Linux For Newbies/Software Equivalents
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This table lists commonly used proprietary software and their open source equivalents. The open source programs are usually also available for Windows and Mac OS. This list is nowhere near completeness.
Somebody please add Mac software equivalents to this list and forgive any omissions / inaccuracies.
| Purpose | Windows | Mac | Linux |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Browser | Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox, Opera, Chrome | Safari, Firefox, Camino | Firefox, Epiphany, Konqueror, Galeon, Iceweasel, Opera, Dillo |
| Office suite | Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access | iWork, Microsoft Office, NeoOffice | OpenOffice.org: Writer, Calc, Impress, Base, KOffice: KWord, KSpread, KPresentation, Kexi, SIAG Office |
| Text editor | Notepad, Crimson Editor, UltraEdit | TextEdit, TextMate, BBEdit, TextWrangler, Smultron, SubEthEdit, Vim, Emacs | Nano, GEdit, Kate, Geany, Bluefish, Vim, Emacs |
| Multimedia player | Windows Media Player, Winamp, iTunes | Quicktime, iTunes, VLC, MPlayer | Totem, VLC, XMMS, Rhythmbox, Amarok, Audacious, Xine, MPlayer |
| E-mail client / PIM | Microsoft Outlook | Mail, Thunderbird, Entourage | Thunderbird, Evolution, Kontact |
| Internet messenger | MSN Messenger, ICQ, AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, Gadu-Gadu | iChat, Adium, AIM, Yahoo! Messenger | Pidgin (supports multiple protocols) |
| Bitmap graphics | Paint, Paint Shop Pro, Adobe Photoshop | Adobe Photoshop, GIMP | Tux Paint, GPaint, GIMP, GIMPShop, Krita, mtPaint |
| Vector graphics | CorelDRAW, Adobe Illustrator | Adobe Illustrator, EazyDraw | Inkscape, Xara Xtreme |
| Desktop publishing | Microsoft Publisher | iWork Pages, Adobe InDesign, Quark | Scribus |
| Desktop effects | Aero (Vista only, built-in) | Aqua (Mac OS X only, built-in) | Compiz Fusion |
| Sound editing | SoundForge, Nero Wave Editor | Garageband, Logic Studio, Logic Express, Audacity | Audacity, Ardour |
| Integrated development environment | Microsoft Visual C++ | Xcode | Code::Blocks, Eclipse, Kdevelop, Geany |
| iPod management | iTunes | iTunes | gtkpod |
| Guitar effects rack | Guitar Rig | ? | JACK Rack, Creox |
| Font editing | FontLab Studio, FontCreator | Font Book | FontForge |
| Tablet PC Journal | Microsoft Journal | None (no official Mac Tablet PC) | Xournal, Jarnal |
| Numerical computations | Matlab | Matlab | GNU Octave |
| Graphs, plots, charts | Origin | Graph Sketcher | Gnuplot |
| Virtual CD-ROM drive | Alcohol 120%, Nero InCD | Disk Image Mounter | mount command (works with ISO images) |
| CD Burning | Nero, Roxio | Built into OS | Brasero, K3B |
| Automatic software installation | ? | ? | Click N Run, Synaptic, Aptitude, YaST, RPM |
| Antivirus | Norton AntiVirus, AVG, etc. | Norton AntiVirus (not really necessary) | Not necessary! For e-mail scanning on servers - ClamAV |
