Moving to Using Open Source: Introduction

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I decided to make this post is to let the world know about open source applications are not bad and are usable for everyone.  There are many tools out on the Internet whether you use Windows, Linux or Mac of free and open source applications.  There are Office Suite, Graphic and Photo viewers and editors, different type of media players and editors too.

  My Desktop with 2 Dropbox  So why move to using open source applications?  First they are free to use, you can install them on as many desktops you like.  Second, they may be cross platform, meaning if you use Windows, Mac or Linux you have the same application to use on the different desktops.  Last, many people will disagree, so I will say lets agree to disagree, in that open source application can be more safe and secure to use than freeware or shareware.
  AllMyApps.com My applications installed  
So how do you move to using open source applications on Windows?  You can google the application you want and then install the application directly.  You can use a software application installer and uninstaller.   An application that install or uninstalls programs, usually will notify of updates of your installed applications.  For my Windows 7 I chose to use AllMyApps.com to install and uninstall my applications.  My choice of application I centered around my main OS Xubuntu Linux.  Many of these application you may or may not heard of, many do run on both my Windows 7 and my Xubuntu 14.04.

  Win 7 Start   PortableApps.com Launcher Menu  Another option is to use Portableapps.com, they focus on not only being portable on a thumb drive to take applications with you, but also offer software installer and updater each time the program starts.  Portableapps.com comes with its own menu launcher with categories of programs to install.  Wait, Portableapps.com doen’t just inatall on a USB device, also desktop folders, this means you can use Portableapps.com with your Dropbox too.  So each Windows computer with Dropbox has a Portableapps.com application menu too.


  rollApp.com starting OpenOffice Writer  
The last option is not to install anything but to use the web.  I found a site called rollapp.com, it use open source applications that comes to you by your favorite web browser.  By using the web there is no installation, no space used on your computer, full application used, and it is free.  Naming a few applications like LibreOffice, Blender, Gimp, Lyx, and more.  One down side is no storage from rollapp.com but don’t sweat it yet.  Your free account to your Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, OneDrive and Yandex Disk accounts that are free too, can connect to your rollapp.com account to store your files.


  rollApp.com saving to my Box.net account  
Moving to Open Source applications to some may be whatever, but to me it is hard work by many people who put their free time into.  The application get the work done you are looking to complete whether it an office suite, photos or graphics, or a media player or editor, you can get it done with open source applications.