We run a small office in our home and rely on Filemaker Pro and Quickbooks. We are using XP under VirtualBox and would like to get rid of it. Filemaker Pro Server works under Linus but not the desktop client. MoneyDance does a good job replacing Quicken but Quickbooks is another story. We would pay full price for both programs.

here is my list - winamp, shoutcast (latest version)...

Kontact is much more comprehensive than Evolution and may be a good replacement for Outlook. You can import from Outlook into most other PIMs.

I'd like to see FLASH, Dreamweaver, Fireworks.. for Linux also.
I too use them using Wine without any problem. But I'd like to see Linux versions made.

This thread as devolved into pointlessness.

1.) None of the above applications will every be ported.
2.) Statements like "open source alternatives available but again not powerful" are not wrong or right, they are just meaningless. Generalities are not helpful or constructive. (I've got no problem with such statements when specific features and use-cases are presented.)
3.) If you want some specific app that only runs on Windows then you have to run Windows.

Fortunately I don't believe #3 is true very often, if people can open there minds a little bit. But sometimes it is true; if you need AutoCAD (like 0.1% of users do), then you need AutoCAD nd have to run Windows. BUt if you need image editors, word processing, spreadsheets, statistics, DTP, etc... then there are at least one of each available in Open Source.

Interestingly, users are most happy to adapt themselves to (another word is learning) new features in a new version in Bloatware 11.0, as long as it runs on Windows. However, when it runs on Linux, they insist that their application must be a carbon copy of what they had.

When MsOffice 2003 (?) was superseded by MsOffice 2007 or so with such a weird Ribbon (tm), where no normal user could ever find how to open file, let alone performing more complicated tasks, most users understood that they had to learn. However, transferring from MsOffice 2003 to OpenOffice 2.4 seemed and seems way too difficult. Hence all the requests for porting msoffice to Linux. The same goes for Adobe programs, Corel and whatnot.

Strange uh?

jlinkels

1 members found this post helpful.

I'd like to see a port of 3Ds max I know Blender does the job and exports to 3Ds I just happen to like 3Ds better. I'd also like to see a port of the ATI fileplayer if you've ever checked it out you know it's just well ... cool

Agreed, this thread has outlived its usefulness.

I agree with you.. But when it come to migrating people from windows to Linux, we have to consider these things.
Non-tech people are not ready to leave their 'comfort zone' to switch to Open Source solutions.

I was talking about generalities because i have seen people raising these problems, & thus finding a way to stick to windows ... but as i am not user of these multimedia & cad softwares i cannot help them.

Though i know these proprietary softwares are not going to be ported on Linux.. I am just hoping it to happen some day!!!

I think that Ubuntu have a interesting look but is too brown and orange !!!!! :-( That is unpopular color and reminds me on something old, and dirty :-), windows (vista, 7) have a style and Mac os x too, i think that people who make ubuntu should work more on design, becouse linux is very good concept for OS, i like it more than windows and msc os x. I think that linux - Ubuntu should have style, like metal or glass window borders, more transparency, beautful icons (i think that mac os x have the best icons in the world !!!) but everything should be made from proffesional designer !!! :-)

Greetings,

"I agree with you.. But when it come to migrating people from windows to Linux, we have to consider these things.
Non-tech people are not ready to leave their 'comfort zone' to switch to Open Source solutions."

Of course you techie guys have to realize that the computer is a practical tool. It has to actually accomplish something [be useful]. I have to say that I absolutely love Debian Linux. The browsing speed and the UI are just beautiful. With OpenOffice and a few other quality Linux apps it is hard to beat. This being said I still have to keep my Windows machine going just to get some work done.

I consider myself to be on the tech side of the row also. I am a retired IT consultant. When I was getting my electronics degree and taking a computer class I remember saying to the class that Windows would NEVER be as good as MSDOS. Of course I eventually had to eat humble pie on that one. I just love the command prompt and its efficiency. As I found things that I "had" to do with my computer the GUI became more practical.

So please just realize that today's Linux is a very fine system, but crossover users are going to want to be able to do their work. Software is the medium by which the work is done and it is this realization that prompted this thread in the first place.

Ignoring this just makes you techie guys a bunch of nerds sitting in front of a command line writing script and tweaking code to the end that you have a very fine operating system with nothing much to do thats practical.

Anyway, thank you for all your hard work. I think you guys are actually onto something with this Linux thing, particularly Debian.

tlcstat

Everything from Adobe; nothing from Microsoft. Seriously, Gimp and Scribus and Quanta are not remotely a match for Photoshop, Indesign, and Dreamweaver. Sorry, but the profit motive results in the best software. (If you're thinking Firefox and OpenOffice - Mozilla and Sun/Novell ARE engagged in Linux for the $.)Thank heaven for VirtualBox.

I'm sure there are companies that have developers that work on Gimp, Scribus and Quanta

Thank you for being insulting and condescending. Claiming "techie" guys are out-of-touch is a nice feint to let non-technical-computer-users (an absurd concept) off the hook for being uselessly vague.

And what does this have to do with anything? No one is asking people to use a command line to perform "normal" tasks. I don't think that was suggested anywhere in this very long thread. Perhaps you are bringing a prejudiced perception of LINUX "technical" users into the conversation.

And the question is "What work can't you do on a LINUX workstation what you can do on a Windows PC because of the non-availability of a given software package?" (as a useful interpretation of the question: "What programs would you like to see ported to Linux?")

The answer "I can't do my work" isn't an answer, and neither is "I need Microsoft Word". An answer is "I have to use Microsoft Excel because the analysis package provides feature X which is not available in OpenOffice.". An answer like that indicates (a) your hearing from someone with a legitimate problem who probably actually uses the application in question and (b) provides something substantive someone can go forward with.

Gosh, I guess nothing I do is practical. I should be really grateful someone is still bothering to give me a paycheck.

We "guys" really appreciate that you think we're onto something.

What 'comfort zone' is that? That the OS has to begin with "W". I mean really! There's no significant difference to most users nowadays. Particularly, so called, non technical ones.

After many years of only using MS-Windows, my partner just switched to Kubuntu and didn't skip a beat. This is someone who is not young anymore, uses the computer for several hours a day, and just wants to get work done. She loved the increase in speed of some things, and griped about the Gimp, what else is new. That's no different than switching from XP to Vista. I don't know where you've been.

This is not a sales pitch, just a reality check. I don't mind if you use MS-Windows.