Whole system with free software

[dunklegend]

I would like to know what free sofware can be used as an alternative for the most usual stuff in a PC.

Sometimes I fix my relatives and/or friends old computers and I have to uninstall software that is causing conflicts or format the disk. Most of the time they don't have all the installation disks, and since these are old machines and people that is not by far power users to buy new software is not always a good option.

what would be a free alternative for:
-Office apps (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access)
-Decompresing application (Winzip, Winrar)
-MP3 player
-DVD Player
-Burning CDs/DVDs
-OS

If I missed some apps needed for a complete system please let me know.

Thanks In Advance!

 

[dunklegend]

I forgot!

something to make an image of the HD would be nice (PowerQuest Drive Image)

 

[the_Prisoner]

You could try Linux. Their are many free or inexpensive options.

How often do they really use Excel, Access and Powerpoint?

Winzip and decrompressing programs are easy to find.

MP3 player. Winamp

DVD/CD-depends, not sure.

OS- Get a Mac? Hehe, I will get crap for that! Maybe a used Mac or <A HREF="http/www.apple.com/macmini/" target="_new">http/www.apple.com/macmini/</A>

Even for windows,their are plenty of freeware/shareware products that will be fine for non-power users. Maybe just teaching them to run Windows better will help.

You might want to ask this same question in the Linux section.

the Prisoner

I'm not a number, I'm a free man!

 

[dunklegend]

I've never tried linux but I'm not opposed to do it. Of the free linux flavors which one would be the best one? I read in the linux forum for a while but seems to me that I would neet to know more about linux to search effectively in that forum.

Access is not used much but excel and powerpoint are, at least to open email attachments, but a free app for access would be cool to have even being the least used part from Office.

For the decompressing apps which one is really free and good. I know it's easy to find cracked versions of winzip and winrar but it's not a good idea to have pirated programs if there is good freeware out there.

MP3 Player: You said winamp, and I also like sonique, but what I don't know is if they can be as complete as Musicmatch Jukebox, what I like about this program is that it searches a database for the song's information (artist, album, cover artwork, and it let's me add lyrics to the song), what I don't like is his big size.

DVD I found Media Player Classic which looks just like an old windows media player, but I haven't time to play with it

I'm going to keep looking for good free programs and then I'll post the findings for the newbies like me.

No wait I'm a stranger! not even a newbie!

 

[RichPLS]

Mandrake is good for beginners and previous Windows users wishing to switch.

<pre><font color=red>°¤o,¸¸¸,o¤°`°¤o \\// o¤°`°¤o,¸¸¸,o¤°
And the sign says "You got to have a membership card to get inside" Huh
So I got me a pen and paper And I made up my own little sign</pre><p></font color=red>

 

[dunklegend]

I went to their website and saw that there are two options the 6 CD download (59USD) and the free 3 CD download (26USD) how can it be free and charge 26 USD. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[RichPLS]

Did not know they started charging. I have the Mandrakelinux-10.1-Official-Download-DVD.i586.iso (2.1gig) about a month ago.

<pre><font color=red>°¤o,¸¸¸,o¤°`°¤o \\// o¤°`°¤o,¸¸¸,o¤°
And the sign says "You got to have a membership card to get inside" Huh
So I got me a pen and paper And I made up my own little sign</pre><p></font color=red>

 

[RichPLS]

<A HREF="http/www.linuxcd.org/view_distro.php?id_distro=19&ref=distrowatch" target="_new"> Mandrake 10.1 DVD ($7.95) </A>

<pre><font color=red>°¤o,¸¸¸,o¤°`°¤o \\// o¤°`°¤o,¸¸¸,o¤°
And the sign says "You got to have a membership card to get inside" Huh
So I got me a pen and paper And I made up my own little sign</pre><p></font color=red>

 

[dunklegend]

I have an Athlon 64 2800+ does mandrake takes advantage of the 64bit capabilities?

 

[RichPLS]

In that case, might look towards Ubunto or Fedora

<pre><font color=red>°¤o,¸¸¸,o¤°`°¤o \\// o¤°`°¤o,¸¸¸,o¤°
And the sign says "You got to have a membership card to get inside" Huh
So I got me a pen and paper And I made up my own little sign</pre><p></font color=red>

 

[RichPLS]

Yes, they have a 64-bit version

<pre><font color=red>°¤o,¸¸¸,o¤°`°¤o \\// o¤°`°¤o,¸¸¸,o¤°
And the sign says "You got to have a membership card to get inside" Huh
So I got me a pen and paper And I made up my own little sign</pre><p></font color=red>

 

[folken]

<A HREF="http/www.linuxiso.org/" target="_new">http/www.linuxiso.org/</A>

<A HREF="http/www.folken.net/myrig.htm" target="_new">My precious...</A>

 

[the_Prisoner]

I'm not a Linux expert, but Linux has the same basic programs.

Linux will recognize Windows Programs.

Winzip is easy to find, I could send you the program.hehe

MP3, you are using Real? I dont care about the cover art, but I know what you are saying. I just care about the music. Also, go to <A HREF="http/www.shoutcast.com/" target="_new">http/www.shoutcast.com/</A> A great website for music and free!

You need Excel and PowerPoint to open email?

I think your friends/family just need to work windows better.
Not a flame, but I understand, I have to help my friends also.

the Prisoner




I'm not a number, I'm a free man!

 

[sobelizard]

Visit <A HREF="http/www.linux.org" target="_new">Linux.org</A> and get all the free iso's. When a company charges for linux, you are paying for their flavor and packaging/support/manual.

<b><i>Powered by <font color=blue>V</font color=blue><font color=purple>E</font color=purple><font color=red>R</font color=red><font color=purple>T</font color=purple><font color=blue>O</font color=blue></b>
Fueled by <b><font color=blue>CL-</font color=blue><font color=red>ONE</font color=red></b>

 

[alltaken]

Open office (office app)
7z (7zip) (archive app)
Winamp (windows only)
theoretically no dvd player that is free is legal

i use font managment software, amp font viewer
Blender (3d graphics)
Gimp (image editing)
1st page 2000 (html editing)
firefox (web)
thunderbird (mail)
freemind (mind mapping)


sourceforge is a nice place to look for stuff

Alltaken


<A HREF="http/www.mudpuddle.co.nz" target="_new">http/www.mudpuddle.co.nz</A> its where its all going on, oh and its also all going on HERE <A HREF="http/doug.mudpuddle.co.nz/gallery/" target="_new">http/doug.mudpuddle.co.nz/gallery/</A>

 

[dunklegend]

Thanks those are good apps and for the price even better!

 

[mrmonsoon]

Yes you can, just use "open sourse programs. To find what you need try goofling things like "free alternative to microsoft office", "free alternative to photoshop".....

I found a site-sorry, forget the url, that had all the alternatives OS, Office, Anti-virus, firewall, media player....

 

[mrface]

u said goofle...

I <font color=red>KILL</font color=red> butterflies.
<A HREF="http/www.cameronwilliamson.com" target="_new">-={Psychotic Sociopath.}=-</A>

 

[RichPLS]

Something must have been down his throat! LOL!

<pre><font color=red>°¤o,¸¸¸,o¤°`°¤o \\// o¤°`°¤o,¸¸¸,o¤°
And the sign says "You got to have a membership card to get inside" Huh
So I got me a pen and paper And I made up my own little sign</pre><p></font color=red>