One of the classic problems that newcomers to Linux face is locating and installing software to do the work they want to accomplish. With Synaptic in Ubuntu, installing the software has been made simple, but choosing which software to install can still be a challenge. The more than 20,000 packages that Ubuntu offers up can be daunting indeed. This is where sites like Gnomefiles.com can come in. Gnomefiles is a clearing house of software built on GTK, the application toolkit that underpins the Gnome desktop that Ubuntu uses.
Gnomefiles.com offers up an index of several thousand applications that are rated and reviewed by users, so you can see what other people think of them before you install. Some of the more popular applications there are commercial, or otherwise not in the Ubuntu repositories. One example of this is NeroLinux, an excellent CD burning application. It is a commercial application, but there is a demo available, and the deb files provided work seamlessly in Hardy. While it’s debatable whether or not a commercial disc burning utility is needed given the quality of the open source tools available, namely Brasero by default in Ubuntu, the potentially familiar interface and HD-DVD and Bluray support present in Nero may be worth the price of admission to some.
Not only can you browse the applications as sorted by popularity and ranking, you can also browse category. This can be useful when finding alternatives to an application you already know but don’t quite like, or if you know generally what you need, but don’t have any specific applications in mind. One of my favorite things to do is browse the Games category, looking for fun new distractions. I almost always find something worthwhile that suits the mood I’m in. For example, some time ago I was introduced to the board game Settlers of Catan and became completely addicted. Shortly after that introduction I was browsing Gnomefiles.com and discovered Pioneers. Pioneers plays just like Settlers of Catan, and is just a quick “apt-get install pioneers” away. Now I can get my fix, even if I can’t round up enough people for a “real” game.
If you know what you want, Gnomefiles.com may be of limited utility, but if you haven’t made up your mind it can be a very valuable tool. I use it often when looking for something new, or when exploring alternatives to the tried and true. Next time you ask yourself, “I wonder which software is best for…”, turn to Gnomefiles.com and once you find something you like, take a peek in Synaptic and odds are the application you chose will be just a click away.
Another great site is the Open Source Alternative site. They have a good list to start with if you know the name of a proprietary package you would like to use. It’s saved me lots of money. It has a list for different operating systems as well.
Thanks for the perspective. I hadn’t heard of either site before, and I’m running on over to both now.
May I recommend http://getdeb.net/ ? Easy .debs to install, right there.
[...] Looking for Software? Gnomefiles Can Help Posted in July 15th, 2008 by admin in rss Installing Ubuntu-related software is simple, but choosing which software to install can still be a challenge. The more than 20,000 packages that Ubuntu offers up can be daunting. This is where sites like Gnomefiles.com can help. Here’s how [...]
GnomeFiles.org has been taken offline due to hack and lack of interest (?).
Sign the petition to bring Gnomefiles.org back:
http://www.petitiononline.com/80907/petition.html