Collection:Windows
The lead and the Windows section is fork of https://www.gnu.org/software/for-windows.html that I had to ask the GNU Webmasters to update all the time (which led to limited improvement). See the Log section for changes. I didn't start this page to propose changes to the Windows pages on gnu.org I rather want us to continue the work on the Free Software Directory. -- David Hedlund
Microsoft's software is malware, we urge all Windows users to switch to a free GNU/Linux distribution as soon as possible.
Here is a list of popular free software applications that run on Microsoft Windows — along with the proprietary applications they replace. If you are still a Windows user, you can take a first step towards free software by installing these applications.
When we say these application programs are free software, we're talking about freedom, not price. It means that you are free to use these programs constructively, either alone or in a community, while respecting the freedom of others. The source code is available, so that you can study the software, adapt it to your needs, fix bugs, and release versions with new features. You can also convince or pay others to do these things for you. You are also free to give away and free to sell copies, under the terms of the applicable free software license. These programs are free software because you have freedom in using them. Free software develops under the control of its users.
Microsoft Windows is a clear and instructive example of nonfree software. Its source code is a secret, so programmers cannot learn from it, fix it, adapt it to their clients (your) needs, or even verify what it really does. If you share copies with your neighbors, you will be called a “pirate”, and users have been threatened with imprisonment for this. Nonfree software is completely controlled by its developer, who also has power over the users. We started the free software movement because this power is unjust.
Using free software on Microsoft Windows (or any nonfree operating system) is the first step towards freedom, but it does not get you all the way there. You're still under Microsoft's power as long as you use Windows.
So the next step is to replace Windows with a free operating system such as GNU/Linux.
However, on this page we're concerned with the first step.
You may want to check the Runs-on/Windows category for more software.
| Type | Free program[1] | Replacement for |
|---|---|---|
| 3D computer graphics software | Blender | Autodesk Maya ("Maya"), Autodesk 3ds Max |
| Anonymous P2P | GNUnet | DC++ |
| BitTorrent client | Tribler, qBittorrent | BitTorrent |
| Compiler | Mingw-w64 | Microsoft Visual C++ |
| Desktop publishing | Scribus | Adobe InDesign, QuarkXPress |
| Diagramming software | Dia | Microsoft Visio |
| Document viewer | Evince | Adobe Reader, Microsoft Reader, Nitro PDF Reader |
| Email client, news client, feed reader | Claws Mail, Mozilla Thunderbird | Microsoft Outlook, Windows Mail (included) |
| Instant messaging client, softphone, and videotelephone (all-in-one) |
GNU Ring, Linphone | Skype, Signal |
| Instant messaging client | Pidgin, Telegram | ICQ, Trillian, Yahoo! Messenger |
| Live USB | Etcher | UNetbootin, Windows To Go (included) |
| Media player | VLC media player (VLC) | PowerDVD, Windows Media Player, Apple QuickTime, RealPlayer Basic |
| Office suite | LibreOffice (OpenOffice.org fork) | Microsoft Office |
| Online storage | ownCloud (client only) | Apple iCloud, Dropbox |
| Raster graphics editor | GIMP | PaintShop Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Paint (included) |
| Text editor | Gedit, Vim | |
| Vector graphics editor | Inkscape, Xfig | CorelDraw, Adobe Illustrator, Xara Photo & Graphic Designer |
| Web browser[2][3] | Midori | Chromium, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer (included) |
- This is a selection of the more common free software applications available for the Microsoft Windows platform, and is nothing like a comprehensive list.
- Why not recommend Firefox? As explained in our Free Software Definition, all four freedoms must be available on both a commercial and non-commercial basis. Mozilla's trademark policy serves to limit Freedom 2 to gratis distribution only, making the software nonfree.
- GNU IceCat (Mozilla Firefox ESR fork) dropped Windows support after version 38.8.0.
Log
- Synced https://www.gnu.org/software/for-windows.html
- Added Telegram
- Added Mingw-w64 for most GNU/Linux. Could not find mingw at https://www.parabola.nu/packages/?sort=&q=mingw&maintainer=&flagged=, https://packages.debian.org/search?keywords=mingw&searchon=names&suite=stable§ion=all, https://packages.ubuntu.com/search?keywords=mingw&searchon=names&suite=xenial§ion=all
- Added Apple Mail
- Added Midori
- Added Xfig
- Added Mozilla Thunderbird -- GNU IceCat is a fork of Mozilla Firefox ESR, some add-ons run on both Firefox (and IceCat) and Thunderbird
- Moved Signal from "Free program" to "Replacement for". Added Skype to "Replacement for". Added GNU Ring and "inphone to "Free program".
- Moved UNetbootin from "Free program" to "Replacement for" (endorses nonfree GNU/Linux distros). Didn"t add FUSBi (abandonware) to "Free program"
- Removed Adobe FreeHand (Adobe Illustrator is already in the list) -- Since 2003 FreeHand development has been discontinued; in the Adobe Systems catalog, FreeHand has been replaced with Adobe Illustrator.
- Removed PageMaker, discontinued
- Removed AIM, discontinued (December 15, 2017)
- Removed Google Drive, a service not a software
- Removed Iridium -- https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/libreplanet-discuss/2017-01/msg00009.html, https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/libreplanet-discuss/2017-01/msg00056.html
- Removed Qupzilla -- https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/directory-discuss/2017-12/msg00011.html, https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/directory-discuss/2017-11/msg00005.html, and https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/directory-discuss/2017-11/msg00015.html
- Replaced Rufus (Windows only) with Etcher
- Replaced MSN (Windows Live Messenger, discontinued) with Facebook Messenger
- Replaced Napster with DC++
- Replaced Outlook Express (discontinued) with Microsoft Mail
- Replaced Windows USB/DVD Download Tool, WinToFlash, Windows USB Installer Maker with Windows To Go
- Cosmetic
- Made the categories more unique
- Replaced 3DSMax (formerly 3D Studio and 3D Studio Max) with Autodesk 3ds Max
- Replaced Blender3D with Blender (see menu bar Blender -> About).
- Replaced ICQ chat clients with ICQ
- Replaced InDesign with Adobe InDesign
- Replaced Maya with Autodesk Maya ("Maya")
- Replaced Paint Shop Pro with PaintShop Pro.
- Replaced Reader (Windows 8) with Microsoft Reader
- Replaced VideoLan Client with "VLC media player" (see menu bar VLC -> About).
- Replaced Xara Xtreme with Xara Photo & Graphic Designer -- The Windows version was previously sold under the names Xara Studio, Xara X and Xara Xtreme
- Replaced Yahoo with Yahoo! Messenger
See also
External links
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