Windows converts will find that many of their favourite applications are already available on Linux; Skype, Firefox, Google Chrome, VLC, etc but there are many Windows staples that don’t have Linux ports. The applications listed below make perfect drop-in replacements.
Windows Movie Maker ~ OpenShot
Switch to OpenShot if you love creating short good looking videos as it comes with well over 60 different effects and transitions, has an easy title creator, a sane export wizard to save your movies when done & best of all it is very, very easy to use.
I don’t call it the ‘iMovie of Linux’ for no reason!
Windows Snipping Tool ~ Shutter
Instead of pasting your screengrab into Paint to add effects you can edit it directly in Shutter – tons of cool effects can be applied and you can also add arrows, text, freehand drawing, shapes, callouts, icons & even inserting other screengrabs or images!
Microsoft Paint ~ GNOME Paint
Download links are below. Download, save and double-click to install.
CCleaner ~ Ubuntu Tweak
In a recent poll on ‘the best System Cleaner for Ubuntu’ the titular app came out on top with an impressive 52% of votes. It’s easy to see why as it provides an extensive range of cleaning and package management options, allowing you to easily flush out the following:
- Downloaded packages no longer needed (installed packages)
- Sweep up the update cache (E.G. .debs of all the updates recently installed)
- Old configuration files for applications since removed
- PPA Purge (Remove all packages installed from specific PPAs)
- Old kernels
It works flawlessly too- click, clean, done!
Bleachbit is perhaps the most comparable alternative to CCleaner but the amount of options provided is perhaps too extensive for casual users to feel comfortable with.
Windows Live Writer ~ Blogilo
I’ll get the caveat out of the way first: Blogilo is neither as easy to use as Windows Live Writer or as capable. That said it’s easily the best desktop-bound blog editing solution. It supports Blogger, MetaWebLog, MoveableType & WordPress with the latter receiving the most attention feature wise.
You can edit in HTML or WYSIWYG, you can add pictures, links, preview your posts in your blogs’ style, schedule posts, fetch recent blog entries, it boasts a spell checker, tag support and much more.
It’s worth a try if you’ve looking for an actively developed blog editor.