Not everyone has a Mac. If you are looking for a Horos alternative for Windows you will find that you have slim pickings (if any) as far as the options that are available to you. There are many reasons why developers choose to build such platforms accessible on iOS devices and not their competitors. So, if you are looking to use Horos on a PC, here is the long and short of it...
Mac vs Windows
Apple recently revealed that there are close to 100 million global active Mac users. Microsoft, however, is leading in the market with close to 1 billion Windows users. The truth of the matter is that Apple’s market share has always been with mobile devices, not desktop or laptop computers. So, if there are clearly way more PC users, why do so many developers choose Apple?
The thing is that even for developers, it is difficult to maintain a PC. Macs are quality-built machines. Besides, unlike with a PC, Macs have supreme cross-platform capabilities. On your Mac, you can easily install Windows or Linux. However, in order to get a Mac OS on a PC, you’d probably have to use a hacked version...and that might not end well. Overall, there is a great deal of ease when it comes to programming and coding with Apple products. So, don’t be shocked when you learn that your open-source solutions are limited to a specific platform.
You Can View Your Images on a PC
Okay, so we admit Horos is only available on a Mac. However, if you find that you or someone you know needs a DICOM viewing solution or has outgrown Horos' available features, your best bet is to find a cloud vendor. And no, you don’t have to stop using Horos. That’s because Horos will integrate with the cloud; and the most eloquent feature about the cloud is that it is available on any brand, any platform. Anytime, anywhere. Keep in mind, most cloud solutions are not free, but offer quite a bit more functionality than open-source software does.
There are many solutions out there that cater to every single platform: Mac, Windows, Linux, etc. Purview (the chief sponsor of the Horos project) offers a cloud-based solution that works on any device, from anywhere, at any time. This solution is what many Horos users graduate to when expanding their practice, looking for a more robust solution, or hoping to collaborate with referring physicians and patients. Learn about the differences between Horos and Purview here.
When you have a Cloud-based solution, you are leveraging your browser - not your physical device, or the operating system it supports. So, while your favorite open source DICOM image viewer works on a Mac because that is the specific operating system that supports the code, the Cloud is different. Think about your favorite website. It can be news, sports, entertainment, or even your email provider. You can access that site and affiliated accounts from any device, right? You are not restricted to only using the desktop computer in your office. You can log into your email from any country, on any brand device so long as you have an Internet connection. Well, a Cloud-based solution for viewing medical images works the same way. Your data is basically being streamed through a secure channel hosted by your Cloud vendor.
Final Thought
Horos was built to operate on a Mac and we don't foresee a PC version anywhere on the horizon. If you have a need for a solution that can operate on any device, from anywhere it may be time to upgrade to Purview. While an open-source software like Horos is a great place to start, your solution should be able to grow with you and provide the functionality that can be a catalyst for improving referring physician and patient relationships and growing your practice.
