The requirements for selected software are based on openness, open licencing practices, fair use, good design, future proof and availability of free unrestricted versions for private and educational use. Rule of thumb: prioritize open document standards to avoid lock-in effects and safeguard archival.
| Category | Open Software | Closed alternative | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Linux Mint | Windows, Mac OSX | Ubuntu-debian based sleek distribution. Windows (Microsoft) still owns the PC-gaming community. |
| Game Development | Godot | Unity, Unreal | Unity is still arguably the better choice here, but there has been steps taken in the wrong direction recently by the company. |
| Office Programs | Libre Office | Microsoft Office, | Today it is more common to use online text editors and presentation software. Easy to store and collaborate. |
| Desktop Publishing | Scribus | Adobe Indesign, Illustrator | |
| Image Manipulation and Editing | Gnu Image Manipulation Program | Adobe Photoshop | |
| Vector Drawing | Inkscape | Adobe Illustrator | |
| Stylus Drawing | Krita | Sketchbook | |
| PDF Reader | Sumatra PDF | Adobe Reader | So many issues with the Adobe Reader. It has become a bloated shopping centre for its other pieces of software. |
| Video Recording | OBS Studio | Corel VideoStudio Pro | |
| Video Editing | DaVinci Resolve Openshot Video Editor | Adobe Premiere Pro | DaVinci: Viable alternative Openshot: Not a fair comparison by any scale. |
| 3D-Software | Blender | Autodesk Maya, Fusion 360, Adobe After Effects, etc | Comprehensive piece of 3D software. Allows for video editing as well. |
More ”specialized” pieces of software or in some cases alternatives to something above: