Chapter 7. Desktop Applications

Chapter 7. Desktop Applications
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Contributed by Christophe Juniet.

Table of Contents

7.1. Synopsis
7.2. Browsers
7.3. Productivity
7.4. Document Viewers
7.5. Finance

7.1. Synopsis

While FreeBSD is popular as a server for its performance and stability, it is also suited for day-to-day use as a desktop. With over 24,000 applications available as packages or ports, it is easy to build a customized desktop that runs a wide variety of desktop applications. This chapter demonstrates how to install some popular desktop applications effortlessly using packages or the FreeBSD Ports Collection.

As FreeBSD features Linux® binary compatibility, many applications developed for Linux® can be installed on a FreeBSD desktop. Many of the ports using Linux® binary compatibility start with “linux-”. This chapter assumes that Linux® binary compatibility has been enabled before any Linux® applications are installed.

This chapter demonstrates how to install the following desktop applications:

Type of Application	Application Name	Package Name	Ports Name
Browser	Firefox	`firefox`	`www/firefox`
Browser	Opera	`opera`	`www/opera`
Browser	Konqueror	`kde4-baseapps`	`x11/kde4-baseapps`
Browser	Chromium	`chromium`	`www/chromium`
Productivity	Calligra	`calligra`	`editors/calligra`
Productivity	AbiWord	`abiword`	`editors/abiword`
Productivity	The GIMP	`gimp`	`graphics/gimp`
Productivity	Apache OpenOffice	`openoffice`	`editors/openoffice-3`
Productivity	LibreOffice	`libreoffice`	`editors/libreoffice`
Document Viewer	Acrobat Reader®	`no package due to license restriction`	`print/acroread9`
Document Viewer	gv	`gv`	`print/gv`
Document Viewer	Xpdf	`xpdf`	`graphics/xpdf`
Document Viewer	GQview	`gqview`	`graphics/gqview`
Finance	GnuCash	`gnucash`	`finance/gnucash`
Finance	Gnumeric	`gnumeric`	`math/gnumeric`
Finance	KMyMoney	`kmymoney-kde4`	`finance/kmymoney-kde4`

Before reading this chapter, you should know how to:

Install additional software using packages or ports.
Enable Linux® binary compatibility.

For information on how to configure a multimedia environment, refer to Chapter 8, Multimedia. For information on how to set up and use electronic mail, refer to Chapter 28, Electronic Mail.