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Open source guide for doctors: Daily use alternatives to commercial software

Open source guide for doctors: Daily use alternatives to commercial software

What is open source?

 The term open source software describe software which its code is open to its users, but open source has a wider concept than that, as the software is free to be redistributed, allow modification of the code, No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups, No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor, anyone can use the program for free for any purpose.

 The goal of this guide is to provide physicians, medical practitioners and healthcare professionals with free open source alternatives, and ads free solutions to use in their daily life and work routines.

Operating Systems

There are different open source operating systems, We recommend the most user-friendly ones with powerful community support. With a package manager

Office

  • LibreOffice: Office suite and MS. Office alternative apps as a word processor,      spreadsheets, presentations, diagrams, and database. ( Linux, Windows and Mac OSX)
  • Apache OpenOffice: Office suite, based on open office but maintained by Apache, It has alternative programs to MS. Office. ( Windows, Linux and Mac OSX )
  • AbiWord: Standalone word processor ( Linux, Mac OSX).
  • Gnumeric Spreadsheet: A free and open source spreadsheet program for Linux.
  • Calligra suite: Desktop office suite packed with graphic applications, and project management programs ( Windows, Linux and Mac OSX)

News Readers: RSS/ Feed readers

  • Vienna RSS: Vienna is a free and open-source RSS/Atom newsreader for macOS  ( Mac OSX)
  • RSSOwl: Open source RSS reader   ( Mac OSX, Linux and Windows )
  • Lifeera: Open source desktop feed reader  ( Linux )
  • Raven Reader: Desktop offline first RSS/ feed reader ( Mac OSX, Linux and Windows )

eBook and PDF management

  • Calibre: eBook management suite  ( Mac OSX, Linux and Windows )
  • Buka: eBook management program ( Linux )
  • ProtegoPDF: A simple application to set a password to open a PDF Document ( Windows )

Graphics, diagrams and charts

  • Dia: Open source diagram and flowchart design software ( Mac OSX, Windows, Linux )
  • FreeMind: Mind Mapping software  ( Windows, Linux and Mac OSX )
  • Inkscape: free open source vector design program ( Linux, Windows and Mac OSX )

Desktop email clients

  • Thunderbird: Desktop email client  from Mozilla ( Windows, Linux and Mac OSX)
  • Geary: Linux mail client
  • MailSpring: Cross-platform email client  (OSX, Windows, & Linux )
  • Claws Mail: Lightweight with plugins and themes email client ( Linux, Windows)
  • Sylpheed: Light weight mail client  ( Windows, Mac OSX, & Linux)
  • SeaMonkey: ( Windows, Mac OSX, Linux)
  • Inboxer: Open source Gmail client ( Windows, MacOSX, & Linux)
  • Evolution: A personal time/ and email management for Linux Gnome desktops

Media players and podcasting

  • VLC: Media player supports many audio and video formats (Linux, Windows and Mac OSX)
  • MVP:a free, open source, and cross-platform media player  
  • Miro: Video/ Audio Player and Podcast player ( MacOSX, Linux and Windows)
  • Juice Receiver: Podcasting program( Windows, Mac OSX, Linux )