It can be frustrating when a mainstream software tool is proprietary. This is a common problem at work. Many companies default to Slack for chat, Adobe Photoshop for creative editing, and Salesforce for customer relationship management. We are faced with this issue at home, too. Our friends and family are likely to use the most popular social media platforms which tend to be closed source. With tax season coming up here in the United States, we are reminded that the go-to home finance software is proprietary. 

Luckily, we do not need to be bound by the constraints of proprietary software. There are tons of open source software alternatives to meet arguably every demand. If there isn't one already out there, someone (maybe you!) is bound to create one. One of the many benefits of choosing open source technology is that it is supported by the community. There's bound to be someone else out there eager to lend a new user a helping hand. 

As open source technology continues to grow, it will no longer be known as the alternative but the default. Until then, use this handy cheat sheet to quickly find the open source tool you need! Next time your colleague shares a Google Sheet with you, why not suggest using EtherCalc next time and share this cheat sheet. 

Download the open source software alternatives cheat sheet