i would like to switch to linux, but i wanted to know if there are software equivalents from windows. fill in the blanks?

photoshop:=:gimp
messenger:=:gaim
microsoft office:=pen office (could i wine Microsoft office?)
dreamweaver:=:?
flash:=:?
solidworks:=:none i think
nero:=:?
matlab or mathematica:=:?
razr phone tools:=:? (to sync my calander to my phone)
media player:=:?(something to sync with my mp3 player which is just a flash drive)

also i know that wine can run windows software, probably games, too, but how intense of a game, say freelancer?

microsoft office:= yes you can wine Microsoft Office especially with CrossOver Office
dreamweaver:=are you looking for a wysiwyg editor? you might just want to wine this one too
flash:=not any good ones yet, but the mx version works on wine
solidworks:=not sure what this is
nero:=k3b is great
matlab:=works natively on Linux
razr phone tools:=don't know, sorry
media player:=you will probably need a separate utility for syncing, there aren't that many "full-blown" media players like iTunes of WMP. What mp3 player do you have?

Nero has a Linux version, though I've never used it. You can use cdrecord on the command line (really, it's not hard. I don't know what people have against the CLI). For a graphical front-end to cdrecord, there's K3b (amongst others).

There are Linux versions of both MATLAB and Mathematica.

If your digital audio player is just a flash drive, presumably you can just mount it and copy the files to it.

The don't want to learn it. It take much more initiative to use the CLI than to point and click on a user interface that is probably self-explainitory. Many newcommers to Linux just want to escape Windows but aren't willing to put in the time to learn anything, thus they only want to use the self-expainitory gui's. Not that this post helps the thread, its just a little rant.

~Justin

wine seems to be a good answer for some things, i just would like to know more about its limitations. i just got into freelancer, and like it but i dont know how well games run under wine. i didnt think you really wanted to wine games.
If wine is very system dependent, then here are my laptops specs: pentium m 1.8, 2 gigs ram, ati radeon 9700 mobility 128mb, 6o gig 7200rpm hdd

my mp3 player is just a creative muvo tx. small and simple. i am sure i can drag files to it, not a big deal, but i was wondering more like if i make a playlist in whatever media player, i think many are similar to winamp as far as functionality? i would like an easy way for me to drag and drop files on it. my music is sorted by artist then album.

as for nero, i would like the ability to mount iso's to an imaginary drive, make an burn isos. make and burn video cds.

dreamweaver, i just like to be able to use both text and graphical. if it runs alright in wine i will use it.

flash is not an everyday thing, probably could wine it.

solidworks is a cad program, but i know that doesnt wine well i will just keep a dual boot setup for that

A quick Google >>
CAD Programs: http://www.tech-edv.co.at/lunix/CADlinks.html
WYSIWYG html Editors: http://webdesign.about.com/od/htmled...tpwyslinux.htm
'ability to mount iso's to an imaginary drive' mount can do this I believe... loopback device something-or-another... Someone who isn't me will probably know more.
Make ISOs: mkisofs
burn ISOs: cdrecord/k3b
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In good conscience, I can't respond to this as it would be hi-jacking the thread. There is an important point here, so let's start a new one---I will post it in "Linux--General"