Replacements for OS X's flagship apps when switching to Ubuntu

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I use mac at work and at home, and as my work as web developer has me working with free software more and more, I want to replace my dependencies on proprietary apps with open source ones.

If you're using Ubuntu (it seems to me like the most mac-like of the distros available), what are the best replacements to the usual OS X flagship apps?

In particular, I'm referring to:

  • Textmate

  • Quicksilver

  • iPhoto

  • iTunes

  • iMovie

  • Transmit

  • Sequel Pro

  • Growl

  • Colloquy

Chris Adams

Posted 2009-07-16T20:23:20.800

Reputation: 211

Is Colloquy just an IRC client? Or more? – Sasha Chedygov – 2009-07-16T20:42:18.150

Colloquy is a really, really nicely designed irc client - nothing much more than that, just very well executed. – Chris Adams – 2009-07-16T21:27:02.067

If your main goal is to replace your apps with open source versions (as you write), you can switch to open source apps and still use a Mac. In particular of those you list Growl, Colloquy and Quicksilver actually are open source apps. Now if it's important for you that the OS is open source, that's a different issue. – Fabian Steeg – 2009-07-16T22:13:05.077

1@Fabian: I think by open source he means free (as in beer). The way I understand it, he just wants free replacements for his Mac software. @Chris: I don't know if you'll find anything as "nicely designed" for Linux. For the most part, Mac apps look much better than Linux apps. :) (Linux people, don't shoot me.) – Sasha Chedygov – 2009-07-17T06:15:01.937

Answers

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Sasha Chedygov

Posted 2009-07-16T20:23:20.800

Reputation: 6 616

Vim is infinitely more like TextMate with some additional configuration. Start here: http://weblog.jamisbuck.org/2008/11/17/vim-follow-up

– jtimberman – 2009-07-17T05:13:46.797

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Here's a solid list of some of the application to replace a Mac's. The ones marked as default come pre-installed with Ubuntu.

TJ L

Posted 2009-07-16T20:23:20.800

Reputation: 1 869

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Use emma for mysql administration. mysql workbench crashes all the time. You just need to manually set up a ssh tunnel to connect to remote mysql servers. Use gSTM for that.

I absolutely love sequel pro for osx and I think emma is the best ubuntu has to offer for basic mysql administration

use filezilla for ftp/sftp/etc.

gedit is a great and can be used in place of textmate. That is - if you use textmate how I do. I just use it as a quick file viewer. I program with phpstorm or rubymine.

Jonathan Mayhak

Posted 2009-07-16T20:23:20.800

Reputation: 121

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For iTunes I would suggest Banshee as another option.

8128

Posted 2009-07-16T20:23:20.800

Reputation: 316

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Actaully because of the nature of open source applications ("I can build one of those!"), giving you a one for one replacement for your OSX apps is difficult. As you can see from the other answers for this questions there are at least a couple different applications for each type of app you're looking for.

Since there are so many different variations of text editors, music players, movie makers, desktop enviroments, the easiest thing to do would be to find a set of applications that you personally like and enjoy using. If you find that you're a Gnome desktop user, we a thing for some KDE applications and the occasional fling with Vim, no one is going to stop you.

Since you spoke of Ubuntu, I would suggest that you just go through their application library and start downloading applications that sound fun, exciting or might be usefull for you. Installing and uninstalling applications is trivial with Linux. Play with the thousands of applications out there and have fun.

Good luck and hope this helps some.

Chris

Posted 2009-07-16T20:23:20.800

Reputation: 1 688

Asked: 2009-07-16T20:23:20.800

Viewed: 1 891 times

Active: 2011-04-26T19:54:49.413