OK. I need some help with finding apps, and I'm nearly 100% ready to tear down my Windows XP server, if I can find these.

I need to find:

* Home inventory software
* Something with the basic functions of lightwave
* Home design software (I believe a non industry standard cad will do, as long as it can print and create floor plans)
* An encyclopedia software, if there's anything besides the wikopedia passthrough software, but needs to be modern, not outdated
* The abillity to make instrament synthesised music without a piano or other real interface, rather string the notes together
* A replacement for an old piece of software designed for windows 3.1 called proventure database

How much of these I can find, depends on how much I'm going to be able to use linux. I can use it a lot, but it affects how much I can use it.

As regards CAD, this article might help. I have no experience with any of the software mentioned. Or, depending on your needs, you might look at something simpler, such as LibreOffice Draw of Kolourpaint.

What do you mean by "home inventory software"? That's a term I'm not familiar with, at least as a type of software.

The other items you mention are will beyond my experience.

For CAD, the combination of freecad and librecad should do. Check!

What is home inventory software? Something to make creating a home inventory easy, if possible, but very flexible. If there's nothing, I guess I can use libreoffice spreadsheets. But I was thinking that there was some easier way.

if you need to find just go ahead and look for them. We don't know why do you need those software, how do you use them (which features are important for you). (not to speak about your knowledge level).
You can always use a search engine to look for "home inventory software" just add linux at the end. Also you can look for "home design software linux".

My problem with just searching, is I don't always have, the knowlege to compile for myself or that sort of thing. Yes I know the compiler and stuff, but everyone's programs work differently. So trying to search on github for example is usually not best, unless it's guided. Github is wonderful, but I hope I could maybe come up with some standards later on compiling from source and stuff. Because there isn't really any right now.

So package managers on my distro is good. I have searched the software center, and not found these. I could try and enable snaps, and some other software store that would show them, and search that way. I'm not quite good enough to search for everything (all the time) on command line, but I can get there with not a lot more knowlege. But perhaps enabling snap is what I need to do. I hate snaps in general, and that is why I have not enabled them. I prefer flapaks for a lot of reasons. But if it's the only way to get some software, I would enable them.

But that would be the best place to start my search if I was going to continue searching on my own. A google search, even with linux at the end, would be too general, and the Internet doesn't know how I need to install it. I could install from scripts, but that should be avoided when I can too, except my own. That's why I'm now asking for help, because now that I've searched a bit, I need some clues. I don't even know what's out there but am eager to learn.

I have to try it and see, once I find "canidates". I don't need to actually learn the whole programs now, but I need to be able to see that it's learnable for me. I'll attach my script here:

That's my script so far.

I could try distrobox, which I need I'm sure eventually. I could try it and choose another distro, like arch to try learning pacman and searching there, if it's the only way I can find packages. But I'm also trying that until way after even trying snaps, as that's a hard step too. And it's kind of drastic at this point.

It may also be possible too, that I need to either keep my server, or keep some other windows machine to do all the tasks I need to do. But hey, reducing at least, was the goal, I'm meeting my goal. I'll learn more. I could also learn arch if I wanted, yes with difficulty. But I choose to stay with mint because for me it works better. I'm also rebuilding servers as you can see from other threads. That was indirect, but I think I've answered that I just need to get recommendations of programs, a little help for keeping the best way to install them, and then try them briefly to get a picture of whether they work. Becoming an expert is secondary for now.

you don't need to compile. Actually I use compilers for 30 years, but I still use precompiled packages if available.
And again it is only you who knows your own needs and experiences, therefore nobody can suggest the optimal solution.
In special cases I would recommend specialized forums (usually those programs have their own technical forums, where you can really learn/discuss the details).

OK. Well I now have an idea how to search a bit, that I just got. Let me try it.

I guess spreadsheets for invenotry, the wikopedia program is the best I'm going to get for encyclopedia, at least it's current. For lightwave, I think I can just use blender and cad programs and kdenlive. I guess it's time to replace proventure, and I think I can use a server running windows for the umm. Got it!

So I can't get rid of servers completely, but I can reduce the need for them. I'll handle those app servers after I handle my basic ad and stuff. Thanks!

sweethome3d is great for floorplans if you don't want real cad; also great for laying out furniture, etc.