List of alternative Linux/Open-source software
"There are moments in our lives when we find ourselves at cross roads. The choice that we make in those moments can define the rest of our life".
At some point you might get fed up with proprietary OS/software and will start thinking about switching to Linux/open source software. Only thing that holds you back is the doubt whether there are any alternates to the software that you have been using for long. This post is intended to address such doubts.
Ubuntu - Most popular Linux distribution based on debian and available for free downloads. Ubuntu is very fast and easy to use.
Fedora - Owned by Redhat, Fedora is known for its innovations and integrating new technologies.
Linux Mint - Based on Ubuntu, Linux Mint is one of the most used home operating system. A very easy to use OS for new Linux users.
OpenOffice - Open-sourced by Sun Microsystem to compete with MS Office, openoffice.org is now an Apache project. A stable software rich with functionality. The software is compatible with MS Office file types.
LibreOffice - Started as a fork to OpenOffice project when Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems. Libre Office is the default office suite in most of the Linux operating systems. Like openoffice, libreoffice is also compatible with MS Office file types.
GNU Emacs - One of the two most widely used text editors by the linux traditional users.
Vi/Vim - Vi is the other most widely used text editor among the traditional users. Vim is Vi IMproved and has more features than the vi. Both Vi an Vim will be bit harder for new users. But you can learn it here
Gedit - Gedit is the text editor of Gnome Desktop Environment. It is a powerful yet simple text editor.
VLC - Most widely used open-sourced cross-platform media player software is available in Linux distros. VLC is bundled with a large number of free media codecs and libraries.
Kodi - Formerly known as XBMC, will put many proprietary software of the same category to shame. Its rich in features and highly customizable. It supports most remote controls and most video and music formats
Audacity - An excellent audio editing tool with features like live recording, multi-track recording, Noise reduction, Audio spectrum analysis etc...
Rhythmbox - An i-Tune model music player from Gnome project that plays and organize digital music. It can also transfer music to and from other devices, plays Internet radio, displays album art and lyrics, and more
Cinelerra - Professional quality video editing and composting tool.
Openshot - An easy to use video editor with lots of features like support for high definition video, Drag and drop time line, 3D Animated Titles, Video transition and composting etc...
Kdenlive - Another easy to use and highly versatile video editing tool. Supports a variety of formats
Blender - A professional level 3D graphics and animation tool with a reputation of making a number of animation movies with it. Click the link to view Sintel - an open movie project from Blender Foundation
Gimp - Photoshop like tool with same features and for absolutely free. Rich in features and used by professionals
Bacula - An enterprise level backup software, Bacula can perform, backup, recovery and data verification. Has the ability to automate backups and supports wide variety of backup devices like tape libraries.
Amanda - Contains both enterprise and community level software. Is one of the most used backup and recovery software.
File Roller -Gnome's archive manager. Supports most of the file types like 7zip, rar, tar, gzip, bzip, zip etc...
ClamAV - The most widely used Linux anti-virus. Versatile and high performing software effective against viruses, trojans, malwares and other malicious objects.
RootkitHunter - Simple and effective rootkit and malware scanner for Linux
Firefox - A fast and light open source web browser from Mozilla Foundation
Chromium - A safer, faster and stable browser. Chromium is the open-source web browser project from which Google Chrome draws its source code.
Evolution - Gnome's e-mail client with a MS Outlok like interface. Evolution offers features like e-mail, calendar, to-do list and contact management
Steam - Gaming platform from valve is available in Linux from 2012. With this users can easily buy, play, share and build communities around games supported by valave.
Vuze - Previously known as Azureus, Vuze is a BitTorrent client with rich feature like download, view, publish and share files.
At some point you might get fed up with proprietary OS/software and will start thinking about switching to Linux/open source software. Only thing that holds you back is the doubt whether there are any alternates to the software that you have been using for long. This post is intended to address such doubts.
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Operating System
Ubuntu - Most popular Linux distribution based on debian and available for free downloads. Ubuntu is very fast and easy to use.
Fedora - Owned by Redhat, Fedora is known for its innovations and integrating new technologies.
Linux Mint - Based on Ubuntu, Linux Mint is one of the most used home operating system. A very easy to use OS for new Linux users.
Office Suite
OpenOffice - Open-sourced by Sun Microsystem to compete with MS Office, openoffice.org is now an Apache project. A stable software rich with functionality. The software is compatible with MS Office file types.
LibreOffice - Started as a fork to OpenOffice project when Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems. Libre Office is the default office suite in most of the Linux operating systems. Like openoffice, libreoffice is also compatible with MS Office file types.
Text Editor
GNU Emacs - One of the two most widely used text editors by the linux traditional users.
Vi/Vim - Vi is the other most widely used text editor among the traditional users. Vim is Vi IMproved and has more features than the vi. Both Vi an Vim will be bit harder for new users. But you can learn it here
Gedit - Gedit is the text editor of Gnome Desktop Environment. It is a powerful yet simple text editor.
Media Player
VLC - Most widely used open-sourced cross-platform media player software is available in Linux distros. VLC is bundled with a large number of free media codecs and libraries.
Kodi - Formerly known as XBMC, will put many proprietary software of the same category to shame. Its rich in features and highly customizable. It supports most remote controls and most video and music formats
Audio Tools
Audacity - An excellent audio editing tool with features like live recording, multi-track recording, Noise reduction, Audio spectrum analysis etc...
Rhythmbox - An i-Tune model music player from Gnome project that plays and organize digital music. It can also transfer music to and from other devices, plays Internet radio, displays album art and lyrics, and more
Video Tools
Cinelerra - Professional quality video editing and composting tool.
Openshot - An easy to use video editor with lots of features like support for high definition video, Drag and drop time line, 3D Animated Titles, Video transition and composting etc...
Kdenlive - Another easy to use and highly versatile video editing tool. Supports a variety of formats
Graphics and Animation
Blender - A professional level 3D graphics and animation tool with a reputation of making a number of animation movies with it. Click the link to view Sintel - an open movie project from Blender Foundation
Gimp - Photoshop like tool with same features and for absolutely free. Rich in features and used by professionals
Backup and Archiving
Bacula - An enterprise level backup software, Bacula can perform, backup, recovery and data verification. Has the ability to automate backups and supports wide variety of backup devices like tape libraries.
Amanda - Contains both enterprise and community level software. Is one of the most used backup and recovery software.
File Roller -Gnome's archive manager. Supports most of the file types like 7zip, rar, tar, gzip, bzip, zip etc...
Anti-virus
ClamAV - The most widely used Linux anti-virus. Versatile and high performing software effective against viruses, trojans, malwares and other malicious objects.
RootkitHunter - Simple and effective rootkit and malware scanner for Linux
Browsers
Firefox - A fast and light open source web browser from Mozilla Foundation
Chromium - A safer, faster and stable browser. Chromium is the open-source web browser project from which Google Chrome draws its source code.
e-mail Client
Evolution - Gnome's e-mail client with a MS Outlok like interface. Evolution offers features like e-mail, calendar, to-do list and contact management
Gaming
Steam - Gaming platform from valve is available in Linux from 2012. With this users can easily buy, play, share and build communities around games supported by valave.
PlayOnLinux - A compatibility layer application which enables users to install windows based games and application in Linux
Torrent Client
Vuze - Previously known as Azureus, Vuze is a BitTorrent client with rich feature like download, view, publish and share files.
µTorrent - A fast, light and powerful torrent client.
Developer Tools
Eclipse - An IDE tool used to develop most of the programming languages with the help of wide range of plugins available to the software.
Bluefish - A powerful advanced text editor with a variety of tools for programming in general and the development of dynamic websites
Virtualization
VirtualBox - Easy to configure virtual machine from Oracle (Formerly Sun VirtalBox)
Kvm - Virtualization software that converts Linux Kernel into a hypervisor. Can be used along with front end guest management software like virt-manager
The above list is not conclusive and is nowhere near the actual number of Linux/Open-source software. Consider it as a guide for the new users and an eye opener for the doubters. Please add any other category and software (I am sure there are lots of them) that I have missed, in the comments section
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