02-24-2008, 12:17 PM
Quote:Not every proprietary program can drive a person crazy, right? Some, like Norton Ghost, are superb tools for anyone to use. But, the fact that these tools are proprietary can drive open source fanatics up a wall. Its not the price of the software that makes the real difference (although its a reason to migrate from one software to another for many people); its the idea that proprietary software comes with boundaries that keeps the user experience confined to well, being the user. Thats enough to drive any developer crazy.
The following fifty proprietary programs are listed in no particular order within broad categories along with their open source alternatives. In some cases you could probably write your own book on frustrations with the proprietary programs shown here. In other cases, youll discover that the open source alternative isnt quite up to snuff yet. And, in other cases still, youll learn that some proprietary programs are real gems, but that the open source advocate can replace those gems with equally shiny objects from the open source repertoire...
full article: http://whdb.com/2008/the-top-50-propriet...ernatives/