Most Popular Desktop Applications and their Alternatives
Stumble it!Managing your stuff by outfitting your computer with the latest software can be really expensive. You can save your Time and Money by taking advantage of all the great alternatives internet has to offer. I’ve compiled a list Popular Desktop Applications and their Alternatives
1. Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office is a set of desktop applications, servers and services, collectively referred to as an office suite, for the Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems. It offers Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Access, OneNote and a lot more
Alternative
The best alternative for Microsoft Office would be Google Docs. Google Docs includes the same creation applications for creating word documents, spreadsheets and presentations as MS Office. It helps you import your existing documents, spreadsheets annd presentations. You can also create new ones from scratch.
All you need is a browser. The best part about it is that you can invite people to your documents and make changes together at the same time
2. Microsoft Outlook
I may be wrong here but I believe majority of all internet users have switched from Outlook to a better alternative. Outlook Express is an e-mail client that was included with Internet Explorer versions Internet Explorer 4.0 through 6.0. It’s been around for a long time but has its negative side. Criticism include
- E-mail standards
- Database corruption
- Security issues
- Handling of PGP/MIME signed messages
- Extensibility
- spell checker incompatibility
- Glitches and other unusual aspects
Alternative
Google Mail is a wonderful web services by Google. It offers tons of space, instant messaging, built in search technology and its available in many languages. Gmail currently offers over 7200 MB of continuously increasing free storage with additional storage ranging from 10 GB to 400 GB available for $20 to $500 per year.
3. Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop is one of my favorite Image Editors. Adobe Photoshop offers great features for media editing, animation, and authoring. Files in Photoshop’s native format, .PSD, can be exported to and from Adobe ImageReady, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Adobe Encore DVD to make professional standard DVDs and provide non-linear editing and special effects services.
Alternative
You can’t really compare Adobe Photoshop with any online web editors but they always come in handy because you can use them anytime or anywhere you want. I’ve already written a complete post on the best Free Online Image Editors. Anways the best alternatives for Photoshop would be
4. Other desktop tools
You can always manage your calendar, file management, rss feeds, projects, file management, databases, collaboration and messaging tools using Window tools but that is only limited to your PC.
Alternative
Whether you’re running a fast moving business across multiple locations with your associates always on the road or organizing the local softball team Sosius provides the perfect place to bring it all together. It’s a powerful way of managing the digital information in your life without the need for lots of different, complicated services and providers. It allows you to manage your
- Contacts & group manager
- Custom workspace
- Files
- Calendars
- Events
- blogs
- Discussions
- Chat & IM
- RSS feeds
- Web databases
- Project management
- Task automation
- Robust permissioning
5. Adobe Dreamweaver CS3
Adobe Dreamweaver is a web development application which is available for both Mac and Windows operating systems. Dreamweaver supports syntax highlighting for the following languages out of the box:
- ActionScript
- Active Server Pages (ASP)
- ASP.NET
- C#
- Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
- ColdFusion
- EDML
- Extensible HyperText Markup Language (XHTML)
- Extensible Markup Language (XML)
- Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations (XSLT)
- HyperText Markup Language (HTML)
- Java
- JavaScript
- JavaServer Pages (JSP)
- PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP)
- Visual Basic (VB)
- Visual Basic Script Edition (VBScript)
- Wireless Markup Language (WML)
It offers management tools that has the ability to find and replace lines of text or code by whatever parameters specified across the entire site, and a templatisation feature for creating multiple pages with similar structures. The behaviours panel also enables use of basic JavaScript without any coding knowledge.
Alternative
App2you is one of the fastest and cheapest way to create your own cutom web applications that allow you to share data, streamline your process and collaborate with your colleagues, business partners, customers, and friends. With App2you you can make your own application in minutes without any coding or web designing experience whatsoever
6. IM Messengers
For all the popular messengers like MSN Messenger, Google Talk, ICQ, AIM and Yahoo! there is one alternative for it known as Meebo. It allows you login to any of these messengers without downloading the actual software. You can easily access Google talk, msn, Yahoo!, jabber, ICQ and AIM from any computer and enjoy chatting with your friends and family anywhere anytime you like. If you like to log in to all these messengers at a time from your PC I would recommend “Pidgin” for that. I’m personally using it and I have to say it’s the best!
7. Microsoft Visio
Microsoft Visio is diagramming software that uses vector graphics to create UML diagrams. it allow users to connect their diagrams to a number of data sources and display the information graphically. It support file formats like VSD , VSS , VST. VDX, VSX and VTX
Alternative
The best alternative for Visio is Gliffy. It offers basic functionalities to create and share quality flow charts, complex diagrams or technical drawings. You can create all types of diagrams with it e.g
- Flow charts
- Network Diagrams
- Floor plans
- Org charts
- SWOT diagrams
- Wireframe
- UML and more
8. Diskeeper
To clean your hard drives and optimize them for maximum performance all you need is a good degragmenter. You can always buy the best defragmenters like Diskeeper, PerfectDisk or O&O Defrag or you can use the free alternatives
I personally user Auglogics but I’m sure JkDefrag is pretty awesome as well.
9. BitDefender
Bitdefender is a great anti-virus that protects your PC from all the harms. It keeps you away from e-Threats with Backup and PC Tune-up for the Ultimate in Security that won’t slow you down!
Alternative
There isn’t just one alternative for it. I’ve compiled a list of some of the best free online scanners that will get the job done as good as the original anti virus itself.
Windows Live Oncare online scanner
10 . Windows Calculators
Windows Calculator has a simplified interface, small size, and can perform all of the functions of most four-function or scientific calculators. It’s good for regular use but if you compare it with with InstaCalc you will see that it really offers limited functions
Alternative
InstaCalc is an advanced web based calculator that is way better than a regular Calculator. It’s fast, easy to use, allows you to write natural equations and use advanced commands with ease. It’s an astonishing mixture between a simple calculator and a spreadsheet application.
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Additional comments powered by BackType
GIMP is a great alternative to PhotoShop!