The hunt for Windows alternatives
Google Chrome OS is the highest profile attempt to unseat Windows in some time. Simon looks at the growing hunt for mass-market Windows alternatives.

That's not going to stop manufacturers pushing for it, though. Because it seems that the thirst to hunt down viable Windows alternatives for a desktop or portable environment is showing little signs of going away right now. Whether that's because said manufacturers are looking for a way to cut the cost of bringing their products to market, or to weaken the grip that Microsoft has isn't entirely clearly. There's a fair chance that it's a combination of them both.
As it stands however, searching for a viable alternative and one becoming popular are two very different things. All eyes are inevitably on Google come the end of the year when it rolls out Chrome OS formally, but so entrenched is Windows in the market that it even falling below 90 per cent share would be a fairly sizeable sea change. Even Google, with all its power and mighty, may just struggle to make a dent in it
Get the ITPro daily newsletter
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives
-
RSAC Conference 2025: The front line of cyber innovation
ITPro Podcast Ransomware, quantum computing, and an unsurprising focus on AI were highlights of this year's event
-
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei thinks we're burying our heads in the sand on AI job losses
News With AI set to hit entry-level jobs especially, some industry execs say clear warning signs are being ignored
-
Tiny11 review: Windows 11 with only 2GB of RAM
Review A version of Windows 11 for older machines that don't meet the full requirements
-
Red Hat Enterprise Linux becomes foundational operating system for Cohesity Data Cloud
News New strategic partnership between Red Hat and Cohesity aims to drive innovation in the data security and management space
-
Ubuntu shifts to four-week update cycle
News Critical fixes will also come every two weeks, mitigating the issues involved with releasing prompt patches on the old three-week cadence
-
AlmaLinux follows Oracle in ditching RHEL compatibility
News Application binary compatibility is now the aim with 1:1 now dropped
-
How big is the Windows 10 cliff-edge?
ITPro Network With some comparing the upcoming Windows 10 end of life to Windows XP, we ask members of the ITPro Network for their insight
-
Everything you need to know about the latest Windows 11 updates - from bug fixes to brand-new features
News Two new cumulative updates are on the way and will be installed automatically on Windows 10 and Windows 11 machines
-
How to download a Windows 11 ISO file and perform a clean install
Tutorial Use a Windows 11 ISO to install the operating system afresh
-
We could all benefit from better Windows and macOS accessibility features
Opinion Today’s accessibility features can help you work through a nasty injury, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement