Top Ten Applications Every Linux User Should Have

Linux, the popular open source operating system, is constantly under development by the Linux community. It also has an entirely different source code from Windows and Mac Operating Systems. For this reason, some software applications are not compatible with Linux, because they have a different user interface and offer different functionalities. There are, however, some very powerful applications available to Linux users. Here are the top ten.

1. OpenOffice
This is the Office suite that every Linux user should have. It is a free open source application that saves documents that are fully compatible with the more popular Microsoft Office brand. It also offers some of the same MS Office functions, including:

*Calc
This is OpenOffice's spreadsheet, which is very similar to Microsoft Excel. Calc comes with Data Pilot, which is capable of pulling raw data from databases. Calc also offers interactive wizards that guide you through a variety of processes such as creating charts and graphs.

*Math
An equation editor that is able to edit equations from text documents.

*Draw
OpenOffice's graphics generator. With Draw, you will be able to manipulate objects in 2D or 3D and create photo-realistic images.

*Base
OpenOffice's database program. Base has some of the same characteristics of Microsoft Access.

*Writer
The word processor that comes packaged with OpenOffice. It is almost identical to Microsoft Word and offers just as many features �- possibly even more raw.

*Impress
This is OpenOffice's equivalent to Microsoft PowerPoint.

2. MPlayer
This application is a multimedia player for Linux. MPlayer has more codecs than any other media player of its kind and this offers more playback for different media formats.

3. JuK Music Player
You will also need the music player, JuK. JuK serves as an audio jukebox and is capable of sorting songs by the user's preferences. It is very easy to use.

4. Mozilla FireFox
A web browser is an absolute must for every Linux user. I strongly recommend Mozilla FireFox because it is far faster and more secure than Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

5. Thunderbird
In addition to FireFox, you will need an email client. Mozilla offers a sister program to FireFox known as Thunderbird. Thunderbird can be easily configured because of its use of extensions. It also has a beautiful user interface.

6. Gaim
This is a very competent instant messaging application that will accommodate your entire instant messaging needs. Gaim supports the most protocols, which greatly increases its cross-networkability.

7. Azureus
Despite the controversy on legality, everyone needs a high-quality file-sharing program. Azureus is the best file-sharing program for Linux because it is faster than LimeWire or Morpheus and can also be used as a networking application.

8. Bastille-Linux
Given the security risks involved with file-sharing, it is strongly recommended that you download a competent security application. Bastille-Linux is the most compatible anti-virus for Linux as it is fully compatible with the Red Hat, Fedora, SUSE, Gentoo, Debian, and Mandriva distributions.

9. Armagetron Advanced
All work and no play is just boring. A few quick games should help with that. One almost addictive game for Linux is Armagetron Advanced. Armegetron is basically a 3D version of the popular Tron game. Caution: You can end up playing this game for hours and it can turn out to more addicting than Hearts, Pinball, or Solitaire.

10. SuperKaramba.
Another great program to install on your Linux system is SuperKaramba. SuperKaramba is capable of running widgets on your desktop such as a clock, the weather, and a music player.