Submitted by chadm on Sat, 2007-03-17 13:59.

Linux App Finder's mission is to catalog useful GNU/Linux programs and provide a great resource to discover new apps.

Getting Started

Browse

The Linux Apps link in the header menu allows you to browse the complete list of programs in our database. Ordering defaults to the highest rated first, but can easily be changed to an alphabetical listing. If you know the category you are interested in, direct links to each are available on all pages from the left sidebar.

Search

Three distinct search related methods are available. The most visible is the search box at the top right of every page. It provides a convenient way to search through Linux App Finder using Google. While useful in many cases, this method may not always be the best.

Method number two is a search box just above the app list on all category pages. It is capable of running boolean queries and returns a list of matching programs from the category you are viewing.

The final method is using the Filter Options link at the top right of a category page. This section allows you to restrict apps to those matching a criteria that you designate. Options include: interface type, free vs. non-free, and repositories. You must be logged in to use this feature.

Windows and OS X Alternatives

Many of us used Windows or OS X before switching to Linux. If this describes you, check out the Alternatives page where you can start your search with a Windows or an OS X program in order to find some Linux options. The listed programs aren't clones, but they are good replacements for many situations.

Registered users can designate an alternative from the detailed page for a Linux app.

Research

Now that you've found an app that you are interested in, it's time to find out more. Some programs have user submitted reviews that can provide some useful opinions from fellow Linux users.

You can also check out the Web Links page for a list of noteworthy news and articles on Linux apps from around the Web. In addition to the complete list, a Web Links section appears in the right sidebar of every page with links that are customized to the programs being displayed. Registered users can submit links from an individual app's page.

Some apps also feature screenshots to give you a better feel for their interface. In the future I hope to expand this section to support user submitted screenshots.

Screenshots

The viewer can be accessed from the Screenshot link in the header to show thumbnails of all available images. When viewing an app's page its most recent pictures will be displayed. Those thumbnails link through to the full screenshots in the viewer.

Blog

My playground to describe apps that I use and/or find interesting. Hopefully you will as well.

Forums

Can't find the app you want? Describe your requirements in the forums and let others help track it down.

Community

Join Linux App Finder in our mission by adding content of your own. There are many ways that you can participate. Here are some of the highlights.

Submitting a program

Click here to submit a program to be included in our database. The link can also be found in the footer. Please include a web page URL for the app. Additional information and category suggestions can be helpful as well, but aren't required. For now the submission is just an email, however, I hope to develop a better submission tool in the future.

Submitting Web Links

Each app's detailed page contains a section titled Submit Web Links. Registered users can submit the title and link to any web page that is pertinent to the program being viewed. The goal is aiding the visitor in finding more detailed information than is contained on Linux App Finder alone.

Upload Screenshots

Screenshots can now be uploaded from each app's page by any registered user. Registered users also have an administration page to edit descriptions or delete images they no longer want posted.

Rating apps

Apps can be rated on a scale of 1 to 5 stars. Your vote will be saved so you can update it in the future in case the program warrants a new score.

Reviewing apps

Reviews can be written for any app in the database. The form is located at the bottom of each program's page. Please share your experiences so we can all benefit.

Adding Tags

Sometimes categories are too broad to find what you are really looking for. Tags provide an alternative classification. New tags can be added by any registered user and are entered as free text.