With all of the noise going back and forth about how open source software is "better" for the end user, I am of the mind that this is clearly in the eyes of the beholder. So while there have been tremendous successes on the browser and operating system fronts, I can think of a number of instances where the closed source alternative still outshines the FOSS (free and open source software) alternative.

In this article, I will be exploring specific closed source applications that happen to be compatible with the open source platform known commonly as "desktop Linux" -- that way I'll be distribution neutral.

Adobe Flash

Without question, the single "killer" app that allowed me to migrate successfully. The fact that it is of a close source code nature only adds to the twist of it being so critical to the adoption to the Linux platform for mainstream users.

Adobe Flash these days is a critical part of Web content as we know it. Not because it is mission critical for its users to surf the Web so much as it provides the ability to listen to audio, watch videos, and accomplish other feats that would be done with simplicity on other platforms.

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