’t have to worry about data tracking. ReactOS is more suitable for people who have more open-source experience so that you can get the most out of the customizable features.

Chrome OS

Chrome OS from Google is a cloud-based browser that is mainly used to host web applications. It is based on Linux Kernel and the operating system has been partially developed under Chromium OS, also open source.

To take advantage of it being free, you need to use Chrome hardware like Chromebook.

Nevertheless, it has some excellent features like virtual desktop access, Google cloud print, support for certain Android apps, and heightened security.

Haiku

Though quite young compared with others we have seen, Haiku has lots of promise. You can use Haiku to browse the web, read and write emails, listen to music, and watch videos.

It will gain popularity for its speed and efficiency, but we may have to wait for a little to see its full capabilities and key features.

Elementary OS

We liked this option for its simplicity and speed. Elementary OS it’s also based on Linux and will be an option for those looking for both security and an operating system that doesn’t collect personal data.

The user interface is awesome and there is a good deal of support for developers. You will find enough pre-installed apps to perform your typical tasks like file systems and photo management and listening to music.

Wrap Up

If you’re willing to know which Operating System is free of cost, there you have 8 solutions. There are lots more and there will be more services being released due to Linux being open source.

Essentially, if you had your own operating system idea and the right skills, you could develop your own system.

Your choice of a free operating system will depend on what’s important to you. Cloud-based software will probably be better suited for real-time operating systems.

While one of the key features will often be related to the user interface, design, and ease of use, when you are searching for your ideal operating system, don’t forget the importance of security.

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