|
LinuxDig.Com : Cross Platform Desktop Applications - Yes you can choose Linux
Author: HumanX | Wednesday February 11, 2004
This article discusses a few of the more common desktop applications which are available for both Windows and Linux, and what you can do to move to the Linux Operating System.
The point of this article is to A. show you applications that are available to you in Windows and Linux and B. Show you that moving to Linux is not only an alternative to Windows but a cheaper alternative.
Working Everyday in Multiple Operating Systems.
Every now now and again I re-evaluate the computer world. I look at current software programs, computers, prices, basically an overview of all things computer. Things move so fast in the computer world that if you turn your head for one second, you are two versions behind and an old relic.
Over the past couple of months I have been on an efficiency kick, so for this latest re-evaluation I put a lot of focus in cross-platform desktop software. I survive like most computer enthusiast in the world of multiple operating systems. And because of this, I am always somewhere different wishing I had the same tools.
What are my daily tools: a web browser, word processor, ssh client, IDE, compression (ZIP) and spreadsheet. Of those items, the most important are the first four, but the first two are items that need to be convenient.
I think everyone forgets just how important the browser and the email client are until they are broken or the Internet is down. Now for developers or anyone else who spends a good portion of the day on a computer, especially those who enjoy their work, "consistancy breeds efficiency". To satisfy my Internet needs I use Netscape.
Most browsers look alike, they have an address bar, forward/back buttons and so forth. So a browser change really is not to big of a deal unless you depend on you bookmarks and additional plug-ins. So for my needs I chose Netscape because #1 I can use it in Linux and Windows. #2 On Windows it is far less suseptible to the mounting trojans, viruses and spyware the most people pickup in the first hour they are on the Internet. Computers have gotten so fast and memory so cheap that even the bulkiness of Netscape can be overlooked. Netscape also satisfied my mail needs with its built in web client. Here, I share the message filters with all of my workstations.
Some of you out their are probably saying what about Oprah? Well it is fast, it has a small memory footprint, I do not like the mail client, and hey, it is not free.
Enter Mozilla Firefox / Firebird. Have you not heard of this yet? This is Mozilla's new lightweight cross platform browser and it is fast, really fast. This is probably one of the more exciting browsers to be released since Konqueror (which I think is the best - but is not cross-platform) , but I think I might even like this better then Konqueror. The mail client will not be released until later this year, so until then I am tied to Netscape, but good things are coming. I suggest you take it for a ride at http://www.mozilla.org.
Next, word processor. Their is Open Office and then their is that little flash of light called AbiWord. AbiWord rocks. It is fast, it is small, it loads up in milliseconds and it offers us the one thing we need most, just word processing features. AbiWord supports Microsoft Word files, HTML, RTF, text and its own file format. Actually one of the things I like about AbiWord is that when I open a TEXT document, it saves it as a TEXT document, AbiWord does not try to force its format on me... Anyone know of a WP that does... uhhhmmm W unn O mmm R mmm D mmm. http://www.abisource.com
And best of all, AbiWord is cross platform. Anyone notice a trend here yet? Most of the applications that tend to be the best, are all cross-platform, you wander why? Me too. What I think is that developers need to program with care when building towards multiple environments. The programs are often born in Linux where anyone in the know, knows the best developers come from. Better products come when developed for multiple environments. This statement would not be true for all products, but I think for a lot of them it is.
SSH: Of course in Linux their is the trustry traditional ssh client and for Windows their is Putty 32. I have written about putty in the past, it is a great SSH client. Fast, small and rock solid and offers many features plus the ability to securely tunnel. Do not foget SFTP, when transferring files under windows, SSH & SFTP go together like milk and choclate.
http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/download.html
Open Office supports multiple operating systems and supplies just about everything Microsoft Office could offer less the database application. I have to be honest, OO has never really taken hold of me. I just feel like something is missing, but I do have to say, I like OO's spreadsheet application and their drawing application. If you ever need to build diagrams, look no further then Open Office. The word processor, is so-so, but good enough for most.
Where am I now, IDE, ZIP application. IDE- Not to many people are going to be happy with me out there, but I love Dreamweaver. I have installed VMWare just so I can run it. If you want to run Dreamweaver in both Linux and Windows you need an emulator like VMWare or WINE. I have never tried Dreamweaver in Wine but supposedly it works.
ZIP - who cares... Their are plenty of applications to choose from, though I would like to see one graphical cross-platform graphical application.
Other Common Cross Platform Tools:
Special Mention: The Gimp. The Gimp is a graphic maniputation tool (photo editor) with much of the same functionality of Adobe Photoshop. http://www.gimp.org
PDF Files: Acrobat (http://www.adobe.com)
FLASH: Macromedia (http://www.macromedia.com)
Calendar: Extention for Mozilla, Netscape, Firebird (http://www.mozilla.org) Plugins
VNC: VNC (http://www.realvnc.com/) - Virtual Network Computing is similar to Remote Desktop or Terminal Services for Windows. VNC allows you to remotely admin or use your computer from either the web or from the VNC client.
WINE: http://www.winehq.org , Do you need a program built for Windows to run in Linux? That is right, you can run Windows programs in Linux and most distributions offer Wine as part of the install.
Why Linux Saves You Money
Whether you are a corporate buyer with licensing concerns or a home user, Linux is the cheaper alternative. Linux has gotten to the point where anyone can use it and a vast amount of support is available for everything from Faxing to Databases.
Do the math, what does one year of upgrades cost you from Microsoft? Windows XP, Microsoft Office will cost you $500-$600. For the business, what does Windows 2000/2003 cost? What does it cost in hardware for the Windows operating system? A Linux Server with 64 megs of ram will get you about the same performance as a Windows Box with 256. (Obviously depends on services). Grab your old PII-400 and install Samba, you are well on your way to selling yourself on the power of Linux.
The next question, how much money is lost to Virus Repair, Lost DLL'S and so forth? Once a Linux network / workstation is configured, it runs and runs and runs. Just like the little pink bunny, it keeps going and going... You get the picture.
Somewhere between the Home and the Medium size business, Windows is a more reasonable OS. If I were to walk into a company with 10 employees who were all using to Windows, I would probably say stick to it. Linux is more expensive at the install and a smaller business may not be willing to go forward with training. I assure you, Linux in a business with 20 or more employee's will always be cheaper. Do the math once again. Lets say you spend $100 per head for training and you subtract the price of the operating systems out for the computers. The cost of training is nullified by removing the OS from the computers and using Linux. Now every year you save your company the price of upgrades. Even if Linux Administrators are more expensive, overall, Linux will be a more cost efficient alternative to Windows.
I know their has been plenty of independent studies from Microsoft contradicting what I say here. But studies are not the real world. Ask any consultant who installs both operating systems and is equally familiar and unbiased in both. He will say Linux is a better alternative. Two years ago I would not have said this, now with the latest releases of Linux Desktops, Linux is prime time.
|
