There are many articles about why and how to convert to Linux, and all the sites praise Linux for a common reason:
- The freely distributable software
- Open Source code
- Open file formats
- Favorable licensing terms
- Improved security
- Support from the Linux community
- Wide variety of platforms
However, until a desktop user is provided with real alternatives to the existing software that is been currently used, migration to a different operating system is going to be very difficult.
There is more application software available for Windows. Then again, there may be sufficient Linux software for your needs.
Following is the flat list of Linux Equivalents of Windows Software I know about, you are free to add your list in the comment box below and I will have to the list:
| Category | Windows | Linux | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Browser | Firefox Internet Explorer Opera Safari | Firefox Epiphany Konqueror Opera | |
| File Manager | Windows Explorer | Dolphin (KDE) Nautilus (Gnome) | |
| Media Player | Windows Media Player iTunes | Amarok Banshee Exaile gtkpod Rhythmbox Songbird Totem | There is much other software for both Windows and Linux however these are few of them. |
| Mail Client | Outlook Express MS Outlook ThunderBird | Kontact (KDE) Evolution ThunderBird | |
| CD / DVD Burner | Windows Media Player (very basic) | K3b (KDE) GnomeBaker (Gnome) Coaster Brasero Goobox Graveman Grip Serpentine | |
| Instant Messenger | Yahoo MSN GTalk Pidgin IRC ICQ | Kopete Pidgin Gajim Gabber Smuxi XChat | |
| Office Suite | MS Office Star Office | Open Office Star Office Google Docs & Spreadsheets | |
| IDE | Eclipse XEmacs .NET Studio EditPlus TextPad NotePad | Eclipse XEmacs KDevelop Mono Scaffold OpenLDev Kate Gedit Kedit | |
| .NET | Microsoft Visual Studio | Anjuta Code::Blocks Eclipse Geany KDevelop NetBeans IDE | |
| .NET Development | Microsoft .NET Framework | Mono | |
| XML Editor | XMLEdit | Conglomerate KXML Edit | |
| Web Server | IIS | Apache | |
| Programming Languages | .NET Java PHP Perl Python | Java PHP Perl Python | |
| Graphics | Photoshop | GIMP F-Spot – Photo Manager | |
| 3D Studio Max | Art of Illusion Blender Dia – a diagramming application K-3D | ||
| Image Viewer, Image Manager | Microsoft Image viewer ACDSee | gThumb – Image Viewer Eye for GNOME (GNome) KphotoAlbum (KDE) Kview (KDE) Cornice Gwenview Imgv | |
| Adobe | Adobe Illustrator | Inkscape – a vector drawing application. Skencil Xara Xtreme | |
| CAD | AutoCAD | K-3D QCad BRL-CAD | |
| FTP Client | FileZilla | gFTP Filezilla FireFTP KFTPgrabber | |
| Download Manager | GetRight | Downloader for X GWGET KGet | |
| Accessories | MS Calculator | Gcalctool SpeedCrunch | |
| Others | MS Project | Planner – Project Management Software | |
| System Tools | Disk Management Partition Magic | GParted – Partition Editor | |
| Search Tool | Google Desktop Search Yahoo Desktop Search | Beagle Google Desktop | |
| Database | MS SQL Server MySQL | MySQL | |
| Astronomy | MegaStar | Celestia Stellarium |
