Most websites focused on GNU/Linux and GNU/BSD are very diplomatic and spend several pages discussing the pros and cons of using different software. Here, we recommend one software per application.
The logic behind it is simple: we believe that new users are already overwhelmed with the GNU/Linux environment, and having to decide between tons of options will delay their progress in using the system (or worst, prevent them from making the switch).
We do, however, encourage you to perform your own analysis on the alternatives available. Test different software yourself and see which one best fits your needs. If you need, there are tons of websites out there that provide useful comparisons. To facilitate your search, we sometimes include alternatives in our software recommendation pages.
Remember: the final decision of what you install in your equipment is always yours.
The criteria used to select the software recommended in this website is the following:
- We use (or would use) the software;
- Complies with Debian’s free software guidelines (i.e. is or could be included in Debian’s stable repository);
- Number of users;
- Ease of use;
- Actively maintained.
If no useful free alternative is known (i.e. free software fails to meet basic needs), we might recommend a proprietary solution. This is rarely the case. However, we do not feel comfortable in recommending a software we would not use ourselves. In these cases, if you are aware of a good free solution, please, let us know using the contact form and we will study it to potentially replace the recommendation. Check our list of recommended software.