ListOfOpenSourcePrograms

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ListOfOpenSourcePrograms

Contents Desktop Applications Communication Engineering Educational Financial Games Productivity Management Misc Multimedia 3D Audio Drawing Other Video Security Software Development Utilities Server Applications Content Management Database File Server Messaging Security Web FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions Links to similar projects Windows Open Source Compilations on a CD Gratis Linux Open Source Software Mac OS X Open Source Software Compilations on a CD General Directories Free and Open Source

List Of Open-source Programs (LOOP) for Microsoft Windows Operating Systems
What is the LOOP list?

• This is a list of the best open-source applications that run on Windows. Feel free to edit this list and add any programs that meet the criteria below. The purpose of this list is to demonstrate the quality of open-source applications and advocate the open source software development model. To learn more, read the FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions.
  

Instructions:

• Tell all your non-Linux friends and family about the LOOP list. On this list they will find free, high-quality replacements for the software that they have purchased/pirated. Once they become familiar with these new applications, introduce them to your favorite Linux distribution, such as Ubuntu. Then help them convert to Linux, using the same applications that they became familiar with on Windows.
  

Rules for adding programs to the LOOP list:

• Must be open-source.
  
• Must run natively on Microsoft Windows operating systems.
  
• Only include the best application for each specific purpose. In rare cases, up to three applications may be listed.
  
• Include the names of the top three proprietary applications that provide similar functionality, if known.
  

Desktop Applications

Communication

• Email Client = Thunderbird
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Microsoft Outlook
    
  IRC Client = X-Chat 2, Bersirc
  
  
  
  • Compare to: mIRC
    
  Universal Instant Messaging Client = Pidgin (formerly Gaim), Miranda IM
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Trillian
    
  Web browser = Firefox, Chromium
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Microsoft Internet Explorer
    
  Voice Over IP = QuteCom, Ekiga
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Skype
    
  
  

Engineering

• EDA = KiCad
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Eagle
    
  Numeric Computation = SciLab
  
  
  
  • Compare to: MatLab
    
  
  

Educational

• Learning Games = Childsplay
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Planetarium = Stellarium
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Starry Night
    
  Space Simulator = Celestia
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Flight Simulator = FlightGear
  
  
  
  • Compare to: MS Flight Simulator
    
  Typing Tutor = Tux Typing
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Beginner Drawing Program = Tux Paint
  
  
  
  • Compare to: KidPix
    
  Reference & Citation Manager = Zotero
  
  
  
  • Compare to: EndNote
    
  
  

Financial

• Personal Accounting = HomeBank, Grisbi, jGnash
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Quicken, Microsoft Money
    
  Accounting: GnuCash, TurboCash
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Intuit Quickbooks
    
  Monitoraggio Finanziario = MFbyAS
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  
  

Games

• 3D Space Simulator = Vega Strike, Epiar
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Eve-Online
    
  3D Tank Battle (Real-time) = BZFlag
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  3D Tank Battle (Turn-based) = Scorched 3D
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  3D Pirate Action/Adventure = Crown and Cutlass
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Pirates!
    
  Arcade space shooter = Chromium, Max Fighter, Kobo Deluxe
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Demon Star, Chicken Invaders
    
  Billiards (Pool) = FooBillard, BillardGL
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Cards (Solitaire) = PySolFC (PySol Fan Club Edition)
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Windows Solitaire, Windows FreeCell, Windows Spider, Pretty Good Solitaire
    
  First-person Shooter = Sauerbraten, Warsow, Tremulous, OpenArena, Nexuiz
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Quake, Doom, Unreal
    
  First-person Shooter (Hexen II clone) = Hexen II: Hammer of Thyrion
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Hexen II
    
  Karaoke player = Plarpebu, PyKaraoke
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Lemmings-clone = Pingus
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Lemmings
    
  Mario-clone = SuperTux, Secret Maryo Chronicles
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Super Mario Bros
    
  Missle-Command clone = Penguin Command
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  MMORPG = PlaneShift, Eternal Lands
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Everquest
    
  Net Hack clone = Vulture's Eye/Claw
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Pang clone = PiX Pang
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Super Pang
    
  Racing = Extreme Tux Racer, VDrift, SuperTuxKart
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Real-Time Strategy = MegaGlest, Dark Oberon, Globulation
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Warcraft 2, Starcraft
    
  Risk clone = JavaRisk
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Singstar clone = UltraStar Deluxe
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Singstar
    
  Tron clone = Armagetron Advanced
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Turn-based Strategy (Fantasy) = Battle for Wesnoth
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Age of Wonders, Heroes of Might and Magic, Warlords
    
  Turn-based Strategy (World Building) = LinCity-NG OpenTTD
  
  
  
  • Compare to: SimCity, Transport Tycoon Deluxe
    
  Turn-based Strategy (Sci-Fi) = UFO: Alien Invasion, Zombies
  
  
  
  • Compare to: X-Com
    
  Unique = SpiceTrade
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Unique = Neverball
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Unique = X-Moto
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Elasto Mania
    
  
  

Productivity

• Database (Desktop) = OpenOffice (Base)
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Microsoft Office (Access)
    
  Desktop Publishing = Scribus
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Microsoft Publisher
    
  Mind Mapping = FreeMind
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Mindjet MindManager, Inspiration
    
  PDF creator = PDF Creator
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Adobe Acrobat
    
  Presentation = OpenOffice (Impress)
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Microsoft Office (Powerpoint)
    
  Spreadsheet = OpenOffice (Calc), Gnumeric
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Microsoft Office (Excel)
    
  Word Processor = OpenOffice (Writer), AbiWord
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Microsoft Office (Word)
    
  Scientific Word Processor = Lyx (LaTeX GUI frontend)
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Scientific Word
    
  Notepad Replacement = Notepad2, Notepad++, SciTE
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Notepad
    
  Report bursting and report distribution = DocumentBurster
  
  
  
  • Compare to: AutoDocHSE
    
  
  

Management

• Gantt chart = GanttProject
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Microsoft Project
    
  Project management = Planner, OpenWorkbench
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Microsoft Project
    
  Report Creator = JasperReports
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Crystal Reports
    
  Analisi dei processi = APbyAS
  
  
  
  • Compare to Unknown
    
  Gestione Attività = PMbyAS
  
  
  
  • Compare to Microsoft Project
    
  Team Collaboration = Mindquarry
  
  
  
  • Compare to Microsoft Sharepoint
    
  Human Resource Management = OrangeHRM
  
  
  
  • Compare to PeopleSoft HCM
    
  
  

Misc

• Animal Shelter Manager = Animal Shelter Manager
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Virtual PC emulator = VirtualBox, Bochs, Qemu
  
  
  
  • Compare to: VMware, Microsoft Virtual PC
    
  Linux environment = Cygwin
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Microsoft Services For Unix (SFU) (formerly Interix, formerly OpenNT)
    
  Recipe Manager = Gourmet Recipe Manager
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Screen Saver = Really Slick Screensavers
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Language Translation tool = OmegaT
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Countdown Timer = CookTimer
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Application Launcher = Launchy
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Worship presentation = OpenLP
  
  
  
  • Compare to: MediaShout, SongPro
    
  
  

Multimedia

3D

• 3D Animation = Blender, Wings 3D
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Alias Maya
    
  3D Graphics = POV-Ray
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  3D Game Development Kit = Crystal Space, Ogre3d
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  
  

Audio

• Audio Composition = OpenSebJ
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Ableton Live
    
  Audio Editing = Audacity
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Adobe Audition
    
  Audio Player = Coolplayer, Zinf, Songbird
  
  
  
  • Compare to: WinAMP, Windows Media Player, iTunes
    
  Drum Machine = Hydrogen
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  MP3 Ripper = CDex
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Exact Audio Copy
    
  Piano Sampled Virtual Instrument = vScaleNotes
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Ivory - Grand Pianos
    
  Volume normalizer = MP3Gain
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  
  

Drawing

• Diagram Editor = Dia
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Microsoft Visio
    
  Image Editing = Gimp, Pinta
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Adobe Photoshop, Corel Paint Shop, Paint.NET
    
  Vector Drawing = Inkscape
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW
    
  Digital Painting = MyPaint
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Corel Painter
    
  
  

Other

• HTPC/PVR Media Centre = MediaPortal
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Microsoft Media Centre Edition (MCE), Showshifter, SageTV
    
  Media Player = VLC media player
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Windows Media Player, PowerLink PowerDVD, Intervideo WinDVD
    
  Flash Player = JW Player for Flash
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Flow Player, Agriya
    
  Silverlight Player = JW Player for Silverlight
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Windows Media Player
    
  HTML5 Player = JW Player for HTML5
  
  
  
  • Compare to: HTML5 Video Player
    
  Desktop Media Player = JW Desktop Player
  
  
  
  • Compare to: VLC media player
    
  Image Rotator = JW Image Rotator
  
  
  
  • Compare to: jQuery Image Rotators
    
  Web Design = Nvu
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Microsoft Frontpage, Macromedia Dreamweaver
    
  
  

Video

• Internet TV platform = Miro
  
  
  
  • Compare to: iTunes, FireAnt
    
  Video Capture = VirtualDub
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Sorenson Squeeze
    
  Video MPEG-4 codec = ffdshow, XviD
  
  
  
  • Compare to: DivX
    
  Video Editing = Jashaka, Avidemux,
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Adobe After Effects, Pinnacle Studio, Apple Final Cut
    
  
  

Security

• 802.1x client (EAP-TTLS) = SecureW2 [no longer opensource]
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Anti-Spyware = Winpooch, Spybot Search&Destroy (not OpenSource, but FreeWare)
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Anti-Virus = ClamWin
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Encryption = Truecrypt
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Win Zip?
    
  Network protocol analyzer = Wireshark
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Sniffer
    
  Password strength testing = Ophcrack 2
  
  
  
  • Compare to: LOphtCrack
    
  Password safe = KeePass Password Safe, Password Safe
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  VPN client = OpenVPN client GUI for Windows
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Cisco VPN client, Nortel VPN client
    
  
  

Software Development

• Framework/Platform = Mono
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Microsoft .NET Framework, Java
    
  Integrated Development Environment = Eclipse, SharpDevelop, Code::Blocks, Lazarus IDE, Free Pascal, Padre, the Perl IDE
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Microsoft Visual Studio, Borland IDE
    
  Windows Installer = Nullsoft Scriptable Install System, Inno Setup
  
  
  
  • Compare to: InstallShield, Microsoft Installer
    
  Visual Basic clone = gambas - A visual development environment using a programming language similar to Visual Basic
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Microsoft Visual Basic
    
  
  

Utilities

• BitTorrent client = Azureus, BitTorrent Client
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  File compression = 7-Zip
  
  
  
  • Compare to: WinZip
    
  FTP Client = Filezilla FTP client
  
  
  
  • Compare to: SmartFTP, BulletProof FTP
    
  Statistics on Disk usage = WinDirStat
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  P2P file-sharing = Shareaza, Ares
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Napster
    
  Remote Administration = UltraVNC, TightVNC, TigerVNC
  
  
  
  • Compare to: PCAnywhere, GoToMyPC.com, Windows Remote Desktop
    
  Process Usage Analysis = Process History
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Task Manager
    
  Daphne, process list & manager = Daphne
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Windows task manager
    
  Download Manager = Free Download manager
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Internet Download Manager
    
  Files Listing = Klyster
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  
  

Server Applications

Content Management

• Enterprise Content Management = Alfresco
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Sharepoint, Documentum,Filenet, OpenText, Vignette, Interwoven
    
  
  

Database

• Database server = Firebird, MySQL, PostgreSQL
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Microsoft SQL server, Oracle database
    
  Elastic key-value database = NorthScale Membase Server
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  
  

File Server

• FTP server = Filezilla FTP server
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  
  

Messaging

• Email server = hMailServer
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Microsoft Exchange server, Novell GroupWise server
    
  Instant messaging server = Jive Messenger
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Novell GroupWise Messenger
    
  
  

Security

• Intrusion Detection System (IDS) = Snort
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  VPN server = OpenVPN
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Cisco VPN
    
  
  

Web

• Application server = JBoss
  
  
  
  • Compare to: BEA Weblogic, IBM Websphere
    
  Rich Internet Application Server = OpenLaszlo
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Macromedia Flex
    
  Statistics Generator = AWStats
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Unknown
    
  Web server = Apache
  
  
  
  • Compare to: Microsoft Internet Information Services (ISS)
    
  
  

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
These applications are awesome! I can't believe that they are free! How can I help to support these applications?

• That is a terrific question. If these programs provide value to you, it makes sense to give something back to the community. The best way to do this may be different for each application, so read more at the project's website. In general, here are ways that you can give back to the open-source community:
  
  
  
  • Install and use the program, then share your experiences (good or bad) with the project mailing list.
    
  • Subscribe to the project mailing list and answer questions that users are asking.
    
  • Share any ideas you have about the software, such as features that you would like to see implemented or any changes that you think would improve the project.
    
  • Create documentation about the project, such as how to install, configure, and use the application.
    
  • If you are a programmer, look at the code and report any bugs you find and share any improvements that you make.
    
  • Some projects provide a way to contribute money to the project.
    
  • Tell everyone you know about the application and help them start using it.
    
  The great thing about contributing to an open-source project is that you will be helping everyone who uses the software. If users give back to the project, there will be a constant improvement in the quality of the application. Here are some ideas on how to Participate, from Ubuntu.
  
  

Why do you only include open-source applications? Why not include applications that are free, but not open-source?

• The goal of the LOOP list is to demonstrate the quality of open-source software and the advantages of the open-source development model. There are many high-quality free applications, but they do not have the same advantages of the open-source development model.
  

You keep talking about the advantages of the open-source software development model. What are they?

• The easiest to explain advantage is the concept of shared cost. In the traditional software development model, many different software companies each create their own version of a software application, such as a word processor. When a customer buys the software, they are only contributing to one of these versions. With the open-source model, all resources that are spent on an open-source project will benefit everyone who uses the application. There are many advantages to open-source, which you can learn about by visiting the links below.
  
  
  
  • The Economics of Open-Source Software
    
  • The Myths of Open Source Software
    
  • Advantages of Open-Source Software
    
  • Arguments about Open-Source
    
  
  

Some of these applications only run on Windows, and not Linux. Why do you include these?

• The goal of the LOOP list is to demonstrate the advantages of open-source applications. One of those advantages is the ability to port the application to other operating systems. This means that anyone with the time, skill, and desire can port these applications to Linux or any other operating system. It is also likely that these applications will run in Linux using Wine (http://www.winehq.com/).
  

Why don't you include applications that only run on Linux? These Linux applications are open-source, so they could be ported to Windows, right?

• That is true, but an overwhelming majority of people use Windows operating systems. If these people knew they could keep their applications, they would be more likely to switch to a Linux distribution (such as Ubuntu Linux).
  

I disagree with the applications that were chosen for a particular category. How can I make my case for another application?

• You can debate the pros and cons of each application on the LoopListDebate page.
  

Why did you create a new list? There are other lists out there with similar information.

• This list serves a specific purpose, which is listed at the top of this page. Other lists on the web have good information, but they were not what I was looking for. Here are some projects similar to the LOOP list:
  

Links to similar projects
Note: These links are not part of the LOOP list. They do not follow the guidelines defined for the LOOP list. Links are included only as a reference to efforts similar to the LOOP list.

Windows

Open Source

• The OSSwin project: Open-Source for Windows
  
  
  
  • http://osswin.sourceforge.net/
    
  
  
• Opensource list - Open Source Software in a Windows Environment
  
  
  
  • http://www.opensourcelist.org/oss/suggestedapplications.html
    
  
  
• Software: Open Source & Free for Windows
  
  
  
  • http://www.alessandropagano.net/software_en.html
    
  
  
• The table of equivalents / replacements of Windows software in Linux
  
  
  
  • http://www.linuxrsp.ru/win-lin-soft/table-eng.html
    
  
  
• WinLibre - Free Software for Windows
  
  
  
  • http://www.winlibre.com/en/index.php
    
  
  
• GnuWin32 - Ports of GNU or Open Source tools
  
  
  
  • http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/
    
  
  
• Open Source GIS (Geographical Information Systems) Software
  
  
  
  • http://opensourcegis.org/ and http://freegis.org/
    
  
  
• Open and Free Project Management Tools
  
  
  
  • http://proj.chbs.dk/
    
  
  
• Open and Free Financial Accounting Systems
  
  
  
  • http://proj.chbs.dk/accounting/
    
  
  
• The Top 50 Proprietary Programs that Drive You Crazy — and Their Open Source Alternatives
  
  
  
  • http://whdb.com/blog/2008/the-top-50-proprietary-programs-that-drive-you-crazy-and-their-open-source-alternatives/
    
  
  

Compilations on a CD

• TTCS OSSWIN CD - A collection of nearly 100 Free/Open Source software for Microsoft Windows
  
  
  
  • http://www.ttcsweb.org/osswin-cd/
    
  
  
• The Open CD - A collection of high quality Free and Open Source Software.
  
  
  
  • http://www.theopencd.org/
    
  
  
• Open Source Software CD — A CD that contains high-quality, Free, open source software for Microsoft Windows
  
  
  
  • http://osscd.sunsite.dk/
    
  
  

Gratis

• Open Source Free CD - A compilation of gratis software for Windows. Despite the name, not all is free/open source.
  
  
  
  • http://www.opensourcefreecd.org/
    
  
  
• Software for Starving Students - A CD with all the most commonly used gratis programs
  
  
  
  • http://www.softwarefor.org/
    
  
  

Linux

Open Source Software

• The Linux Alternative Project - Linux alternatives to windows software
  
  
  
  • http://www.linuxalt.com/
    
  
  
• Linux App Finder - High quality site with tons of information about Linux software
  
  
  
  • http://linuxappfinder.com/
    
  
  
• Open Source Alternatives - Find open source software alternatives to well-known commercial software
  
  
  
  • http://www.osalt.com/
    
  
  

Mac OS X

Open Source Software

• A simple list of free, open-source software for Mac OS X
  
  
  
  • http://www.opensourcemac.org/
    
  
  
• A list of Mac OS X Free OpenSource Software:
  
  
  
  • http://www.freesmug.org/
    
  
  
• Open source on Mac
  
  
  
  • http://nothickmanuals.info/doku.php?id=opensourcemac
    
  
  

Compilations on a CD

• FreeSMUG Suite CD - Mac OS X Free OpenSource collection CD
  
  
  
  • http://www.freesmug.org/fscd/
    
  
  
• Software for Starving Students - A CD with all the most commonly used gratis programs
  
  
  
  • http://www.softwarefor.org/
    
  
  

General Directories

Free and Open Source

• The Free Software Directory - The software catalog of the Free Software Foundation
  
  
  
  • http://directory.fsf.org/
    
  
  
• Open Source Software Directory - Provides a list of open source software organized by categories
  
  
  
  • http://www.opensourcesoftwaredirectory.com/