The “Break it Down” Blog

Free Software Magazine put together a great reference article of cross platform (OS-agnostic they call them) applications that are good solutions for Windows and Linux and some on Mac as well.

I’ve always found this important so I can normalize my workflow regardless of the platform or machine I’m on. I also dabble back and forth in Linux and Windows, so it drives me nuts to get dependent on a piece of software, like SnagIt or Adobe Captivate2, then move to another platform and not have it anymore and need to either reinstall the OS (Windows in this case) for it or change how I do work.

For quick reference the list is as follows:

• Firefox: web browser. OS support includes GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Windows. Firefox was my first exposure to FOSS and still one of my favorites. Remains popular because it fits the needs for most users.
• Thunderbird: email program. OS support is the same as Firefox.
• OpenOffice: Office suite similar to MS Office. Supported OS’s include MS Windows, GNU/Linux, Sun Solaris, Mac OS X, and FreeBSD.
• Gimpshop: image editor. A hack of the GIMP intended to replicate the Adobe Photoshop interface. Usually an easier transition for anyone with exposure to Photoshop, but you can still use the original GIMP. OS support for Gimpshop includes GNU/Linux, Mac OS X and Windows.
• Sunbird: calendar program from Mozilla. Same OS support as Firefox and Thunderbird.
• LyX: document processor. Windows, GNU/Linux and Mac OS X are the supported OS’s.
• Scribus: desktop publishing. OS support includes Windows, GNU/Linux, Mac OS X.
• Blender : 3D Graphics. Supported OS’s are Windows, GNU/Linux, OSX, Solaris and FreeBSD.
• GAIM : Instant messaging program for GNU/Linux, BSD, Mac OS X, and Windows.
• Azureus: BitTorrent client running on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X.
• Audacity: Audio editor and recorder for Windows, Mac OS X and GNU/Linux.
• Abiword: Word processing. Supported OS’s are Windows, GNU/Linux and Mac OS X.