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Most consumers seeking a new computer this holiday season will buy a Windows PC. Yet, judging by the questions I get, many would-be buyers are considering a Macintosh for the first time, possibly because they're smitten with the iPod, or because of Apple's clever Mac guy/PC guy TV ads. I'm a Mac guy, too, though not one who believes bashing Windows is a prerequisite. So consider this column a primer on switching to the Mac. Why are Macs special? It's like explaining the difference between a Buick and a BMW.

Since March, Dixon Deutsch and his students have been quietly experimenting with a little Web site that could one day rock the foundation of how schools do business. A K-2 teacher at Achievement First Bushwick Elementary Charter School in Brooklyn, N.Y., Deutsch, 28, has been using Free-Reading.net, a reading instruction program that allows him to download, copy and share lessons with colleagues. He can visit the Web site and comment on what works and what doesn't.

Some academics cringe when students turn to Wikipedia as a reference for term papers. University of Washington-Bothell professor Martha Groom has more of an "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" response to the online encyclopedia that anyone can write or edit. Instead of asking students in her environmental history course to turn in one big paper at the end of the semester, she requires them either to write an original Wikipedia article or to do a major edit on an existing one. The inspiration came to her as she prepared teaching materials for her class.

Firefox is known as the quintessential free browser. Users can not only download it free of charge, they can also expand its abilities in almost unlimited ways. A dedicated developer community makes this possible by programming and updating special extensions called "add-ons." One big helper for surfing comfort and speed is provided through an add-on called "Adblock Plus." As the name suggests, it eliminates ad banners. During installation, the user can subscribe to filter lists that are updated to recognize and block new domain addresses used to transport ads.

Some people think it's a bad idea to rely on the Internet for research or communication because it's a dangerous place where hackers or others with sinister motives can easily wreak havoc with the truth. That charge is sometimes leveled at Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia that anyone can edit. While there is probably some incorrect information on the site, that doesn't mean you should dismiss Wikipedia as dangerous or without merit. This week I attended a speech by Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, which is based in Florida.

Linus Torvalds was only 22 in 1991 when he decided to share with friends and colleagues the code of Linux, the new operating system he had created. The University of Helsinki computer science student couldn't have imagined the revolution his decision was about to ignite. In a Q-and-A interview, Torvalds discusses his motivation for creating Linux, his impressions of the progress of open source software and his desire to stay as far as possible away from the open source vs. Microsoft fray.

Scattered among the $500 to $1,000 desktop computers available at Walmart.com, one machine stands out. It doesn't have a unique design, but its price tag looks like a typo: $199. Prices for consumer electronics goods, ranging from high-definition televisions to mobile phones, drop consistently, but few products have more potential to impact a person's ability to learn or find work than a computer. The cheap computers are offered at a time when charitable efforts, such as the One Laptop Per Child program, have struggled to achieve results.

I've been wondering what would happen if there were drug dealers or terrorists lurking in virtual worlds such as Second Life. If the FBI or National Security Agency wanted to place wiretaps on conversations in those worlds, would they be able to do it? And if they did record conversations in virtual worlds, could the people spied upon escape prosecution by saying that they were only pretending to be terrorists or drug dealers? My interest is theoretical at the moment. Interpol has said there are criminal elements operating in virtual worlds, but let's not panic.

Web browsers such as Firefox and Internet Explorer have become among the most important pieces of software on any computer. They provide a literal window into the vast information available online. Both programs, by far the most popular browsers, can do a lot of things on their own, but also allow for plug-ins, small programs that let the browser do more helpful, informative and fun stuff. All are free and available through the browser companies' Web sites.

Google, Wikipedia and other information resources have changed the world in many ways, but their users generally search via words, not numbers. Now, those who think about and work with numbers are helping the world's numeracy catch up with its literacy. Web sites like MappingWorlds.com, Swivel.com and Data360.org are promoting data availability so that anyone with access to a computer can browse data, visualize it in a number of ways, learn from professionals in the field and share their insights with the rest of the world.