Liberty Systems & Software

I have to deal with a lot of different software in my various roles.  Lots of it is good, but there's always the odd software package that makes me want to run ahead of it with a loud, clanging bell, shouting "Unclean! Unclean!"  Here are a few such packages which i've encountered lately:

• Skype - its total unpredictability in terms of ports and servers makes it great for people who are trying to avoid detection by oppressive regimes, and terrible for anyone trying to make it work on a corporate network behind a firewall.
• Microsoft Access - making databases subject to all the vagaries of file sharing
• FileMaker Pro - databases with all the flexibility and separation between client & server taken out
• Microsoft Publisher - closed data format makes it impossible to use its files anywhere else
• Almost everything in Mac OS X, if you're running behind an authenticating proxy server.

I'm thankful that i run Ubuntu & Debian, and have access to a huge software library of alternatives.  If you know of any viable alternatives to these products that run on Windows as well as Linux, i would love to hear about them.