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Best Free Software for Linux
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Best Free Software for Linux - Page Index
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How To Use This List
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Introduction
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While you can get the Linux system and use it for free, you can also run on the system a wide range of free applications such as well-known and commonly-used software including Firefox web browser and the LibreOffice application suite. Among various free applications, here you might find the best free software for Linux, including those products reviewed and recommended by our editors in the various sections. Other programs that work as potential alternatives to Windows applications or even perform better than them are also listed here for the benefit of users who migrate from Windows to Linux or run dual systems on their computers. |
Linux, occasionally referred to as GNU/Linux, is an open source and free operating system predominantly known for its use in servers, but has increasingly become commonplace in desktop, notebook and netbook computers in recent years after newer and enhanced versions of Linux distributions, Ubuntu or Linux Mint for example, are developed and offered free to users.|
What's New
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Items added or updated most recently: |
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Summary
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This list of Best Free Software for Linux now includes 141 applications in 95 categories. To read brief descriptions of the applications, click a page number or a category icon below.
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Page 2. Home and Office
Page 3. Image Tools
Page 4. Multimedia
Page 5. Disk and File Tools
Page 6. Desktop and System
Page 7. Security and Privacy
Page 8. Internet and eMail
Page 9. Programming
Page 10. Games|
Tags
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best, top, free, software, applications, freeware, Linux, Ubuntu, Mint, distros, multi, cross, platform, list, listing |
- Article type:
- Cleanup & Tuning,
- PC Freeware,
- Review,
- Desktop & GUI,
- User contributed lists,
- Disk & File Utilities,
- Home & Office,
- Educational,
- Games and Diversions,
- Image View and Edit,
- Internet, Email & Messaging,
- Linux Freeware,
- Multimedia (CD, DVD, Video, Audio),
- Networking & File Transfer,
- Programming & Engineering,
- Security,
- System and Performance Info,
- System Utilities,
- Software list
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Comments
LuckyBackup
Candidate for a Linux back up utility
I have been using FreeFileSync as a back up tool synchronizing my personal files weekly. I finally needed a reason to restore a folder I accidentally erased. I loaded FreeFileSync and switched directions to restore and executed the task. Results were a complete disaster. I thought I had done everything correctly and could not tell exactly what went wrong. I kind of feel the GUI although looks straight forward can be a bit tricky. Luckily I had made an Image and restored my system.
After doing some searching I found LuckyBackup:
http://www.liberiangeek.net/2011/02/schedule-backup-luckybackup-ubuntu-1...
Very nice and easy to use. When I did a test to restore, it worked perfectly.
There doesn't seem to be a great deal of free Linux backup utilities but so far LuckyBackup seems to work well and a possible candidate for Best Free Software For Linux list.
Cheers
I'm looking for a simple package for home use and wonder if anyone know such solution.
I want to use a small 7" touch pad with Linux. This unit will be installed right inside the entrance door and the whole family should use it to remember things when the arrive or leave the house.
Main problem is to have a user interface that fit a small 7" pad as it's made for communicating through touch. Hopefully the to-do-list can be updated from external PC inhouse, but no demand. It should also be easy to connect to another PC or internet to see the weather prognoses, etc by an icon to switch to another application.
Anyone knows any software that can be used for such small touch pad.
Joje (Norway)
If it has enough storage capacity you may want to try Linux mint. I am partial to Mint 'Julia' but Mint 11 is available although it uses gnome 3 which is not my cup-of-tea. Look here: linuxmint.com/
There is Puppy Linux which is small in size but may not be suitable for people new to linux. Look here: http://www.puppylinux.com/
Further info on linux platforms can be found here: http://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=major
Hope this helps get you started
Good luck
Thanks.
I was in fact thinking of Mint, but have no replay from supplier of the pad if they have testes their hardware with this or other Linux versions (I do not want to use Android).
But as you say I'm rather new to Linux and want to start up with som "fail safe" :-D solution.
Thnaks for your suggestion. I will look into Mint and at the same time an Application software with a very simple user interface (mainly graphic).
Added LuckyBackup to the list and thanks Wdhpr for recommending this software.
The guy from Liberian Geeksays states their are allot of linux backup utilities. For starters Mint has one installed by default and its very limited. I also disagree that there are a many of them. From what I can tell many use resync as their core. Where as Window's has a ton of backup software.
Perhaps I need to look harder :\
GnomeDo should be added to this list as a competitor to Launchy, and DesktopNova should be added as a competitor to Wally.
Good suggestions Shuey. Both GNOME Do and DesktopNova are now added to the list.
Comodo antivirus for linux, realtime scanning, free software!
This is still in beta and therefore not recommended for general use. Also, there is a requirement to sign in to the Comodo forum for access. If this has now changed, please provide a link here otherwise nothing further will happen with this at this stage.
I am looking for a way to search for files from within Mint 12 GUI. This site recomends Google desktop but it has been discontinued. Any other sugestions?
Try this link. It should give you several options:
http://tuxradar.com/content/best-linux-desktop-search-tools
Update: Replaced Google Desktop Search with Recoll.
Please add Best Single File Encryption Software category.
Good suggestion Panzer. Any good applications in your mind?
Update: added GNU Privacy Assistant.
Not at the moment.
Hello, I have created a lot of image or flash videos, on my hard drive. When I burn these images on a DVD disc ,I am unable to play these discs on other electronic devices. Does anyone have a suggestion on how i can convert these images to playable disc?
We are unable to provide support here in the comments section. Please post your query on the freeware forum :
http://www.techsupportalert.com/freeware-forum/
I'm surprised there havent been arguments over the opening line, but that's good.
It might be worth mentioning (atleast briefly) the difference between free/libre software and free-of-charge software (and clarifying what you're listing... though most seems to be libre some things are not: Opera isn't and truecrypt is highly debatable in this regard).
Still... generally a good list - though a few I'd recommend considering.
* Exaile - music player, similar to clementine already mentioned, but imho a more comfortable GUI.
* Kdenlive - video editor, this is a big one imho because it's the most intuitive editor I've found yet yet supports a wide range of formats (input and output). Yes, it requires KDE libraries but so does Amarok which (imho, deservedly) makes your list.
* The browsers you have on your list are quite heavy, full featured browsers. That's fine, but when linux on netbooks is seeming to gain a little in popularity, a lighter browser mightn't be a bad idea (atleast for when needing to run alongside other apps, especially office-suites as many students would have to). Midori sadly seems somewhat crash prone on many distro's (though it's working fine on my gentoo machine) which is a shame as it's otherwise a nice browser - Epiphany is a touch heavier, but seems much more stable.
* Claws mail is worth mentioning as another good email-client, though not many people seem to use email-clients anymore.
* Deluge - my favourite torrent client. Vuze can't touch it, imho.
Kdenlive includes a feature to create basic dvd's (including menus), perhaps take a look and see if it suits your needs...
Afterall, it's free (and libre) so won't cost you any money (or freedom).
One of many reasons to love linux (imho) is this fact - you can try new packages without worrying that you'll waste your money (or install something dodgy) if it doesn't fulfil your needs.
Best Dock contenders:
Cairo Dock
http://glx-dock.org/
Avant Window Navigator:
http://wiki.awn-project.org/
Best Network Protocol Analyzer:
Wireshark
http://www.wireshark.org/download.html (bottom right)
F.Lux for Linux - Redshift:
http://jonls.dk/redshift/
Thanks Panzer for good suggestions. Cairo Dock is now added to the list.
Best Free Anonymous Surfing Service for Linux:
I suggest adding SecurityKiss to this list. I've been happily using it for awhile on Windows (thanks to techsupportalert advice). The free service has recently been made available for Linux and it works great there as well (Xubuntu 11.10). Easy to set up, easy to use, fast, and reliable. Same restrictions as on Windows (300MB/day).
http://www.securitykiss.com/resources/download/linux/
Its good to see you included Pinta. I installed about a week ago and I was impressed to find how closely it resembled Paint.net.
Why not Jdownloader ?
@vin100, JDownloader is mentioned, but currently not rated, in the section of "Other Download Managers" at Best Free Download Manager. Hope this helps.
Glad that you like it Wdhpr.
Users should be wary of jDownloader (notice the difference in spelling) which has a red rated site by WOT (Web Of Trust)and is a scam product.
http://www.mywot.com/en/scorecard/jdownloader.com?src=addon-warn-viewsc
Webilder is an awesome wall paper changer that downloads pictures from Flickr and Webshots.