Let’s face it – there are a lot of small businesses out there who can’t afford MS Office let alone nonprofits. As software gets more expensive and the need to have the latest version grows, its’ becoming more difficult for organizations to keep up with software. The good news is – open source software is becoming more widely accepted and used every day. We are currently using Joomla! as to manage the content at GoodDogz.org and it works like a charm. There are ways to be productive and get what you need from your software without breaking the bank. Here are some resources:
- Thunderbird – Email
- Lightning – Calendaring (companion to Thunderbird)
- SugarCRM – Customer Relationship Management
- PHPList – Newsletter Manager
- Pidgin – Instant Messenger
- Audacity – Audio Editor and Recorder
- Ubuntu – Linux-Based Operating System
- DopplerRadio – Podcasting
- OpenOffice.org – Alternative to Microsoft Office
- Joomla! – Content Management System
- Drupal – Content Management System
- Plone – Content Management System
- Xoops – Content Management System
- PHPNuke – Content Management System
Resources and Communities for Open Source Users:
- Idealware.org – Candid Reviews and Information About Nonprofit Software
- Nonprofit Open Source Initiative – Bridging the Gap Between the Nonprofit and Open Source Communities
- Ohloh.net – Community for Open Source Developers
- Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology – Michelle Murrain’s Blog – Good Stuff!
- Social Source Commons – a place to share lists of software tools that you already use, gain knowledge and support, and discover new tools.
Please share any open source tools that your business or organization has used successfully!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Beth,
I would also include Firefox and WordPress (the .org) version on this list.
It’s amazing how dependent organizations have become on Microsoft. But more and more seem to be turning toward Open Source solutions. I do run Windows on my home computer but other than the operating system every program is either free or open source.
Thanks for the great list!
Thanks, Kim! Great additions to the list. I still run MS software in my home office, but as the software gets more expensive I may just move everything to open source in short order.