(Column) - Operating systems seem to have received more attention these days than they have ever before, and while there are numerous available discussion points, in relation to new versions of these operating systems, one of the biggest trends that has been fascinating to watch is how people are switching operating systems like crazy. When I say switching operating systems, I don’t mean upgrading to a newer version of an operating system that they already have, but instead, I’m talking about switching platforms completely, a la the switch campaign for OS X from Apple.

Whether users are switching to Windows, OS X, Linux, or any other operating system for that matter, it’s definitely happening in a big way, and it’s exciting. Because of the way in which the switch campaign from Apple has been ingrained in our minds, it’s easy to just think about people switching to OS X, but if this is the way you think, then I have news for you - people are also switching to Windows and Linux. Despite what Apple’s marketing may tell you, you don’t just have to switch to OS X because Windows or Linux may truly be of more benefit to you. The bottom line is, use what works best for you. Period.

Why Today's OSes and Their Apps Suck

The problem is that it’s easy for us to just spout off about the fact that even more people should look into switching to another operating system, and while the reasons that we establish may genuinely interest someone in making the switch, they’ll quickly find that it’s not a matter where you just snap your fingers and you’re done. Each one of us is accustomed to a certain way of doing things, and moving to something entirely new can present some challenges. For example, how do you use the operating system? Will you be able to run some of the programs that you love? If not, are there any good alternatives?

These are just some of the questions that can be manifested in someone’s mind, but they definitely need solid answers. Sometimes the things that we see as being obvious aren’t actually obvious to other people. Therefore, instead of just saying that computer users should consider switching operating systems, help needs to be provided to show how this can be done.

As we discussed earlier, you can switch to any operating system that appeals to you, but since OS X has made so much progress in drawing people in during these recent years, we’ll focus on it. OS X may be a relatively simple OS to use, but that doesn’t eliminate the fact that new users still need some sort of a guide for it. This blog post published on The Tao of Mac has been online for some time, but it has continuously been updated, and it provides some good information on making the switch to OS X. It contains tips and tricks and covers everything from buying, setting up, and using OS X, to telling you what the essential applications are for the OS. I think more switchers should be aware of guides like this one, and that’s why I wanted to feature it.

No matter which operating system you decide to switch to, make sure that you understand that while there may be some work involved initially, you’ll be much happier with your decision once you have everything up and running and new habits start to be formed.