The current situation on the OS market is a most interesting one – and this time, not only for specialized analysts talking in an unknown tech dialect about some fraction of a percentage shifting from one platform to another. This time, for the first time in perhaps ever, Windows has less than 90 percent of the market in its clutches (according to IDC).

How did this happen? First of all, there was the Windows Vista fiasco; Microsoft had to bring back Windows XP as the prime OS because users were avoiding the bugsome new OS like the plague. And second, the competition is slowly becoming more worthy to be called such.

The Mac OS X Leopard has been doing remarkably good as of late. And that’s because Macs in general are becoming more and more popular. In fact, Apple’s babies currently have a 9.1 marker share. But, for now, it’s made of mostly technical experts and the like; because, if you really want to use a Mac for everything, including work, you must be able to use certain tools which enable it to also run Windows and all sorts of other technical detours.

That’s the main advantage Microsoft’s operating system actually has. There are too many applications out there which can only be run in it. And there are also Web sites based on Active X and that works only with Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Another contender, albeit a frail one, is the OS known as Linux. This one really is used only by computer wizkids; its disadvantages compared to Windows are the same as those of the Mac’s Leopard OS – lack of third-party support for applications and hardware – only much worse. Plus, it’s kind of complicated to use.

So, for now, Microsoft’s Windows XP remains king of the OS realm, but at least there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon that the OS market war will slowly get more exciting.