I just installed Ubuntu 9.04 paralell with WinXP.
I found the following software useful to get similar functionalities as you would on windows:
- Vuze – Torrent Client to get it: sudo apt-get install vuze
- XMMS – Mp3 player. It is a little tricky to get as it has been removed from the Ubuntu software catalog. You can get it though from www.xmms.org
- Firestarter – Easy to use firewall comes with a bunch of pre-defined configurations for port. to get it: sudo apt-get install firestarter
- aMSN – MSN Client to get it: sudo apt-get install amsn
- Skype – Official skype client for Ubuntu to get it: sudo apt-get install skype
- Wine – MS Windows emulator for those windows software that you can not find an equivalent for Ubuntu ( WoW for example ). To get it: sudo apt-get install wine If your windows application is not working with the stable version ( 1.0.1 at the time of writing ) You can get the latest development beta from here http://www.winehq.org/download/deb
- VLC Media Player – to play videos and music this does download the codecs automatically.
- DVD/CD Burner K3b – To burn DVDs and CDs to install sudo apt-get install k3b
- Krusader – if you are looking for a total commander equivalent for Ubuntu either you can use Midnight Commander ( mc ) or Krusader. I am not entirely happy with the functionalities but it does the job. To get Krusader type: sudo apt-get install krusader