Don’t want to stick with Mac, Windows or other paid operating systems and want to try something new? You may be a person who likes to try out different operating systems or maybe you just want to try out an operating system because your friends are using it. Well you can find many operating systems online that are fast and feature-rich. In this article, we’ve listed the best open source operating systems that you can run on your PC.
- Open Source Alternative To Ccleaner
- Open Source Malware Cleaner
- Open Source Mac Disk Cleaner
- Open Source Windows 10 Cleaner
You can play with the open source OS, discover its operations and maybe learn from it.
List of 8 Best Open Source Operating System 2019
CCleaner for Mac! Clean up your Mac and keep your browsing behaviour private with CCleaner, the world's favourite computer cleaning tool. Free download. Open source software is also the foundation to many of today’s largest, most renowned software packages – without open source software we might not have the amazing, mind-blowing applications and software packages we use everyday. In light of this, I have compiled a list of 30 of the best open source applications for Mac. Click over here to optimize and speed up your mac for FREE Mac OS (Operating System),detoxmymac,detox my mac,mac cleaner,clean my mac,s. Free video enhancement and authentication software relied upon by law enforcement, CSI labs, intelligence agencies and private analysts worldwide. Our favorite Mac cleanup tips. We like to throw open the windows, beat the dust out of the rugs, and straighten up our Mac desktops. Macworld is your best source for all things Apple.
Here is a list of the most efficient open source OS for Windows that you can install right now! Check them out.
Download CCleaner for free. Clean your PC of temporary files, tracking cookies and browser junk! Get the latest version here. What is the best software program to buy to clean up my mac? Leave your Mac on one night a month, (not in Sleep mode) so it can run maintenance tasks for you. Read here Mac OS X: About background maintenance tasks. If the drive is slow to respond to tasks, you may need to free up disk space.
Ubuntu
Ubuntu is a Linux-based OS that is considered as one of the most efficient open source operating systems in the world. It took a group of talented developers located worldwide to create this full-fledged operating system that is fast and feature-rich. Ubuntu includes necessary software such as an instant messenger, office suite, web browser, media maps and much more. It is the most used Linux-based operating system that makes it a perfect alternative to Windows or Mac.
Ubuntu developers practice the Debian architecture. Experts say that Ubuntu is an ideal operating system for old laptop and it includes most of the essential apps such as Thunderbird, F-Spot, Firefox, Transmission, LibreOffice, Open Office etc. It is user-friendly and compatible to both laptop and desktop interface. There are two forms of platform in Ubuntu – “non-LTS (Long Term Support) and LTS”. The latest stable versions of non-LTS and LTS version are 17.04 and 16.04 respectively. The numbers in the version name denote year and month. For example, ‘16’ refers to the year and ‘04’ to the month.
Note:- Ubuntu will not be available in the Unity-based desktop environment. It will shift back to GNOME-based desktop. Ubuntu is compatible with almost every hardware as it’s the most used Linux- based operating system and doesn’t require any additional driver to communicate with the hardware. Click here to download the official Ubuntu software.
Linux Lite
Linux Lite is another free open source operating system that can work on lower end hardware. It’s a lite OS that facilitate users who have inadequate knowledge of a Linux-based operating system. The operating system features all the necessary programs, functionalities, tools, and desktop.
Linux Lite consists of a simple interface and is entirely established on Ubuntu distribution. The operating system is stable and has been supporting with regular updates since five years. Linux Lite is efficiently functional soon after installation. Again users are not required to install any additional drivers after installation. Choose Linux Lite if you want a lightweight open source OS on your PC. Click here to download Linux Lite.
Fedora
Fedora is another popular Linux-based operating system, which is arguably the best open source OS after Ubuntu. Fedora OS is a general purpose OS that is RPM-based, supported by Red Hat and designed by the Fedora Project community.
Fedora’s mission is to create and provide an open source cutting edge technology for free. Therefore, Fedora developers choose to create upstream changes in contrary to create fixes exclusively for Fedora. All Linux distributions can benefit from updates released by Fedora developers.
Fedora has a GNOME-based desktop that can be customized. Its Fedora Spins feature can help you modify and execute variations in the user interface and desktop environment. Click here to download Fedora.
Linux Mint
Linux Mint is an elegant Linux-based OS that displays modernity and power. It is easy-to-use and provides full multimedia support, which makes it a user-friendly open source OS. Linux Mint is Ubuntu-based and is equally popular among amateurs and experts.
Linux Mint uses Debian architecture and consists of one of the most powerful software managers. It is robust and offers better visual aesthetics than Ubuntu. Click here to download Linux Mint.
Read Also:13 Top Gmail Extensions to Increase your Efficiency
Solus
Solus is a free open source operating system that can be used on your desktop. It is a new operating system in the Linux family that was created in 2012. Currently, more than 6000 registered users are taking advantage of the software.
Features in Solus include VLC, Transmission, OpenShot Video Editor, XChat, Thunderbird, Budgie desktop environment, PlayOnLinux, Firefox and LibreOffice Suite. Solus 3, the latest version of Solus was released on August 2017. The release is supposed to have some tweaks in its Opus encoder and multimedia filters.
Additionally, Flash and Java plugins are pre-loaded in Solus.
Xubuntu
Xubuntu is the most popular open source operating system for people who still use old XP machines. Xubuntu is Unix-based that executes on XFCE desktop environment. It’s different from Ubuntu and competes well with other full-featured operating systems in the list. The operating system contains GNOME application integrations and an inbuilt compositor. However, it can be slow sometimes.
Chrome OS
Chrome OS is partly an open source operating system that has many attractive features. It is a part of the Chromium and Linux family that has features such as enhanced security, support for picked Android apps, Chrome apps, Google cloud print, Aura windows manager, virtual desktop access, integrated media player and Cloud-based management. The only issue with the operating system is that it only supports Nexus device or its own hardware. Hence, if you are a Google fan, you can surely enjoy Chrome OS with Chromebook.
React OS
ReactOS is another free open source OS that has got nearly 1 million downloads in more than 100 countries. This community-based OS has the ability to run Windows applications, which makes it a great alternative for Windows operating system. Although ReactOS is still growing, users, who love highly customizable operating systems, can select ReactOS. However, the operating system is developer-focused.
These are the best open source operating systems that can be preferred as alternatives to the paid operating systems like Mac or Windows. The list contains a good blend of power and features. Therefore, try them and tell us if you like them in the comments below.
I’ve been using CCleaner for years on both my PC (HP laptop with Windows 10) and Mac (MacBook Pro with macOS 10.13 High Sierra). Above is the main screen of CCleaner on my Mac.
When I heard the news that the program had been hacked and more than 2 million users were at risk, I was absolutely shocked, just like you.
Am I affected? Should I continue using CCleaner? What’s the best alternative to consider? Questions like these all went through my mind.
In this post, I’ll quickly run through the issue and list a few similar cleaning tools for you to consider. Some of the alternatives are free, while others are paid. I’ll point out what each one has to offer and let you decide which is best.
Please note that you don’t have to switch because you may not be affected — but it’s always good to do the research just in case.
So, What Happened Exactly?
On September 18, 2017, researchers at Cisco Talos published a post stating that
“For a period of time, the legitimate signed version of CCleaner 5.33 being distributed by Avast also contained a multi-stage malware payload that rode on top of the installation of CCleaner.”
Two days later, those researchers posted another article with their continued research on C2 and payloads (i.e. a second payload was found that affected 64-bit Windows users).
The technical description was too complicated to understand. Simply put, the news is this: A hacker “breached CCleaner’s security to inject malware into the app and distribute it to millions of users”, as reported by The Verge.
The malware was built to steal users’ data. It did not actively harm your computer system. However, it did collect and encrypt info that might be used to do harm to your system in the future. The second payload Cisco Talos researchers discovered was a malware attack targeted against big technology organizations like Cisco, VMware, Samsung, and others.
Was I Affected by the Malware?
If you are using CCleaner for Mac, the answer is NO, you are NOT affected! Piriform also confirmed on this. See this reply on Twitter.
No, Mac is not affected 🙂
— CCleaner by Piriform (@piriform) September 22, 2017
If you’re using CCleaner on a Windows PC, then you may have been affected. More specifically, you might have the malware that affected version 5.33.6162 released on August 15th, 2017.
Only the 32-bit version of CCleaner v5.33.6162 was affected and the issue is no longer a threat. Please see here: https://t.co/HAHL12UnsK
— CCleaner by Piriform (@piriform) September 18, 2017
To check what version you have, simply open CCleaner on your computer. Under the program name, you’ll see the version number.
Should I Switch to Another Cleaning Program?
If you’re on Windows, you might want to.
Cisco Talos recommends affected users to restore Windows to a state before Aug 15. Alternatively, you might also reinstall the whole Windows operating system.
If you’re not affected by the malware, I highly recommend you run an antivirus scan with Bitdefender or MalwareBytes to make sure no malicious software.
For those who are skeptical about any future CCleaner issues, another option is to uninstall CCleaner and perhaps install another PC or Mac cleaning app which we cover below.
7 Free and Paid CCleaner Alternatives Worth Considering
For Windows PC users, you may consider:
Glary Utilities — Free. It’s an all-in-one utility for cleaning a PC, similar to what CCleaner offers. You can use it to scan and fix Windows registries, as well as clean junk files from web browsers and third-party applications.
Open Source Alternative To Ccleaner
The program also has a professional version Glary Utilities Pro (paid) which offers several advanced features for power users including enhanced system optimizing and free 24*7 technical support. The latest version is 5.8.5 (Sep. 29, 2017) and is fully compatible with Windows 10.
CleanMyPC — Free to try (500 MB limitation on removing files, and 50 registry fixes), $39.95 to buy for a single license. The program works very well for cleaning unwanted files from your PC. We compared CCleaner with CleanMyPC in this review and concluded that CleanMyPC is more user-friendly and probably a better option for less advanced users. The latest version is 1.8.8 (2 August 2017) and is compatible with Windows 7, 8 & 10.
Advanced SystemCare — Both Free and PRO versions are available. As the name indicates, it’s a PC system optimization program for cleaning the Windows registry as well as many kinds of junk files. The Free version is free to download and use with limitations, while the PRO version costs $14.77 with an annual subscription.
Open Source Malware Cleaner
For Apple Mac users, you may consider:
Onyx — Free. The “Maintenance” module allows you to run miscellaneous tasks like cleaning and system maintenance, e.g. delete apps, run periodic scripts, rebuild databases, and more. The latest version is 3.3.7 and is fully compatible with High Sierra. I also covered Onyx in this best Mac cleaner list.
CleanMyMac — Free to try (500 MB limitation on removing files), $39.95 to buy for a single license. It’s one of the best Mac cleaning apps in the market, offering a number of utilities for deep cleaning those unnecessary files. You can read our detailed review here. The latest version is 3.9 and is High Sierra compatible.
Open Source Mac Disk Cleaner
Dr. Cleaner — Free version is already powerful enough to meet your Mac cleaning needs. Pro version costs $19.95 to buy. The app offers several free features totally for free, unlike many of its rivals. As I I discovered that most paid apps allow you to scan your disk but limit file removal functions unless you pay to unlock them. That’s not the case with Dr. Cleaner. You can see the differences between Dr. Cleaner and Dr. Cleaner Pro from my full review here.
MacClean — Free to try (scan allowed, but removal restricted), $29.95 to buy for a personal license. This is another great cleaning tool for macOS. What’s unique about MacClean is that it has a duplicate finder feature (similar to what Gemini offers), which can help you free up more disk space. Read our review here.
What Else Should I Do?
If you are on a Windows PC, regularly run antivirus and malware scans. For Mac users, it’s always good practice to examine the apps you have installed, as well as make sure the apps you use are up to date. Consider removing unused apps. You can easily do so with CleanMyMac in just a few clicks.
Open Source Windows 10 Cleaner
One more tip: Always backup your computer data (or backup of the backups). You never know when another “CCleaner strategy” will hit and what consequences it will cause. If you have a backup at hand, your data is secure, and you can choose to restore your computer if needed.