Simple Linux

A lot of people worry about what software they will be able to use if they use Linux. For example, Microsoft Office isn't available for Linux. However, there are alternatives that you can use on Linux, designed to replace popular Windows and Mac software.

Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office is used by a lot of people every day, and it is therefore very important to have a good alternative. Luckily OpenOffice.org is out there and is a completely free office suite. It includes Writer (word processing), Calc (spreadsheets), Impress (presentations), Draw (Visio-style graphics) and Base (databases), each of which can save in the equivalent Microsoft Office file format (along with a load of others) so you can edit your document in Microsoft Office if you need to, and then open it in OpenOffice later.

Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer is still one of the most-used web browsers out there, and the Internet is vital to everyday computer use. Firefox is available for both Windows and Linux, and is usually pre-installed when you install Linux. It has all the features of Internet Explorer, plus a lot more. Check it out!

Media Player
Whatever your media player of choice is, you will find an alternative that you like for Linux. Rhythmbox and Amarok are two of the most popular. Both do everything you expect from a media player, and do it well. They'll also look after your music collection for you and keep track of it, along with downloading album information, etc. If you don't like those two, there are plenty more out there!

I shall add to this post as I look at more software to recommend.