You Don't HAVE To Use Windows...
0 up · 0 down · 0 ratings
Promos
The first 200 people who head to brilliant.org will get 20% off their annual premium subscription of Brilliant. What are some operating systems other than Windows, Mac, and Linux? Leave a reply with your requests for future episodes, or tweet them here: twitter.com GET MERCH: lttstore.com SUPPORT US ON FLOATPLANE: floatplane.com LTX EXPO: ltxexpo.com AFFILIATES & REFERRALS --------------------------------------------------- Affiliates, Sponsors & Referrals: lmg.gg Get Private Internet Access VPN at lmg.gg Get a Displate Metal Print at lmg.gg Support a Creator code LINUSMEDIAGROUP on Epic Games Store: lmg.gg Get a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime at lmg.gg Our Test Benches on Amazon: lmg.gg Our Production Gear: lmg.gg FOLLOW US ELSEWHERE --------------------------------------------------- Twitter: twitter.com Facebook: @LinusTech Instagram: @linustech Twitch: twitch.tv FOLLOW OUR OTHER CHANNELS --------------------------------------------------- Linus Tech Tips: lmg.gg TechLinked: lmg.gg ShortCircuit: lmg.gg LMG Clips: lmg.gg Channel Super Fun: lmg.gg Carpool Critics: lmg.gg
The video begins by challenging the conventional trio of desktop operating systems, highlighting that Windows, macOS, and Linux do not monopolize the market. It introduces ReactOS as a Windows-compatible alternative that aims to replicate the Windows experience while using clean-room reverse engineering to avoid copyright issues. The host explains that ReactOS is still in an alpha-like state with limited hardware support, but for basic tasks it can be a viable option for Windows users who want to explore something unfamiliar without a full Linux dive. The discussion then moves to Haiku, an open source reimplementation of BeOS designed for media editing and responsiveness on x86 hardware, noting its beta status, a dedicated package manager, and light hardware requirements suitable for older machines. FreeBSD is presented as a robust, Unix-derived alternative with extensive uses beyond desktop computing, including its influence on iOS and macOS codebases, and practical desktop options like FuryBSD and GhostBSD that offer graphical interfaces. The segment concludes with FreeBSD based solutions that bring GUI experiences to portable hardware, while acknowledging that hardware support and user familiarity vary. The host invites viewer input on other alternative operating systems for future episodes and closes with a plug for Brilliant’s learning platform. Overall, the video frames non-Windows options as legitimate, though sometimes niche, paths worth considering depending on user goals such as light-weight requirements, open source philosophy, or specific use cases like media work or networking. Concrete examples are provided for each alternative, including historical context, current state, and practical caveats like installation ease and GUI availability. The pacing moves from ReactOS to Haiku and then to FreeBSD, giving a comparative sense of where each project stands in features, maturity, and ecosystem support. The outro reinforces an educational angle, inviting experimentation and suggesting Brilliant as a companion resource for learning and problem solving. Viewers are encouraged to suggest other OS alternatives and engage with the channel for more content on niche computing topics.
Topics · technology · operating systems · open source · software · computer science