Software for Your New Linux OS

If you are coming from MS Windows, you may be wondering: "which programs do I need on Linux to do the kinds of things I used to do on Windows." Below is table that shows some of the choices of software available for Linux that correspond to some commonly used MS Windows programs.

Surfing the Web
Linux: Konqueror, Firefox, Mozilla, Opera
Windows: Netscape, Internet Explorer

Email, Calendar, & Contacts
Linux: Evolution, Kmail, Thunderbird
Windows: Outlook, Outlook Express

Office tasks (word processing, spreadsheets, & presentation)
Linux: OpenOffice.org, StarOffice, KOffice, GNOME-Office
Windows: MS Office

File Manager
Linux: Konqueror
Windows: Explorer

Graphic editing & viewing
Linux: The GIMP
Windows: Photoshop

Database program
Linux: MySQL, PostgreSQL
Windows: MS Access, SQL

Listening to music
Linux: XMMS, Amarok, Banshee
Windows: RealAudio, Windows Media Player

Instant messaging
Linux: Gaim, Pidgin
Windows: Yahoo IM, Skype, etc.

Having different roots, the names of corresponding programs (software) on Windows and Linux are quite different, but their functionalities are often very similar. Often the Linux programs can even "understand" Windows file formats.

Also check out software for Linux in the following categories: Backup, Business, FTP, Graphics/Image, Office Suites, Personal Information Manager, Web Servers.