For me, it was perhaps simple-scan, a very simple and efficient GUI to scan documents. I used it with my Brother printer / scanner and it works like a charm. Especially since I do not scan stuff often, so a program with more complex UI would have the effect that I forget how to use it until the next time.
Surprised no one has mentioned OBS. I don’t use it for streaming, but afaik it’s one of the more popular options for that. So it’s really cool that not only is it available for linux, but it’s open source and works great. I’m sure every linux user has had audio, general hardware, or GPU acceleration issues at some point, but OBS is seamless in my experience. Pretty cool to see a piece of software live at the crossroads of all that and get it right.
I believe it was the Linux counterpart of XSplit, the “other” streaming software that was very popular in the early days of streaming. Before that we had to use some very elaborate setups.
Removed by mod
Mixx is a cool free dj software, didn’t expect davinci resolve to have an official version, stremio also I didn’t think would have an app for whatever reason. I like inkscape for vector art, didn’t realize it was a thing til I swapped to linux. I use software and apps more in general because it’s stuff I’ve installed and its not hidden by bloat, even if there is more windows stuff out there, its way easier to discover actual useful software using linux through linux appstores compared to windows.
The one that surprised me the most was Steam, honestly.
Zoom. No dark mode though.
I use zoom several times a week, and have had to revert to windows several times because development lags behind win/mac, and for some reason my org has a fixation on trying new features, useful or not.
I wish it wasn’t cause then I wouldn’t have to use it at work
It works in the browser
I was really surprised by some libre games with really good graphics for free software, like Xonotic or Unvainquished. And also very cool projects like Speed-Dreams, that is not as beautiful but is really promising
Otherwise, very cool stuff like Kdenlive, Ardour, LMMS, Puredata, … This is a long list! 😅
Wine/Proton, made my switch to Linux way easier
What surprised me the most, also in part due to me not really being knowledgeable about software solutions in their respective industries, was the Unreal Engine (the editor that is) and Houdini being available on Linux. Tbf, at least in the vfx department it is apparently more common as most of the high profile software in that industry does have a native Linux version available.
What I appreciated the most though was software like Reaper and Renoise providing a (very good even) Linux-native version when I looked for a new DAW to learn, seeing most software in the audio industry not being very Linux-friendly.
Ardour is also a very good fully free (as in freedom) alternative to Reaper, if you want to experiment 😊
Bitwig. I’m moving to libre tools like Pd and Ardour, so I didn’t renew my license. But it works just like it does on Mac.
Except that it supports touch screens on Wayland, and you can’t do that on a Mac.
I’ve tried Ardour, but compared to Reaper, I unfortunately just can’t use it. Pd is fantastic though!! It’s what got me interested in music stuffs in college, man those are memories… making a drum kit in Pd was my first assignment, I remember suffering over the cymbal for hours and hours. Now I’m getting all nostalgic lol
Reaper is nifty, but it’s not FOSS, which would be the only reason why I’d give up Bitwig. (I know that’s not what the thread asked, but that’s my reason for not using Reaper.)
Neverball.
So gaming on Linux is obviously amazing now, but back in 2006 or so when I started using it, it was less than great. I probably tried every single game in the Ubuntu repos and Neverball entertained the hell out of me.
I spent hours rolling this shiny ball around. I loved Marble Madness on NES as a kid, so it was a natural fit.
A close second was Freeciv, as I had also grown up with a copy of Civilization.
Honorable mentions to Nesticle and Snes9x.
Probably REAPER
I cannot recall any specific programs besides a game called Feudal Tactics, but I swear I’ve seen software while looking through EasyFlatpak that surprised me.
Microsoft Defender.
I convinced my work to let me use linux on their laptop. They sent me instructions for setup. One of them was to install Microsoft Defender, had a link to the Ubuntu package and everything. Blew my mind.
I bet it has to do with Microsoft azure
How did you manage to convince them?
Wasn’t too difficult as they already offered Linux as a supported option. But I had to justify it. I was already using a linux VM for all my actual work. So I complained about all the buggy behavior I had experienced. Didn’t have to exagerate too much. I was properly modivated after IT sent out an email announcing the forced migration to Win11.
This right here, if I can do the same to my work desktop I would be in my glory.
Only works on Ubuntu though last I heard (and not even downstream distros), which is somewhat unfortunate
You’re right. But I’d rather have limited Linux options than no option at all.
What the fuq??
If it enables the use of Linux at work I would install it, too. And use Edge for corporate ressources as well.
Yup! Here’s a helpful link in case you feel like spreading the joy.
https://www.maketecheasier.com/install-use-microsoft-defender-linux/
But, why?
I don’t know, but my guess is it might still be able to detect some cross-platform malware signs and detect malware intended for Windows on Linux machines (e.g. I can download a PDF or .docx that is harmless on my machine, but if I reupload and a Windows user downloads it, I’ve spread malware regardless). IIRC ClamAV is sometimes used to scan attachments on an email server, often looking for Windows exploits being sent through the server.
That kinda makes sense
Reminds me of a ransomware problem that a place I worked at had. After weeks of computers getting reinfected over and over. It was figured out it was one “techy guy” with Linux on his work laptop. He kept sharing infected files.
So since he kept infecting the windows PCs on the network. It got Linux and macs banned at work.
Everyone had to have windows PCs moving forward.
Lot of Linux and Mac folk don’t realize how big of a vulnerability they can be even if they themselves aren’t affected.
We’ve got to install Microsoft Defender, Edge, and PowerShell on Ububtu so that the device will be flagged as compliant in Intune.
TIL. Nothing will ever surprise me in life anymore. 😂
KDEConnect, probably the best (only?) to do what it does in such a magnificent way
The entire KDE Community is incredible. From KDEConnect to Kdenlive, Krita, and Plasma I am a very happy nerd.
Kicad is up there with the paid options for electronic schematic drafting / PCB design. I don’t use a lot of KDE stuff since I also don’t use KDE, but Kicad is absolutely essential for me.
Despite the K in its name, KiCad is nothing to do with the KDE project. It’s an independent program started (iirc) at a French university. I agree it’s awesome, though.
Well now… TIL!
It’s so good that it absolutely killed my will to maintain a project I had that does something like this once I discovered it. They even support Windows too.
Been there, doing that, cf https://git.benetou.fr/utopiah/offline-octopus
It’s wonderful.
I do miss being able to send stuff from my PC to my iPhone though, but that’s Apple’s fault.
Out of curiosity, what is it you use it for? I pretty much only use it for SMS, for which it is kinda janky and unstable. Doesn’t always get contact names, doesn’t load everything from conversations, misses messages that I sent or that were sent to me, crashes if I scroll too fast, etc. I have Connect installed just to use SMS (cause I hate typing on my phone keyboard), but I’m honestly not even sure what the base software does.
The media integration is great. I can comfortably pause videos I’m watching from my phone’s lock screen. And it does it automatically when a phone call comes in.
And I can use it as a remote mouse and keyboard. That was the first thing I used it for when it was just a small app some guy created for their own needs.
And the clipboard synchronisation is also sometimes useful to get links or so from one device to the other.
If find the missed call notifications to be very helpful. I never remember to check my phone, but I’m on the computer all the time. I also like the ability to remote control the music player from my phone since the computer is hooked up to an amplifier with speakers in multiple rooms.
Sharing files and clipboard is a nice feature. Media control might be pretty neat in some scenarios (party jukebox, htpc).
What completely blows my mind every time is when KDE Connect time pauses my music on my PC when I get a call on my mobile.
Well I basically never use SMS, so I have no idea if they work for me or not.
At the moment I’m using it to connect my two laptops and phone, mostly for notifications, file and clipboard sharing and remote trackpad.
about 10 years ago, i noticed steam was available for linux. for the longest time i had pretty much written off gaming on linux (apart from like tuxcart, nethack, emulators…). i hadn’t considered actually being able to play “real” games.
that was before proton, so there really wasn’t a ton of stuff i could play, but i found some good stuff like hotline miami, papers please, super win the game.
obviously now we have proton and linux can be argued as a superior gaming platform in many cases.
Back then CS:GO used to run better on Linux! That was why I switched (apart from a borked windows system I put Linux on just for shits and giggles): to get more frames, lol. Now I couldn’t live without Linux, even though I don’t even play CS:GO anymore.
Bitwig and Reaper. Two of the best music DAWs on the market and they each have a Linux native version.
EDIT: I forgot to include Renoise, the music tracker DAW.
Yeah, Reaper is surprising! It’s in the Arch repos and Flathub.
I would have been happy if I had to build it from source or download a random deb from their website. But, damn. It’s on Linux and easily installable!
As a guitarist ToneLib and Carla are also up there for me.
I have been experimenting with Reaper a bit, but I am a sort of DAW noob, so it’s kind of hard to get in to. I’ve done a tiny bit using Lmms though, but I am missing synthesizer stuff in Reaper. I’ve tried installing plugins by putting them into the proper folders and let Reaper attempt to resolve it, but it doesn’t really work as expected.
Any tips? Especially for Linux of course. Many of the tutorials are Windows oriented.
There is a free VST (or clap, etc) synth called TAL Noise Maker (I think) that has Linux support. Good for getting started. Then there is the LSP plugging suite, which is designed for Linux. Lastly, airwindows is native to Linux as well, and is literally one of the best — and 100% free! — plugin suites ever. All of there can be moved (just copy paste) in ~/.vst, ~/.vst3, or ~/.clap.
Links (FYI, clap is always easier than VST, so prefer it; you may have to enable it in settings or something though):
- https://tal-software.com/products/tal-noisemaker (great presets too)
- https://lsp-plug.in/ (also often included in repos)
- https://www.airwindows.com/ (download the consolidated plugin, and then order by “quality (Dave)” to get recommendations and such).
You can of course also use external stuff like Pure Data and Orca through MIDI, OSC, UDP, or even loopback.
Reaper is like the Arch Linux of DAWs. It’s power is in its flexibility and customization. That said, I found it to be uninspiring in its complexity out of the box. That said, the Reaper community is amazing. If you want to mod and customize it into your ideal DAW,y recommendation is to hit the community forums, Discord, etc.
Personally, I bounced from Reaper almost instantly in favor of Bitwig and Renoise on Linux.
I would start from the docs. There is pretty good reaper manual available from its homepage, covers everything from basic “how does one creates the prohect?” to relatively advanced topics.
Most of the plugins I encountered have no native Linux version, but yabridge deals with most of them quite good. I personaly use it paired with Play on Linux to logically separate different groups of plugins and everything works like a charm.
