[sonofmoog]

There's a really good summary of Linux equivalents at [http://www.linuxlinks.com/article/20070701111340544/Equivalents.html]

This is an excellent summary. I would add only a couple of apps.

Forte Agent Usenet binaries Klibido
Task Scheduler Auto task completion Cron, Kalarm, Zenity, Evolution
GetRight Download manager Kget, apt, Synaptic
NTBackup Backup program Keep
Logos Bible study software Bibletime, GNOME sword
Winamp ID3 tagger KID3
Soundrec Sound editing Audacity

And, there are many more. The Ubuntu repositories list more than 21,000 applications, more than anyone could ever want or need. Many are alpha or betaware, and hardly comparable to their Windows equivalents, but many others are clearly superior to anything found in Windows.

[chipbennett]

@SnTholiday: I think, as with any OS, your mileage may vary. I have found Kubuntu to be more stable/reliable than Vista - or even than my previous WindowsXP installation.

As for Linux problems being incredibly time-consuming to fix, I think the opposite is true - and it certainly is in my experience. If I have any Linux-related issues, I have plenty of resources available to seek out and find answers. I spend more time supporting my father's problems and issues with his Vista machine than I do dealing with problems on my own Kubuntu machine.

[ZiggyFish]

I think SnTholiday has never even tried to install Linux or works for Microsoft.

I think rdc1253 doesn't see the big picture, when more people use Linux and demand game support, they will start developing for that platform.

The biggest problem people have when switching to Linux is that it's different. I normally say to people attempting switching to Linux is start off by using open source software on windows (i.e Firefox, OpenOffice.org, etc), then once you comfortable, then install Linux(usually Ubuntu is my suggestion), dual booted. Get use to that then get rid of you windows installation. There's no reason to jump in the deep end without learning to swim first.

I'm a long time Linux user (been a sole Linux user for more then 3 years now, and used to dual boot with Ubuntu for 1 year), and have absolutely loved every minute of it.

[rkinne01]

I would like to point out that many of the mentioned apps can be used on Windows. To the guy who complained that he couldn't find things on Vista over XP, the file structure didn't change THAT much and there is the windows seach function built right into the OS, so I'm not sure how you couldn't find anything.

[wolfspider]

I found this for openSuSE ( Lifelines )

Lifelines is terminal-based program that allows the tracking of genealogical information. The lifelines reports are the power of the system but requires knowledge in the ll format.

[Evildave]

"Many of these Linux apps work in Windows" is the same as saying "Many of these Windows apps work in Linux."

It's sort of the point I was making. Why point at different tools that work similarly when you have so many IDENTICAL tools working IDENTICALLY to point at?

I used OpenOffice.org and Mozilla and Google Earth and gvim and jEdit and for that matter GNU compiler and command line tools under Windows for a long time before I switched to Ubuntu. They are all either bundled with it, or a quick mouse click away from running on it. Even the .jedit folder in the Windows settings and Mozilla shortcuts were easy to migrate over (copy contents into their cousins in my home folder). There is absolutely no difference in how they work, except I give them / paths instead of C: paths. Even Macromedia Flash under Wine wasn't too big an issue.

Funny thing, Ubuntu felt more familiar and comfortable to me than Vista did. Vista broke all my Microsoft development tools, and even broke straight command line MinGW and even some GNUWin32 tools. Microsoft played with their UI enough to make sure everything was hard to find for experienced users, and (crotchety old Popeye voice) I bin programming dese tings since before some of yous kids was born.

[Yert]

Or maybe people just want to use what they are familar with. Whats wrong with that? After all, a great deal of MS bashers like XP now that there are a small group of people who want to stick to it instead of go to Vista... hmmm...

I say suggest what you want to people, but familiarity is first for me... its hard enough getting people to use any form of computer in the first place.

[technicaljedi721]

Lets have a reality check here and a little bit of devil's advocate. Who has 96 percent of the world desktop market? Microsoft. Who has less than one percent of the desktop market? Linux based operating systems. Apple? 2.87 percent. As good as these alternatives are, they'll never have the same desktop brand name recodnition as the brands they attempt to replace? The names are terrible and don't have the catchyness of their mainstream counterparts. That kind of namebrand recodnition goes along way in pushing or marketing. In some places, there's no replacement for iTunes or the iTunes store. As for OpenOffice.org, the rampant codebloat and performance issues shows why Microsoft rules the desktop office suite in a rock solidly.

Replacing Windows? Lets see, Bank of America has already planned to buy brand new Windows Vista machines. As much as the Linux community brags that they'll overtake and become mainstream... The facts of the world desktop market speak clearly loudly and proudly. Microsoft is solidly the mainstream while Linux is the minority. I'm not saying that they shouldn't try to compete or attempt to challenge, I am stating that they do not execute their OSes and applications with the same marketing and quality of the mainstream applications that prevents the silent majority of Windows users to migrate.

This failure belongs solely at the feet of Linus Torvalds and Richard Stallman. If these guys were more like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, more users would be using Linux. Without a leader with personality to guide and focus, its like a bunch of kittens attempting to attack an elephant. The problems is that Linux development is so scattered and spread between so many companies that their isn't any unifying force. All that talent needs to be molded to a unifying force to truely challenge Microsoft and Apple. Until that happens and a lot of improving code happens, users like myself will stay with Windows and Microsoft.

[MarioJP]

I was reading a article about what Linux Travolds said. he stated that Linux is not for the competition its meant to escape the everyday marketing. And something to really play with. But Linux mainstream. Apple can barely squeeze in and yet its more popular in the mainstream. I respect what Evildave views are. But becoming a Linux advocate to convince "windows users" to switch and give statements why is not going to make a user like myself very welcome.

Yes Microsoft can be a jerk but i also understand that Microsoft is one big giant. As much as you "Linux advocates" are. you just wasting your breathe. sure you might get some few here and there. but for some reason there will always be windows lurking around due to the fact what the above poster just stated and yes he is correct. Until we see a force not scatter then thats when i see something new that will bring into the market. Microsoft is a hate/love thing. And besides i don't think the government will allow MS be too controlling. Its just the fact that MS happens to be a big player in the os market. And apple is obviously not serious competing against ms. Instead you see these LAME mac commercials attacking MS.

Steve Jobs is not serious about gaming selling their most expensive overkill systems thats just not ready for the market. Apple is over the top with its MAC PROS. but not with their imacs and macbook.

If anything it is apple that will try to compete with MS before Linux But nope instead you see mac commercial whining how good macs are (although some are funny though) but enough with the ads. And also the fact that PC's happens to be in a spot where people happen to like which is why it is popular today. Even if its expensive it still fun to build rigs.

[MetalHellsAngel]

What about a list of free alternatives for windows, I've been looking for progams that give me the same functionality as some of the major windows programs but for windows?

[mphenterprises]

MetalHellsAngel said:

>

Quote

What about a list of free alternatives for windows

>
>




Hi MHA and welcome to the PCWorld Communities. :D




This Discussion is for Linux alternatives. If you are looking for Windows-based applications to replace some of the major applications, please open up your own Discussion. You can do so by clicking this link.

[janekMZ]

Let's not forget Wubi. It's not really an application, it's a new way to install Ubuntu 8.04. You run the program from Windows, and Wubi installs linux as if it was a Windows application. You don't have to create any partitions. The setup only asks 6 questions: Which drive you want to install it to (select from C:, D:, E:, ect.); How much space to allocate; Desktop environment; Language; User name; and optional password. The setup will download and install Ubuntu 8.04 (currently beta, final release set for April 24), so internet access is required (this was for my case). Once the setup is done, you will get a menu at boot up to select either Windows or Ubuntu. You can test drive Ubuntu, including installing new applications in Ubuntu. If you are not satisfied, you can boot to Windows and uninstall Ubuntu just like any other program. Note: Wubi setup is not same as native installation of Ubuntu, some things may not work, and performance is decreased; but it's a great way to try Linux

Just to clarify, you don't have to uninstall Wubi/Ubuntu to boot to Windows, just select Windows from the boot menu. You can boot between the two OS as many times as you want.

[muadib]

Free Windows Live Messenger alternative for GNU/Linux: http://www.emesene.org/

[pfletcher]

you have got to be joking GIMP a replacement for PhotoShop??? Maybe for Paint, but nowhere near PhotoShop

[Evildave]

It's according to what you need it for.

If what you're doing is pixel pushing for textures and sprites, Photoshop CS3 absolutely sucks.

Gimp is easy to use, and Photoshop goes into 'modes' if you touch the wrong key that don't reverse without a web search to find out what you accidentally activated or changed.

Photoshop CS3 needs 68MB just to load empty, without loading an image. Gimp needs 12MB. Gimp has tons of plugins if you want them. Photoshop takes 13 seconds to load, Gimp pops up in three seconds. And yes, my attention span is that short.

All in all, Photoshop has the same problem DOS word processors had in the early 1990's. Sure, you had encyclopedic feature lists, but they were all totally inaccessible without a cheat sheet bigger than your monitor, and virtually all of the 'features' were useless virtually all of the time.

[s123456]

yawn. ho hum.
Several full listings of Linux equivalents have been around for a LONG time.
http://www.linuxrsp..../table-eng.html
http://www.linuxalt.com/
http://www.linux.ie/...lternatives.php
Although good work on promoting Linux. It needs more exposure.

[JimH443]

How about an Xnews replacement? A simple newsreader capable of viewing / downloading binaries (including yEnc'd of course) with as few bells and whistles as possible. Something as basic as possible. It would be nice if there's also a Windows version of the same program so that I can get used to it BEFORE switching OS's. I downloaded the Window's verion of Pan, and tried to install it... but apparently I need GTK 2.2 Runtime Environment, and I can't find anywhere to download a ready-to-run version of it.

[pfletcher]

GIMP is written by geeks, for geeks and scientific processing. PhotoShop on the otherhand is designed from the image point of view rather than the program point of view. Your comment regarding ease of use, hidden features, etc, shows you have never actually used PhotoShop in anger.

As someone who uses PS for several hours a day I can assure you that the macro ability, the direct RAW input and general workflow capabilities make GIMP an insignificantly small blip on the radar

[glnbnz]

Sorry to say but you will never get linux to go mainstream, too many distros. Look at any college course curr and you will see maybe one class for linux the rest windows. If you want a quality product you have to pay for it. I don't want my software built by someone tinkering out in their garage. Why change? We are mostly used to Windows software and names and for the most part it works fine.
For you people that want to decompile the kernel every time you want to get something to work linux is great for you, but for normal people that don't have time or patience or the knowledge Windows is great.

[Evildave]

Yeah, Sun, Novell and IBM are just a bunch of geeks tinkering with Linux in a garage.

Thanks for letting us all know that you believe all independent inventors are crackpot losers.

Most NEW things actually are made by geeks tinkering in a garage. They do it for the LOVE of doing it. As opposed to the poor cretins who work in a big corporation, who literally live in a Dilbert comic. There's one detail in the Dilbert comics that isn't underscored enough when it comes to software development. Do you know what that is? The Pointy Haired Boss is the one who ends up making all of the design decisions. Think about that.

You think a new invention must be made in a corporation with a skyscraper and offices in 30 coutries? Hell, NOTHING gets invented by THEM. Too much 'risk'. They simply wait and watch for new things and then license them, steal them, or maybe even copy them, slap a patent on them, then sue the inventor for infringement. Hence your favorite big corporations are only machines designed to stifle innovation.

Most of Adobe's products are victims of feature accretion, even the ones they got when they ate Macromedia. Too many so-called 'features' burying all of the tools you actually need. At least Adobe made the Flex SDK. That was exactly what I needed, so there are elements within the corporation that aren't filled with useless retards..