Moon-Hawk's Alternate Matrix System:

Using the standard rules, Hackers tend to have all the programs at roughly the maximum level that they can. This is a highly redundant complexity which contributes very little fun. Non-Hackers simply don’t hack, because the entire system is intimidating. The goal of this section is to streamline and simplify the hacking rules further and to make them more accessible to non-hackers, but without removing the Hackers’ fun, either. Another goal was to keep changes relatively minimal and to keep a very high probability of future Matrix rules being instantly compatible with these house rules. Using these rules, if a non-hacker wants to attempt a simple task in a normal situation, we can simply assume that he has and loads the necessary program, without even necessarily knowing what it is (since he has pirated copies of everything from the Hacker anyway) and he rolls Logic + Hacking (or Datasearch, or whatever, but the choice of skill is generally much more obvious than the choice of program) without the non-Hacker player having to go through the tedium of figuring out exactly what the task or program is. The non-hacker is able to do their own datasearches or spoof a low-rated camera without having to spend unreasonable effort getting into the hacking rules, thus the non-hackers become competent and no longer run to the Hacker just to accomplish simple tasks. Meanwhile, the Hacker character still needs to juggle program load since his hacking tasks will generally be under time constraints and we don’t just hand-wave memory swaps. In play, these rules have had precisely the desired effect. Warning: The technomancer rules are untested.
1) All hacking tests are done using Attribute + Skill: This is consistent with the core mechanic. Ex: Logic + Hacking
2) All Common Use and Hacking programs are effectively free. Common Use programs probably come with most OS. For Hacking programs, in SR4 software piracy is the rule, not the exception. Legality is still a factor. Attempting a task without the correct program loaded in memory is a -4 penalty, as per the normal penalty for attempting a task without appropriate tools.
3) Program ratings for Common Use and Hacking programs are irrelevant and gone. Note that it is still important to track which programs are in active memory, since this can still cause Response degradation. Whenever a task calls for a program rating, use System instead.
4) Pirated OS are also available basically for free. These options are restricted to the options listed in the book, however. Non-standard OS must be obtained normally, i.e. through availability and at normal cost.
5) To compensate for lower costs of not buying programs, all commlinks have their cost multiplied by their Response rating. Cheap commlinks are still cheap, but a deluxe model still costs a significant number of BP, although still not as much as before.
6) Technomancers �" Use Resonance + Skill.
7) Technomancers �" CF cost the same as spells. 3BP or 5 karma.
8] Technomancers �" Threading still adds dice to the use of any CF. If the Technomancer has that CF, it adds dice to the test. If the Technomancer does not have the CF, extra dice will help to offset/overcome the standard -4 penalty. (see rule 2)
9) Technomancers �" Threading drain is physical if the number of dice added exceeds Resonance / 2 (rounded down). (Resonance/2 was used instead of Resonance because Program/Complex Form rating is no longer part of the pool, thus the technomancer is starting with a “full� pool of Resonance + Skill, so the effect had to be scaled down) The technomancer can forego rolled successes when threading for lesser effect but lesser drain, if desired.