One thing that keeps Linux in the back foot is the lack of good quality applications that can compete with the best out there. The advent of paid softwares section in Ubuntu Software Center is a start, things like that can kick start application development for Linux in a big way. But things were not as bad I thought it would be. On further browsing, I found out that there are indeed a good number of paid applications for Linux, some of them were a total surprise for me. Here are some of those paid applications for Linux which I found interesting.
Guitar Pro is a multitrack editor of guitar and bass tablature and musical scores meant for guitarists and musicians. Its great ease of use and the success of its specific file format have made it a software used by guitarists worldwide. Guitar Pro 6 includes editing support for many other instruments like the piano or the drums, a realistic audio engine, and interactive tools to support every musician's practice. Price: $39.95 - $59.95
Transcribe! is an assistant for working out a piece of music from a recording. Transcribe! offers many features aimed at making the transcription job smoother and easier, including the ability to slow down the music without changing its pitch, and to analyse chords and show you what notes are present. Price: $20.00 - $50.00
LinuxDSP provides high quality professional 'plugin' audio processing software for PCs running the linux operating system. Users of Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) on other platforms will be familiar with the concept of adding extra processing functionality to an application using 'plugin' processing modules - similar to adding a physical audio processor to the outboard effects rack in a real studio. linuxDSP plugins are available in several different formats to suit different uses and host applications. Price: $6.00
Bricscad is a CAD package developed by Bricsys, originally built using the IntelliCAD engine. Bricscad is among the few commercially supported CAD packages which runs on Linux. Bricscad is capable of most contemporary AutoCAD functionalities. Price: $275.00
Bricscad is a CAD package developed by Bricsys, originally built using the IntelliCAD engine. Bricscad is among the few commercially supported CAD packages which runs on Linux. Bricscad is capable of most contemporary AutoCAD functionalities. Price: $275.00
Houdini is a high-end 3D animation package developed by Side Effects Software. Its chief distinction from other packages is that it has been designed as a purely procedural environment. A version of the product, called Houdini Apprentice, is available as a free download for non-commercial use. Price: $99 - $7,995.00
Bibble is a digital imaging program for multiple platforms by Bibble Labs, designed to assist photographers in post-production work and efficient optimization of images created in the Raw image format. Bibble 5 Pro comes with flexible tools for organizing and managing digital photographs, the most complete selective editing tools offered in a photographic workflow application, and RAW conversion and editing speed up to 88 times as fast as other leading applications. Price: $99.95 - $199.95
Indigo Renderer is a 3D rendering software that uses unbiased rendering technologies to create photo-realistic images. In doing so, Indigo uses equations that simulate the behaviour of light, with no approximations or guesses taken. By accurately simulating all the interactions of light, Indigo is capable of producing effects such as depth of field, spectral effects, refraction, reflections, caustics etc. Supported applications include Google SketchUp, Autodesk 3ds Max, Cinema 4D, Maya, Blender among others. Price: $200.00 - $820.00
FlagShip by multisoft is Linux-replacement for Microsoft Foxpro, SCO Foxbase, Borland dBaseIII and CA-Clipper. FlagShip is a Multi-Platform Database Development and Porting System, available for Linux and Windows. Price: $300.00 - $800.00
Zend Studio is a professional-grade PHP IDE (Integrated Development Environment). It is designed to maximize developer productivity by enabling you to develop and maintain code faster, solve application problems quickly and improve team collaboration. Price: $399 - $799
Illumination Software Creator is a tool for visually designing and developing software. It allows anyone to create their own software applications without writing a single line of "code". The idea is simple: Arrange colorful building blocks of functionality however you like to create your own, unique, piece of software. Illumination Software Creator is already available for download in Ubuntu Software Center 'for purchase' section with a price tag of $39.85.
Thanks to LinAPP for the information and some of the screenshots. LinAPP has got a very good list of commercial Linux applications across different categories. Most of the applications listed above has a licensed demo version for free download and use for a limited period of time. So you can experiment with each of the applications listed above before actually buying it. You might also want to check out our collection of top open source Android applications.