Open source software provides small businesses with the ability to try and deploy enterprise-grade software without the associated enterprise licensing costs. Open source software also empowers small business by avoiding vendor lock-in and being able to access a broader market of service providers whom support the software.
There is a huge range of software available today for the small business market, including: email/collaboration software, document management, customer relationship management, Windows operating system alternatives, network security, data backup, data analysis / reporting and IP telephony just to name a few.
Moving a small business to open source software does not require radical changes. Here are a few low risk suggestions:
For more advanced steps you can:
You may require some technical support to implement these more advanced changes.
If you do try moving to Open Office, then I can highly recommend Solveig Haugland’s Blog, author of the OpenOffice.org Guidebook a great source of Open Office information, tips and tricks.
If you wish to learn more about open source software you can contact Agileware, Agilemail or for someone in your local area you can contact OSIA. OSIA is an Industry Association which exists to provide authoritive and consistent information about Open Source Software. OSIA members provide products and services based on open source software. You can contact OSIA members directly from the members list.
The Agileware office is located in Canberra, providing services locally and around the world. Talk to us today and we'll help you find a solution that works for your organisation.