Most people automatically equate “open source” with Linux or Apache. But there’s more to open source than that. There are a wide variety of open source projects that are also targeted at (gasp) Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X.
Being a Mac user myself, I was particularly interested in this article recently posted at NewsForge. Some of the projects listed there were new to me; for example, I had never heard of or used Vienna. Given that I don’t like brushed metal interfaces (can’t stand them) and that I already use a commercial RSS reader, Vienna won’t do me much good.
Many of the projects listed there, though, I was familiar with and actually using currently. For example, Adium X is my default IM client (I use it to stay connected to MSN, AIM, and Google Talk), Cyberduck is my FTP/SFTP client, and Growl helps keep me informed about what is happening with all the various applications I have running. I’ve never used Seashore, but I’ll probably have a look at it soon (I’ve been looking for a good image editor).
This link (also referenced in the NewsForge article) lists an even larger variety of open source Mac applications. Again, some I recognize (and use), a lot that I don’t. If you are a Mac user, I encourage you to take another look at some of the many high-quality open source projects available.
