Linux Software that You Use to Replace Windows Software

OK, thanks.

 

I did not know. Thanks for the advice and for that interesting link too.

 

The outcome was/is very different from what you think.
And in any case, I am still looking for linux replacement software on that area (security/anti-malware), which is part of this thread ;P

 

I think it would be nice to read on how to create an AUR package for those. It is possible to make proprietary packages work on Arch, as long as they have a Linux binary, could be a e.g. Debian (.deb) executable. So if your product has a Linux version you can make it install on Arch.

Do you have Git, SSH, scripting etc, knowledge?

 

SSH and scripting (Windows) yes. But that's it. I would love to contribute to AUR thought one day

How ever, the solution that are out there for linux (comodo, eset, bitdefender,etc) are all very... Old fashioned? Besides "Sophos" I am not sure if anything on linux is actually state-of-the-art. Simple AV scan, yes..but thats 1990.

Cloud based behavior analysis
Cloud based whitelistening
Behaviour blocker
HIPS
DDP
Botnet detection
Auto sanboxing
Auto isolating
Etc...
Those are the things that could/would stop malware/exploits these days. And those were the only one able to block NSA and government exploits/trojans.

And that is the kind of Linux replacement that I desperately want. Preferable from a trustworthy and ethical company (no Comodo, Kaspersky,.. ).

 

What does "old fashioned" mean? Just an AV engine and no HIPS/etc? Well, technically you're far more safe by using Grsecurity+pax, which are completely open-source, than using a closed-source security software that who knows what it does with your Kernel. Not to mention the Linux kernel has capabilities that no security product will ever deliver, like SUID restrictions, and a ton of syscalls like AP_SYS_MODULE, CAP_SYS_RAWIO, CAP_SYS_BOOT, CAP_SYS_NICE, CAP_SYS_TTY_CONFIG, CAP_SYSLOG, CAP_MKNOD, CAP_SYS_ADMIN, etc.

That's basically what that other thread is about: you don't need a closed-source security program, because Linux itself is capable of doing much more. And if you use GRSecurity+Pax+Firejail you'll be basically safe from 100% of the threats there are. Think Firefox is not safe? Fine, use Firejail with it and prevent all of the above syscalls, and considering you'd be also using GRSec then other security features would be enabled by default, like PAGEEXEC (The kernel will protect non-executable pages based on the paging feature of the CPU), PAX_NOEXEC (This option enables the protection of allocated pages of memory as non-executable if they are not part of the text segment of the running process), SEGMEXEC (This is like PAGEEXEC, but based on the segmentation feature of the CPU and it is controlled by the PaX -S and -s flags. Note that SEGMEXEC is only available on CPUs that support memory segmentation, namely x86),
MPROTECT (The kernel will prevent the introduction of new executable pages into the running process by various techniques: it will forbid the changing of the executable status of pages, or the creation of anonymous RWX mappings, or making RELRO data pages as writable again. It is controlled on a per ELF object basis by the PaX -M and -m flag), and EMUTRAMP (The kernel will emulate trampolines (snippets of executable code written on the fly) for processes that need them, e.g. nested functions in C and some JIT compilers. Since trampolines try to execute code written by the process itself to memory marked as non-executable by PAGEEXEC or SEGMEXEC, the PaX kernel would kill any process that tries to make use of one. EMUTRAMP allows these processes to run without having to fully disable enforcement of non-executable memory. This feature can be controlled on a per ELF object basis by PaX -E and -e flag).

So that's why it's dumb to bring security products like Sophos to Linux. Not only they can't protect you entirely (already discussed on that thread and on this post), but they're closed source and literally can't come close to what OpenSource tools like GRSecurity have been doing for several years. These guys, like the GRSEC ones, actually care about Linux security, and actually know what they're doing. This is so true that you don't see government agencies using Sophos or alike, because they know that these tools are for windowsy naive customers who know nothing about Linux security and bring the windows mindset to Linux (no offense )

The only closed source software I'm in favor of using is firmware for video cards (no ethernet stuff). For example, my monitor is an old 17" Flat CRT, and if I don't use the firmware for my AMD R9 270X than my monitor will only work at 1024x768, or 1280x1024 but at 60 Hertz which makes my eyes hurt. This firmware is executed by the host device, not the host CPU/OS.

 

Hardened Gentoo can be installed with SELinux, GrSecurity/PAX etc

https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Hardened_Gentoo

ChromeOS is built on this though which options they use exactly for security I don't know. I know that ChromeOS was originally built with Ubuntu (Goobuntu) but they changed in 2010 to Gentoo Hardened.

Arch can be as well and Alpine's default kernel has grsec in it already.

Gentoo and Arch have big enough communities that you can get support. Alpine is pretty sparse on that level.

Good security at the kernel level is going to stop the nasty exploits that can escape a good sandbox.

 

I think zazak is also interested in privacy, and thus ChromeOS is a no-go.

 

Yeah I just through that in there to show Google is using it so its secure although I've read they use a tweaked Ubuntu in their internal systems. Ubuntu is supposed to be pretty secure, they just don't tout that very loudly.

 

True but that is a lot of work and I just use Chrome for what it was intended for, as a client for Google services. I've replaced Skype with Google Voice and the outbound call feature wasn't working well in Firefox and I've ended up using Chrome and I'm using it more as a substitute for the bloated and horrible Skype software Microsoft has forced Skype users to use than as a browser. I have much better choices for a privacy friendly browser.

 

Perhaps, but it has to be done just once - and all is well

 

The biggest issue with uMatrix is getting the settings correct for what you normally do. I have found that allowing everything initially on problem sites then disallowing allows you to see all available connected sites and to pick and choose from there.

I comment on several sites and using uMatrix I have found that some sites like Engadget need an unreasonable amount of scripts and cookies allowed. It's nearly impossible to comment. Usually this involves Livefyre. So I have stopped using those sites.

 

I should mention that I use a script blocker with Chrome and I might just use the built in javascript disable/whitelist feature since I'm only using it for Google Voice and it doesn't need to allow scripts for anything but Google.

I also disabled the automatic updating. That is not an allowed tweak and you can't do it through the settings or flags menus. You have to delete the Google Update folder manually.

 

I am eager to make the switch to Linux, and am looking for the equivalent of foobar2000 to play flac files. After checking out Mint and Ubuntu, I believe that VLC and Clementine are good all-around media player choices, but can anyone confirm that I can play flac files seemlessly? I don't want to transcode them.

 

Never had issues playing FLAC audio on VLC, but please define "seamlessly".

 

Just select the file and have it play, without having to transcode to another format.

 

Tons of choices. Rhythm Box, Banshee, Audacious. Any of these three will meet your needs.

 

Excellent Libreoffice 5 review by our @Mrkvonic...

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/libreoffice-5-review.html

 

First I must say that I have not migrated to Linux as yet, I'm only in the information gathering phase.
But I have been checking for Linux software to replace some favorites that I use with Windows.
Regarding XnView, currently I use FastStone Image Viewer on Windows OS, but for Linux I plan to use XnViewMP, which is cross-platform and available for Linux. Is there a reason why you indicate that you find no proper replacement for XnView? Don't you like XnViewMP?
And regarding PDF-XChange, do you mean PDF-XChange Viewer or PDF-XChange Editor? As an alternative for PDF-XChange Viewer I am thinking of Okular.

 

I didn't know about it. Installed it on Mint after reading your post and it works beautifully.

I decided on qpdfview.

 

DeadBeef is almost a foobar2000 clone. Foobar under wine is working very well.

 

update...
Been comparing it with Faststone (on Wine) and GPicView and the images don't present the same quality with XnView, it gets pixelated quicker when zooming; it's a tiny difference but noticeable.

update... to the update... I just had to go to settings and change the high zoom quality options

 

I made a live DVD of this release and tried it out on my backup computer and must say that I could easily be persuaded to go with Linux as my primary operating system. I would have a lot to learn but the same was true when I learned CPM years ago before many of you were born. A large question: I went primarily paperless about 3 years ago using a Windows program called File Center and where necessary Adobe Acrobat Pro. Does Linux have anything that might rival these two? I posted this in the Linux Mint 17.2 thread and it was suggested that I might get some information if I moved it to this thread. Thanks in advance!

 

Thanks for the foobar substitute recommendations.
While investigating getting away from Windows, at DistroWatch I came across a program that will virtualize my existing Windows installation without requiring an OEM key, which is what has always stymied me in the past. Here is the description:

Announcing The Robolinux C: Drive to VM Support Package -Saves You 8+ hours of hard work installing Windows & your Software programs from scratch!
This is a perfect solution for Users with Windows OEM XP & 7 Disks that cannot install into a Virtual Machine. Plus no additional Windows key is required.
You can also put your C: Drive VM onto any PC or laptop you want to. Supports all 500 Linux Operating Systems! (see http://www.robolinux.org/lm/c-drive-to-vm/)
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Has anyone used this product? It would be great to stash away my existing Windows installation and use it periodically during my transition to Linux, but the OEM key requirement (the key is tied to a particular piece of hardware) has kept me from considering other virtual products.

 

Speaking about cloud service, I am currently testing this: pcloud.com
While I would not use it for sensitive stuff, I must say the client works great, better than Dropbox/MEGA/Copy (the ones I tested so far).
There are not many cloud services with linux clients, if you need one you may try it.