Not everybody, or everything, can be the best. In the Olympics, for instance, somebody wins the Gold medal, while someone gets the Silver. In other words, second place is still rarefied air, albeit less impressive than first, but still celebration-worthy.

Today, the runner-up to Microsoft Office, LibreOffice, celebrates its 5th Birthday. Quite frankly, it is an amazing office suite, offering compatibility with Windows, Linux and OS X. The best part? It is open source and totally free -- like, no money needed. Even if it isn't as good as Microsoft's solution, it is more than enough for the average home user, and it deserves to be celebrated.

Windows 10 is the best operating system to ever come from Microsoft. I have single-handedly installed it on many computers for myself, friends and family. I have no trepidation about using it or recommending it. With that said, I understand both consumers and pundits criticizing Microsoft over privacy setting in the newest Windows.

Can these settings be confusing for the average person? Absolutely. Should people blindly trust Microsoft? No, not blindly, but based on the company's track record, it has certainly done enough to earn our trust. If you are using a company's operating system, you have to have some level of faith in that company -- otherwise you should disconnect from the Internet or give up on computers altogether. Today, Terry Myerson, Microsoft's Executive Vice President of the Windows and Devices Group, attempts to quell privacy fears regarding Windows 10. You know what? His explanation seems honest and sincere.

A gift and curse of Linux-based operating systems is the large selection. It is very cool that there are so many operating systems to choose from, but a good amount of them are crap. In other words, you have to sift through hundreds of fringe distros to discover the gems.

One such gem is Manjaro Linux. This Arch-based distribution is well-designed and offers a great out-of-the-box experience. While not ideal for beginners, it is a solid choice for advanced Linux users who don't have the time or patience for a vanilla Arch install. Today, Manjaro reaches version 15.09, code-named 'Bellatrix'.

Are you are in the market for a flagship Android smartphone, but you do not know what to buy? This is totally understandable, as there are many from which to choose. Let me save you some trouble -- stick to Samsung. Sure, there are other great phones from other manufacturers, but Samsung takes things to another level. Its Touchwiz enhancements are actually an improvement over the stock Android experience, while its hardware are often works of art.

But hold on there, I know what you are wondering; which Samsung flagship should you choose? True, the company does have two Android smartphones which are worthy of your hard-earned money -- the Galaxy Note5 and the Galaxy S6 edge+. Both phones are wonderful, and you should be happy with either, but after extensive testing, I have a definitive answer as to which is better.

The magic of virtual reality is that it can transport you anywhere. Want to visit the pyramids in Egypt? See a concert in a different country? Experience the moon? These things could all be possible thanks to the technology.

Regardless of your political affiliation -- Democrat, Republican, or something else -- the last thing you probably want to experience with virtual reality is a debate. With that said, CNN is going to do exactly this. The network will be live-streaming the October 13th Democratic Debate in virtual reality. In order to watch the VR version, however, you must own a Samsung Gear VR.

Two of my favorite things are snacking and watching TV; I make no apologies. Whether it is sitcoms, sports, dramas or cartoons, I am in my glory on my couch with a bag of chips. It's hard to blame me, as there are just so many good shows to watch.

Streaming services have made TV-watching even better, as you can binge-watch hours and hours of great content. Today, one of the more popular services, Hulu, announces a huge score; exclusive streaming of The Goldbergs, one of today's best comedies. If you were alive in the 1980's, you need to be watching this.

Laptops are designed to be portable, but you are crazy to carry it under your arm or in a chintzy bag. You paid good money for the thing, so you should protect it. While backpacks are the most logical choice for comfort and weight distribution, they are not exactly stylish (you will look like a high-school student). Carrying a messenger bag is surely the more trendy option, if that sort of thing matters to you.

Today, booq announces an all-new notebook messenger bag called 'The Shadow'. Not only is it stylish (for both men and women), but it will accommodate 15 inch laptops and smaller, plus additional accessories too.

Smartphone battery life has improved over the years, but it is still largely deficient. For many consumers, it is still impossible to make it through a full day without needing a charge.

Luckily, for those of us with cars, we can charge it while traveling. The problem? Most chargers will only accommodate one phone at a time. Yeah, some can handle two, or even three, but what if your family is larger than a trio? Ahh, well, that is where VisionTek's 40W Five Port USB Car Charger comes in. Yes, it offers five USB ports with simultaneous charging. Should you buy it?

Has this ever happened to you? You go to charge your iPhone or Android device and your cable has fallen behind your desk or dresser. You then have to get on your knees and reach behind the furniture to try and fish it out. It is totally annoying and inconvenient -- especially when you just want to get to bed.

Well, Griffin wants to end this maddening experience. Its Guide Cable Management System will keep everything in place, meaning you never have to search behind your furniture for a fallen cable again. Hallelujah.

If you are thinking of making the switch to Linux from Windows, there are many good beginner-friendly distributions from which to choose. I highlight two such operating systems here. But what if you are a bit more advanced in the ways of Linux?

Fedora is the top choice of many Linux experts, including the father of the kernel, Linus Torvalds. Today, version 23 of the operating system reaches beta status. Will you try it?

Chromebooks are amazing web surfing machines, offering great battery life, focused computing and affordable pricing. While they aren't for everyone, they are a smart choice for many. Do you know someone that spends all their time in the web browser? Chromebooks are designed for them.

Toshiba makes particularly great Chrome OS laptops, and its Chromebook 2 was quite a hit with fans of Google's web-focused operating system. Today, the company refreshes it with Broadwell processors and backlit keyboards.

If you have ever worked in the corporate world, you have probably sat through many presentations. While some of these can be nothing more than boring time-wasters, many contain valuable information. The problem is, not everyone knows how to create an engaging presentation.

Prezi's "prezi" presentations can be wonderfully interesting and beautiful; oftentimes more pleasing than PowerPoint. Creating and sharing these presentations can sometimes be challenging, however. Luckily, Prezi and Logitech have partnered to make things a lot easier.

Apple's App Store is a very trustworthy place do get apps. In fact, most people choose iOS because they can mindlessly install apps without having to worry about malware. Sadly, this proved to be slightly false, as a bunch of apps have been found to be infected with some nastiness due to developers using a non-official version of Xcode.

The good news, however, is that these "infected" apps have largely been found in the Chinese version of Apple's App Store only. Earlier today, however, it was announced that Angry Birds 2, a wildly popular game, was among the infected apps. People in the USA, including myself, were worried. Thankfully, our worry was for naught, as Rovio confirms that only the Chinese version has the malware.

Every morning, my alarm clock goes off and I immediately grab my smartphone or tablet. Before I use the toilet or shower, I need to check my email, look at Twitter, and get the day's news. In other words, the Internet is extremely important to me. I am not alone either; many people are arguably addicted to the web.

Unfortunately, many of us in the developed world take our Internet access for granted. Hell, Skype was down for a little while today and people were up in arms -- it was a major news story. According to a new report from the United Nations, the majority of the world (a shocking 57 percent), does not have regular Internet access. You know what? That is both sad and tragic.

Windows 10 is a wonderful operating system. Every day, I boot a computer running Microsoft's latest operating system to get work done. On the surface, everything is peachy-keen. Sadly, under the hood, there are some legitimate privacy concerns. There is a bunch of information being sent to Microsoft, and you may not even know it. This has caused programs like the wonderful O&O ShutUp10 to be created.

Luckily, Windows is not the only game in town, folks. Actually, there are many wonderful operating systems available to you at no charge. Unlike Windows 10, where it is only free with a prior licence, most Linux-based operating systems are entirely free. Period. If you want to try one of these open-source operating systems, you may be confused as to where to start. Don't worry, I am here to help. Here are the distributions and software you should use.