Linux is just not the identical as Windows. The working system is operated and configured in a different way than Windows and Windows packages can’t be began straight. With the assistance of virtualization or Wine, nevertheless, you may as well use Windows packages below Linux.
This signifies that it’s a must to change not solely the working system, but additionally at the very least a few of the software program. This is straightforward if you’re already utilizing primarily open supply software program below Windows. Important packages corresponding to Libre Office, Firefox, Thunderbird, and VLC can be found for Linux and Windows, and the operation is essentially equivalent.
There are alternate options for different functions. However, a few of the features and operation differ significantly from the packages you could have in all probability used below Windows to this point. You ought to subsequently anticipate a certain quantity of familiarization time.
See additionally: How to use Windows software in Linux
Installing software program below Linux
Under Windows 10 or 11, you utilize the Microsoft Store to put in new software program and in addition for updates. What is just not provided right here is setup utilizing a setup software that you just obtain from the producer’s web site or different sources. There is not any standardized software program administration and subsequently no replace perform for all packages.
Linux programs acquire software program from the repositories of the respective distribution. There is a central package deal database, updates cowl the system and each put in program. This ensures a excessive degree of safety as a result of this system packages are checked and signed.
However, Linux distributions with long-term help (LTS), corresponding to Ubuntu 22.04 or Linux Mint 21.2, have an obstacle: Hardly any new software program is offered in the course of the help interval of 5 years. Security-critical software program corresponding to Firefox and Thunderbird are up to date frequently, however a program corresponding to Libre Office stays on the principle model. This ensures the steadiness of the system.
Keep software program updated: Linux routinely informs you about accessible updates. Installation is centralized for the system and all put in functions.
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Newer packages for Linux: To make sure that customers of LTS distributions nonetheless obtain newer software program, Ubuntu and Linux Mint depend on container codecs along with commonplace package deal administration — albeit in two completely different codecs (Snap and Flatpak). The container set up units up this system and all needed system information in a separate space in order that the remainder of the system is just not affected by newer information. The course of requires extra space on the arduous drive than standard package deal installations.
For the consumer, the precise format of the packages doesn’t initially matter. This is as a result of package deal administration remains to be centralised — in Ubuntu through the “Ubuntu Software” software and in Linux Mint through “Application Management.” You can seek for packages or be impressed by the suggestions.
When putting in new packages, nevertheless, you need to take note of the model, as there are sometimes a number of accessible. In Ubuntu Software, you possibly can then select between “Snap Store” and “ubunt-jammyuniverse (deb)” (or comparable) behind “Source.”
The packages from the Snap Store are usually extra up-to-date, and there are additionally pre-release variations with the addition “preview/edge.” It is comparable with Linux Mint. You usually have the selection between the normally older “system package” and “Flatpak (Flathub)” and “Flatpak (Flathub Beta).”
Classic system packages and snap/flatpak containers might be put in in parallel. Newer variations might be examined with none issues as a result of they may also be eliminated with out leaving any residue.
Office packages for Linux
Libre Office: The suite gives in depth features for all areas of use. You can activate a ribbon as a substitute of the menu, which makes it much like Microsoft Office.
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Microsoft Office has the benefit of being essentially the most broadly used and is subsequently the worldwide commonplace for phrase processing and spreadsheets. However, anybody who often creates just a few letters for themselves privately or writes a technical or tutorial paper can simply as simply use Libre Office, which is already pre-installed on Ubuntu and Linux Mint.
For customers who steadily trade paperwork with different folks or are depending on a Microsoft infrastructure, nevertheless, Linux is just really helpful to a restricted extent. Although Libre Office can import Microsoft codecs, the formatting is just not all the time transferred accurately for complicated paperwork. Macros in paperwork or tables don’t work when importing as a result of the 2 workplace packages use completely different dialects of the Basic programming language.
Most difficulties are to be anticipated with spreadsheets. Although Libre Office Calc makes use of the identical or comparable features as Excel, it doesn’t have the identical vary of features general. Libre Office shows a basic menu bar by default. Users switching from Microsoft Office could choose a ribbon, which might be activated through View > User interface by choosing “In tabs.” After clicking on “For all,” the setting applies to all sub-programs of the workplace suite.
Alternatives to Libre Office: If Libre Office is just not sufficient, you may as well use the free on-line workplace suite from Microsoft (see field “Microsoft Office online”). Another various is Softmaker Office with the phrase processor Textmaker, the presentation program Presentations and the spreadsheet program Planmaker.
Softmaker FreeOffice is free and the vary of features corresponds roughly to that of a barely older model of Softmaker Office Standard. One of the strengths of the suite’s Textmaker are the import and export filters for Word information. When you first begin the Softmaker packages, you could have the choice of activating the acquainted Microsoft Office ribbon. If you favor an easier look, you may as well choose basic menus.
The full model of Softmaker Office NX Home is offered as a subscription from $29.90 per yr. For a one-off cost of $129.95, you will get Softmaker Office Professional 2024, which incorporates the Duden proofreader for spelling and grammar checking.
Anyone within the modern integration of AI can go for Softmaker Office NX Universal (subscription from $49.90 per yr). Deepl can be utilized to translate paperwork and Chat-GPT is used to generate texts.
Image modifying and graphics
Image modifying: Gimp may also be used to edit photographs, however this system’s strengths lie in complicated graphics with a number of layers and masks.
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Simple picture viewers are already pre-installed. On Ubuntu with Gnome desktop that is the Gnome picture viewer, on Linux Mint it’s Xviewer. Both packages can present slideshows and rotate photographs. If you want easy modifying features, you need to use Shotwell on Ubuntu and Pix on Linux Mint. The vary of features is comparable. You can take away crimson eyes, regulate coloration and brightness, or crop photographs.
Digikam gives photograph administration and may kind and categorize photographs in response to albums, tags, or key phrases. Numerous instruments can be found for photograph modifying, corresponding to tone correction, red-eye removing, or including frames. Digikam may also be used to view RAW information and minor corrections corresponding to white steadiness might be made on the sunshine desk. However, it isn’t the builders’ intention to compete with Raw Therapee or Darktable on this space. Professionals are higher served by such specialists. These packages may also be put in through the package deal administration.
Gimp is primarily geared toward customers who use Photoshop below Windows. The program gives portray instruments, layers, masks, computerized enhancement, and quite a lot of filters. You can use it to retouch photographs, crop, or distort photographs. As with Photoshop, a lot of the features usually are not instantly accessible. Certain results are solely potential with an acceptable mixture of masks and layers. However, as Gimp is widespread and broadly used, one can find enough help on the web. To get began, the detailed documentation at www.gimp.org/docs is enough.
Krita is an alternative choice to Gimp and is taken into account simpler to make use of. The software program was initially designed as a portray program and can be utilized effectively for this goal with a drawing pill.
However, there may be additionally a variety of computerized correction and optimization instruments for photographs, corresponding to sharpening or noise discount. Krita additionally gives a variety of results for (artistically) distorting photographs. Scaling, rotation, and cropping are fast and simple with the instructions from the “Image” menu.
Inkscape is similar to Adobe Illustrator. The vector graphics program is appropriate for creative and technical illustrations, corresponding to comics, clipart, logos, flyers, brochures, and diagrams. The vector graphics allow sharp and loss-free scaling of the weather for the display and print, whatever the decision. The file format utilized by Inkscape is SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics).
Software for audio and video
VLC Media Player: The program appears to be like nearly like Windows and works identically. The participant performs all frequent media codecs reliably.
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Linux has nothing to cover relating to multimedia options. The pre-installed packages play most codecs with none issues or request the set up of further codecs if required.
VLC is a media participant steadily used below Windows and can also be accessible for Linux. The program accommodates all frequent codecs and subsequently performs virtually each format. To play copy-protected DVDs, VLC and all different media gamers require an extra program library.
To set up this library, open a terminal with:
sudo apt set up libdvd-pkgComplete the set up with this command:
sudo dpkg-reconfigure libdvd-pkgSmplayer is a VLC various that works a bit of quicker in some circumstances and may customise the interface utilizing the themes supplied. Smplayer additionally has all of the essential audio and video codecs on board.
Openshot can be utilized to edit movies, add results, and save them in a number of codecs. The program gives an interface that’s straightforward to know, even for novices.
Adopt configuration from Windows
Adopt configuration: The construction within the configuration folder of Libre Office below Windows and Linux is equivalent. You can subsequently merely copy the information to the Linux system.
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For packages with complicated configurations corresponding to Libre Office, copying the information from Windows can save time. This is especially essential for customers who haven’t solely made just a few interface customizations, but additionally use autotext modules, their very own dictionaries or macros. For a direct switch, this system variations should match.
Step 1: Under Windows, shut Libre Office and kind %appdata% within the handle bar of the Windows Explorer and ensure with Enter. Then change to the subfolder “LibreOffice4” and pack the folder “user” right into a ZIP file. Copy the file to your Linux house listing.
Step 2: If you haven’t but used the workplace package deal below Linux, begin Libre Office and shut this system once more. In the file supervisor, go to your private home listing, unzip the ZIP file and replica the “user” folder with Ctrl-C.
Step 3: Then present the hidden information within the file supervisor with Ctrl-H and alter to the folder “.config/libreoffice/4”. Rename the listing “user” and paste the folder copied from Windows with Ctrl-V. If you now begin Libre Office, you’ll obtain the configuration from Windows.
Firefox: For the information migration to work, the Linux program model have to be equivalent to or newer than the Windows model. You can discover out the model quantity by clicking on the hamburger menu below Help > About Firefox. Under Windows in Firefox, click on on the hamburger menu (three dashes) and choose Help > More troubleshooting data. Under “General information,” click on on “Open folder” after “Profile folder.” Exit Firefox. Pack the displayed folder right into a ZIP file, which you then copy to your Linux house listing and unpack.
Start Firefox below Linux and decide the profile folder as described for Windows. Exit Firefox. Copy all information from the profile folder of the Windows backup to the Linux profile folder and overwrite all current information.
Thunderbird: Here too, the 2 program variations have to be equivalent or the Linux model have to be newer. Determine the profile folder as described for Firefox, shut Thunderbird, and pack the folder right into a ZIP file. Unzip this below Linux and decide the Thunderbird profile folder. Then shut Thunderbird and replica the information from the Windows profile into it.
Using Microsoft Office on-line
Microsoft gives Word, Excel, and PowerPoint freed from cost to be used within the internet browser. To be capable of use these packages, all you want to do is register with a Microsoft account at www.office.com, which additionally works below Linux.
However, Office for the online doesn’t provide the identical vary of features as an put in Microsoft 365, and a listing of the variations might be discovered here. Nevertheless, the web workplace might be helpful if you wish to edit Microsoft Office information or trade them with different folks whereas travelling. Files are saved within the cloud on OneDrive. If you need to work on a doc offline, obtain the file. Office for the online may also import and export information in Libre Office codecs.
This article was translated from German to English and initially appeared on pcwelt.de.