Some of the most popular software used in the workplace and school today is very expensive, and not everyone can afford it. That’s why there are so many open source alternatives available which are made freely available to people who want to use them. The best part of this is that often the open source alternatives work just as well with the original they’re made to emulate. This is our top five list of programs which replace proprietary programs on Windows computers.
- Open Office – Open Office is an all in one suite which offers the ability to edit Word, Excel, Power Point, and even Access documents. In addition, it allows you to save files in these formats, so people who don’t have their own copy of Open Office can open your documents in the original Microsoft Office.
- Miro – Miro is an open source video and music player which also offers the ability to play and schedule podcasts, as well as download bit torrent files. Miro can replace several different programs on your computer with this functionality.
- Pidgin – For those who need an program which combines all of their IM programs into one, Pidgin is the best open source alternative programs to date, as it supports all the major protocols with several different addons you can install for additional features.
- Cabos – For downloading from peer to peer networks, nothing beats Cabos. Cabos is a Limewire alternative which runs on all three major operating systems. It’s very light weight, since its based on java.
- Blender – For 3D editing and animation, there’s nothing better than Blender. While Maya is a great program, Blender offers the same features and the same controls, all for free. Some of the best animations and character designs have been made in Blender.
