One common objection people cite when discussing a switch from Windows to GNU/Linux (or FreeBSD, OpenBSD, etc.) is the fact that none of their programs work there. They’ve been led to believe that the programs they’re using are the only ones they can use, usually because of a work or school requirement. Sometimes, they just don’t want to have to learn to use new software. The fact is, most of the free software available for Linux also runs on Windows. Another point is the fact that most of the productivity / office software available for free can import and export files usable by Microsoft Office, or offer even higher degrees of compatibility.
To ease the transition from Windows to Linux, users can start implementing the open-source alternatives to commercial software while staying within the Windows operating system. As they master each piece of software, they can adopt the next one, until they’ve completely weaned themselves from the commercial variants.
I recommend starting with the web browser. Many people have already given up Internet Explorer in favor of Firefox, Chrome, or Opera anyway because of security concerns. These programs look and act essentially the same (with some minor cosmetic differences) between platforms. Follow that up with a new email program. Opera 10 is not only a fast browser, but makes a nifty email client as well. Thunderbird is another option.
Once prospective Linux users are comfortable with the free email and web clients, they could adopt an open source instant messanger client, like Pidgin. Pidgin is a cross-platform, multi-protocol client, supporting users on AIM, Yahoo!, Google Talk, Windows Live, and more, all within one interface.
The next step might be entertainment software, like music and video players, editors, etc. There are complete suites available for free that replace Windows Media Player and Windows Media Center. In fact, they are often better because they support outputting media files in many more formats than their Windows counterparts.
Naturally, most people will need productivity software. OpenOffice is the leading Microsoft-compatible suite of business software, including a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, and database programs (among others). Other, lighter-weight options are also available, for users who only need a word processor and a spreadsheet.
Once a user has covered all his or her software needs with free, open source offerings, but still lacks confidence that things will work the same for them on Linux, there are few more options to ensure a safe transition. One would be to run from a ‘Live’ distribution, or a dual-boot installation, where users have the option of booting into Windows or Linux. Their Windows system, programs, and files remain available to them should the need arise. Better yet (in my opinion), if their hardware supports it, is to run Linux inside of a Virtual Machine. That way, even with Windows currently running, one could launch Linux, and experiment with all their programs and options inside the VM. I’ve read good things about VirtualBox, and plan to experiment with using that to run FreeBSD and Linux in virtual machines hosted on a Windows box. Look for a future posting on my experiences.
If you want more details on my recommended approach to switching from Windows to Linux, check out my latest article on Suite 101: Adopting Open Source Before Switching to Linux.
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