I like Linux.But exist very special software which does not run in Linux.For example Autocad..run with wine -solution,but autocad work non-stable)).
About firefox…I don’t use firefox becouse he works slow….I even compile from source.
Sometimes i get pleasure when i compile packages)) I am not normal?))

I posted a list of my favourite programs on my site quite a while back (though most are for Windows, and not Linux), it’s a mixture of both freeware and Open Source, and in most cases the programs are actually better than their wallet killing counterparts.

Check it out: http://www.oldschoolgamer.co.uk/?p=83

it’s really lame to see some many think pirating is the way

am sure they’ll get their ships sunk someday

also all the new FOSS releases really excite me like kdenlive, openshot, the new ubuntu, 1 window gimp, kde4, etc

really on par of any pirateable (err…commercial) soft, no cracks or trojans included ^^

oh, also- skype is NOT open-source. just because something has a linux native binary, that doesn’t make it open-source. skype is notoriously closed-source; i always recommend people go with ekiga instead of skype. i notice someone already corrected you on it, but i figured i’d mention ekiga (ekiga.net) as the alternative.

to be honest, skype does some pretty rancorous things without your knowledge. (for instance, previous versions have used any computer with a uPnP hole punched into the router and skype running as a relay point for connections, effectively turning your internet access into free bandwidth for them).

in addition, they’ve been all-too-eager to release information to any governmental authority that asks for it, asn being that their encyption is proprietary, there are no lightning-fast fixes for when a vulnerability is found. usually when a security issue is found in open-source code (provide it’s one of the bigger projects), there’s a patch within 24 hours or so that fixes it.

peer review ftw.

actually, as of pidgin 2.6.1, voice and video for the XMPP protocol (gtalk, etc.) are supported.

dkruythoff-

whoo! i’m a gentoo user i started on debian, then tried ubuntu (this was back on.. hoary?), then gentoo… and fell in love with gentoo. it gave me the flexibility i wanted. i’ve tried tons of distros since, but i always use gentoo for personal installs (and yes, that includes my production machines as well).

In general, there are more freeware (as in free beer) and open source applications exclusive to Windows than exclusive to Linux.

Regarding open-source software that’s so much hyped as advantageous to the user, it should be pointed out that open-source and free (as in free speech) has never been about application cost, but freedom to access, use, modify and redistribute the application provided. This was the idea of Richard Stallman, the father of the open-source.

There are great open-source software available, that are not free of cost, if you plan to use them commercially. Examples:
db4o – http://www.db4o.com/
Qt – http://qt.nokia.com/product

As such, freedom in terms of lack of cost is secondary and completely non-mandatory to open-source software. Funny thing is, people that make the cost argument are not those financially challenged from undeveloped countries, but people who generally could spend many times the licensing costs for a certain product on a Friday night.

All in all, regarding the misunderstood open-source concept and the lack-of-costs “extraordinary” advantage, I’ve seen a lot of fanboy-ism (and fangirl-ism) attitudes, but very few accurate, knowledgeable and fair assessments. Such people have little notion that supporting the developing team generally improves the quality and longevity of a software product.

I myself have an open-source project for .NET that also happens to be free of costs, but the freedom of costs is simply a side effect, not the nature of open-source.

All the very best,
fireblade80

Unfortunately Skype is not an open source application.