What FOSS is out there already that is better than it's proprietary counterparts?

[JonathanRRogers]

Also, Firefox is open source, just not licensed under the GPL or LGPL. It has it's own license, the Mozilla license which is OSI (Open Source Initiative) certified. Debian doesn't want anything that isn't licensed under the GPL or LGPL, so they modified the Firefox source code and named it Iceweasel, which is licensed under the GPL.

You got some things right. The issue was never over the main body of source code that Firefox is built from. It is over the artwork distributed with it, the terms of use of the trademark "Firefox", some small bits of non-essential proprietary code like the feedback tool, and the distribution and recommendation of proprietary plugins. Some of this is explained on the Gnuzilla/IceCat homepage. However, that page is about a GNU project, not the original Debian Iceweasel, for which I can't seem to find a homepage. This is probably the closest. I'm not entirely clear on some of these details.

Also, it quite incorrect that Debian requires everything to be GPL or LPGL. In the Debian Free Software Guidelines, it is made clear that GPL, BSD and Artistic licenses are examples of acceptable Free licenses. The DFSG seems quite similar to the Open Source and Free Software Definitions. All three of those definitions/guidelines accept the MPL AFAIK.

[Trail]

Nautilus.

(Although newest versions of dolphin look sexy as heck)

[Frak]

You got some things right. The issue was never over the main body of source code that Firefox is built from. It is over the artwork distributed with it, the terms of use of the trademark "Firefox", some small bits of non-essential proprietary code like the feedback tool, and the distribution and recommendation of proprietary plugins. Some of this is explained on the Gnuzilla/IceCat homepage. However, that page is about a GNU project, not the original Debian Iceweasel, for which I can't seem to find a homepage. This is probably the closest. I'm not entirely clear on some of these details.

Also, it quite incorrect that Debian requires everything to be GPL or LPGL. In the Debian Free Software Guidelines, it is made clear that GPL, BSD and Artistic licenses are examples of acceptable Free licenses. The DFSG seems quite similar to the Open Source and Free Software Definitions. All three of those definitions/guidelines accept the MPL AFAIK.

Yes, I've posted that information elsewhere, was just in too much of a hurry to correct myself.

[boast]

How many years till GIMP can surpass photoshop?
Till Cinelerra or LiVeS will surpass Final Cut Pro or Premiere Pro?
Till Exaile or Banshee is more customizable than foobar2000?
Till awn-dock or kiba-dock is better than rocketdock or the OS X dock?

And no, I can't program- So I just report bugs and hope for the best

[kopinux]

How many years till GIMP can surpass photoshop?
Till Cinelerra or LiVeS will surpass Final Cut Pro or Premiere Pro?
Till Exaile or Banshee is more customizable than foobar2000?
Till awn-dock or kiba-dock is better than rocketdock or the OS X dock?

And no, I can't program- So I just report bugs and hope for the best

when the userbase increases, more users more help. so start recruiting soldier.

[climatewarrior]

Joomla beats the *** of any proprietary CMS. And in my opinion Amarok kicks iTunes ***. An Blender is not better than 3DS max or Maya but it is just as good.

[climatewarrior]

Also Compiz fusion can beat Aero and Aqua combined. And Ubuntu beats windows in a heatbeat.

[itsjustarumour]

Compiz-fusion is better than Aero.

- I agree, although Compiz-Fusion is nowhere near as stable unfortunately (yet!)

Firefox better than internet Explorer

- I totally agree. Especially IE7, which is an ergonomic/usability nightmare!

As you said Development tools, servers etc usually are much better when they're OSS for good reason, (developers are the main users so they know exactly what's needed)

- I totally agree on both points

Firefox had tabbed browsing long before IE

- True, but Opera (a proprietary application) had tabbed browsing long before Firefox! (It also adhered to web standards and passed the Acid2 standards-compliance test long before Firefox did too...)