Top 50 Proprietary apps and their Open Source Alternatives

[vrkalak]

Good cad software just needs to be easy to use. Have a way to snap to points, ability to work with blocks and external references, basic commands, easy command entering interface I have yet to come across one that will allow command line entering only toolbars, and since AutoCAD has such a big base it needs to be able to work with DWG's. So far all the open source cad software I have tried falls way short of the mark.

I am a Registered Architect in the US for almost 30 years. For the past 2 years I have been using Linux and Open source exclusively.

Like most people (Americans) dealing with any branch of architecture ... I used to swear by and almost worship AutoCAD.
As this is the "only true" program used by architectural professionals. Sadly, AutoCAD is proprietary and is only made for Windows and Apple.

There are many fine applications/programs made for Linux for architectural uses.
Granted most are not as mature or as versatile as AutoCAD ... but, the Linux/Open source developers are making huge leaps in program development.
And will soon, be a major contender for AutoCAD in the architectural community.

I am currently using Archimedes for Linux. I use Blender for renderings. Both are fine programs.

Speaking about a "learning curve" ... AutoCAD is in no way 'easy' to learn or use.
In the Universities that teach Architecture, there are courses/classes designed to teach AutoCAD. I've taken some of these ... it's not an easy program to learn to use well.
Again, the Linux-based CAD applications do require a learning curve, but only because they are different.

My current Linux CAD applications save files in the same format as AutoCAD, making it easy to save and open on another computer system for viewing and/or editing.

The main selling point is that AutoCAD being proprietary is not cheap to buy and use.
A new version of AutoCAD 2010 ... the 12 DVDs sell for $3,500 The updated AutoCAD 2009 version sells for half that.
Whereas, any and all CAD programs for Linux cost . . . NOTHING.

Linux and OpenSource applications/programs are FREE. Learning curve or not ... I can learn to live without AutoCAD.

[mickmick]

I am a Linux/Mint newbie but so far love it. What I really miss so far is an application like "Where Is It" or "Advanced Disk Catalog" in Windows world. I am not talking about something like CD/DVD catalogin software. I have 4 internal hdd's with files/appz/images I want to search for at anytime. How to do it in Linux ? Anyone with solution ? Gnome Catalog doesn't seem to work the way I want

[vrkalak]

I am a Linux/Mint newbie but so far love it. What I really miss so far is an application like "Where Is It" or "Advanced Disk Catalog" in Windows world. I am not talking about something like CD/DVD catalogin software. I have 4 internal hdd's with files/appz/images I want to search for at anytime. How to do it in Linux ? Anyone with solution ? Gnome Catalog doesn't seem to work the way I want

On my computer using Mint-8 Xfce I have several Applications like what you might want.
(These are all available in the Synaptic Manager)

Find Files
Application Finder
Archive Manager
Catfish
Bacula
mlocate
strigi
swishe
.... there are many others.

Open the Synaptic Package Manager and do a search.

[Superewza]

http://www.osalt.com/

I think this pretty much renders that list redundant?

[Lantesh]

I am a Linux/Mint newbie but so far love it. What I really miss so far is an application like "Where Is It" or "Advanced Disk Catalog" in Windows world. I am not talking about something like CD/DVD catalogin software. I have 4 internal hdd's with files/appz/images I want to search for at anytime. How to do it in Linux ? Anyone with solution ? Gnome Catalog doesn't seem to work the way I want

As a Linux user you must be more computer proficient than the average Windows user. Well unless you paid someone to install Linux for you. In any case I personally never had any use for file index and search programs. I know where my files are. I know where each program stores data files, and I know where I put my files. I would imagine most Linux users do. Therefore I'm not understanding your issue. Don't you know what drives, and what folders your mp3 files etc etc are stored in?

[trebormint]

Another handy list:

http://www.linuxlinks.com/article/20070 ... lents.html

[JonM33]

Interesting but some of those are Windows apps. ClamWin, Winpooch, etc.

[whare1]

Got this from another forum. A nice list to keep handy.

http://whdb.com/2008/the-top-50-proprie ... ernatives/

Just had a Trojon warning on this site from Firefox so if your visiting via windows well dont lol

[safetycopy]

I was just going to post about the "Reported Attack Page!" warning...

[Elisa]

Cool OCR for Linux (with some eastern langs support): YAGF
http://symmetrica.net/cuneiform-linux/yagf-en.html

Read this also !
viewtopic.php?f=47&t=3224&p=341105#p341105

[Elisa]

I am a Linux/Mint newbie but so far love it. What I really miss so far is an application like "Where Is It" or "Advanced Disk Catalog" in Windows world. I am not talking about something like CD/DVD catalogin software. I have 4 internal hdd's with files/appz/images I want to search for at anytime. How to do it in Linux ? Anyone with solution ? Gnome Catalog doesn't seem to work the way I want

I was using Where Is It on windows too. I tried it by wine, it worked but was terrible to use - so I finally decided to kick it off and rather use some 'native' aka Linux sw
I have tried CD catalogizer (cdcat) from Synaptic and it's cool and do its job
You won't see thumbnails etc. but as for me - I need quickly look up based on keywords any sw or file and that app it does fine

[flintstone]

Clicked on the link and got an attack warning popup....yikes!, anybody else?

[paro1991]

open source!!! yea!!....?? uhh umm... attack page bro.

[Elisa]

http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/Lin ... s_software
+
http://www.linuxrsp.ru/win-lin-soft/table-eng.html

[Elisa]

...

Except above mentioned CD/DVD catalogizer - cdcat I have found this sw which seems to be cool also, give it a try
gwhere it is also in repo so install it by Synaptic

[JonM33]

Does anyone know if there's a Linux alternative for a Windows .NET based program called StaxRip? Don't recommend running it in WINE either. I prefer natively running apps.

http://staxmedia.sourceforge.net/

[Elisa]

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1614761
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=273635

[JonM33]

:idea:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1614761
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=273635

Thanks, I was aware of Handbrake but it is no longer supported with current versions of Gnome.

The command line stuff isn't comparable to StaxRip. StaxRip is basically the GUI for all of the command line. It uses command line driven apps such as BeSweet, eac3to, x264, DGIndex, MKVtoolnix, AviSynth, VirtualDubMod, etc but provides a quick and easy GUI interface. Even a person with zero media encoding experience can use StaxRip. I think if someone could make such a thing for Linux it would be quite an app to have.

[Elisa]

And what about Openshot?

[JonM33]

And what about Openshot?

Hmmm, I'll check that out and give it a try. Thanks for the suggestion!