Popular Open Source Applications for Small Businesses

From FastUpFront.com comes an extremely useful list of Open Source applications. As the recession drags on, more and more businesses are looking at Open Source software as a way to reduce the amount they are spending on software licensing.

From the article:

Open source applications and online services have been generating a lot of buzz over the past few years. Many of the open source alternatives are formidable contenders to the major liscensed software programs and services out on the market. Depending on the nature and circumstances of your business, bringing in open source apps may be a cheaper and more practical option to shelling out hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars in liscensing fees for the commercial versions.

The list is reproduced here:

Accounting Software

TurboCASH. – A powerful fully-featured, multi-user accounting system.
GnuCash. – A personal and small business accounting software

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

SugarCRM.- Probably the most well-known, and powerful, CRM open source options. It is better suited to bigger businesses, however.

Daffodil CRM.- Full-featured CRM application

ConcourseSuite. – Formally CentricCRM, it is a “front office application suite to integrate Customer Relationship Management (CRM), web content management and team collaboration capabilities into a single, easy to user web application.”

vtiger.- Easy to use CRM software. Good option for smaller businesses.

Office Suite/Word Processing

Open Office. – Full-featured office suite, compatible with all other major office suites including MS Office

The Fifth Element.- Full-featured office suite, compatible with all other major office suites including MS Office

AbiWord.- Word processing software, easy-to-use version of MS Word.

Email

Thunderbird. – Open source, cross-platform email and news client developed by Mozilla

Pegasus Mail. – Less well-known email system, but offers plenty of features and easy-to-use format

Graphics

Photofiltre.- A full-featured image and photo editing program; a good Photoshop alternative

Paint.NET. – A solid image and photo editing program; a good Photoshop alternative

The GIMP. – the GNU Project’s excellent image manipulation program.

Blender 3D.- Richly featured 3D content creation and animation program. Check out the features and gallery section.

Point of Sale Software

Openbravo POS. – Popular Point-of-Sale application designed for a wide range of retail businesses.

NolaPro POS. – A Web-based accounting, inventory, POS, and business management suite.

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