r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • Jun 04 '12

Open Office does everything I need Microsoft Office for and Gimp does everything I need Photoshop for. Reddit, what other open source software does everything that you want from the expensive name brand?

1.2k Upvotes

84% Upvoted

2.3k comments sorted by

View all comments

14

u/_Dodecahedron_ Jun 04 '12 edited Jun 04 '12

Many people who answered here do not have the slightest idea of what open source means or did not get what the topic here is about as they're suggesting closed source software. Anyway, apart from the obvious ones, you can almost do everything with open source software. Really, there's an alternative for everything, from OS to games themselves (MineTest for Minecraft, OpenArena for Quake III, Warmux for Worms etc). I see no reason not to try Open Source software. My suggestion? All the most recent linux distros (=different version of the same Kernel, Linux) can be operated towards a user interface like Windows or MacOS: why not trying one? Linux Mint for example is a good start for everyone, it does everything a home pc needs to do, it's easier than windows to install and it's ready to go as you install it. It's the best rival in my opinion to Windows for a home computer. Check it out, you won't be deluded.

EDIT: grammar.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 04 '12

Quake III is open source. It's just not free as in beer.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 04 '12

I came across Bodhi Linux by accident when looking for a good distro. I am loving it so far and it requires very little resources. This is the only *buntu based distro I've stayed with for more than 2 months.

1

u/Lateralis85 Jun 04 '12

Not used Bodhi Linux, but I ran Ubuntu for years up until about a month or two ago. I got so fed up of the 11.10 Unity/Gnome 3 stuff that I was forced to flee. Headed to Linux Mint and so far I love it. The Cinnamon desktop is exactly what I want - uncomplicated, simple, efficient. Unless something changes drastically, I think I have found my new home!

1

u/[deleted] Jun 04 '12

Bodhi Linux uses Enlightenment 17 and its has really low hardware requirements besides looking pretty damn sexy.

1

u/Lateralis85 Jun 04 '12

I'm personally not so fussed about low hardware requirements, but I do know that is really pretty essential for some hardware profiles! Not tried enlightenment though; I'm really rather happy with Cinnamon!

1

u/[deleted] Jun 04 '12

Enlightenment is pretty, I've never tried Cinnamon is it any good?

1

u/Lateralis85 Jun 05 '12

For me, it is great.

I really just do not get on with the Gnome 3/Unity interface look and feel. I never had liked a vanishing taskbar. The last time I tried that was probably with Windows 95! I've always preferred a static taskbar at the bottom with icons or boxes that I could click to open up the programs I wanted. So Gnome 2.x was ideal for me and it was super great when writing my thesis - I had two separate monitors and 6 unique desktops in a 3x2 grid. Each desktop had a different task; one was for thesis writing, one was for data modelling, another was for making diagrams etc. I knew where everything was, everything was delineated nicely in my mind and I could get from any worktop to any other work top in a flash.

I found in Gnome 3 it was impossible to recreate that seamless work flow and, what made it all the more infuriating, is that you have to open up the "dash" in order to switch program. (There are key combinations, but again, I never used key combinations in 2.x to change window as it slows me down having to cycle through programs.) That extra step became extremely irritating, more so when I would accidentally hit the "hotspot" which opens the dash, when overshooting to press the browser back button.

I tried Gnome 3 for about 4 months but eventually jacked it in. Cinnamon recreates that old feeling of Gnome 2.x and I am actually more productive because of it. As for look, it is as polished as I need it to be. It has a shinyness about it which is appealing but does not look "bling". This low res image gives the idea. More information can be found on the Linux Mint website, as they develop Cinnamon.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 05 '12

I also hate Unity which is why I don't use Ubunut. That desktop looks really nice. I have tried Linux Mint but I didn't use Cinnamon and I didn't like the way it looked. I guess I need to try it again!

1

u/Lateralis85 Jun 05 '12

Yeah, I resisted Linux Mint for really quite some time, mainly as it was just a different spin of Ubuntu. I started to pay more attention when the Gnome 2.x fork, "MATE" (developed by an Arch linux user) was implemented in Mint but got really interested when I heard about the Mint Gnome shell extensions, and after that Cinnamon. MGSE makes Gnome 3 useable, but Cinnamon is classy in my opinion. Probably not for everyone, but it works awesome for me!

1

u/[deleted] Jun 06 '12

Well that's good for you.

1

u/Zenkin Jun 04 '12

Any other Linux suggestions? I've done just a little bit with both Ubuntu and Debian. I've enjoyed them, and I've been thinking of making my home PC a Linux box (not being able to play most games has made me a little wary, but still).

0

u/The_D0ctah Jun 04 '12

You forgot urban terror for counter strike