Open Your Business to Open-Source Apps??

Plan Projects for Peanuts

A lot of open-source projects are themselves loosely managed affairs, so it's no surprise that project-planning software à la Microsoft Project isn't high on many open-source developers' priority lists. Open Workbench, however, provides many of the same features as the paid app does, and it's completely free.

It began life as the product of a commercial software company, Niku, but spun off as an open-source project when Computer Associates acquired Niku in 2005. Open Workbench's various features are similar to Microsoft Project's (although CA would argue that its operating philosophy is fundamentally different). Plus, owing to its commercial origins, Open Workbench's user interface is refreshingly polished for an open-source offering.

Where it falls short is in its upgrade path: Who knows if there even is one? The most recent version dates back to 2005, proof that its development community is virtually nonexistent. Worse, Open Workbench's collaboration features function only if you buy an expensive server product from CA. Regardless, for a single user, Open Workbench is mature project-management software that gets the job done.

Instant Messaging Everywhere

Forget proprietary IM clients with their inconsistent interfaces and built-in advertising. Pidgin can keep you connected to all of the major IM networks at once, no strings attached. Though its user interface isn't the prettiest, it allows you to connect and manage accounts with AIM, ICQ, MSN, and Yahoo, among others, and you can maintain a unified buddy list for all of them at once.

Because the developers of Pidgin don't work directly with any of the big IM providers, the client occasionally has trouble connecting when the network protocols unexpectedly change, but that's rare these days. Pidgin is mature software, and corrective fixes usually appear rapidly. Plus, its plug-in architecture allows third-party developers to deliver additional features, ranging from fun eye candy to strong encryption capabilities. Pidgin runs only on Linux and Windows, but a separate project, Adium, borrows from Pidgin's code to provide the same capabilities on Mac OS X.

Small-Business Resource Management

Enterprise resource management (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) are software categories that you usually expect to be of interest only to large companies, but even small businesses can benefit from automated management of their customers and supplies. Compiere markets an open-source ERP and CRM package that has gained a respectable following among small-business owners as well as enterprises.

The program offers modules for accounting, order entry, customer management, sales-force automation, manufacturing, materials tracking, and more. Compiere is banking that its software is full-featured and complex enough that once you start using it you'll be willing to pay for full service and support. Nevertheless, the Community Edition is fully open-source and available as a free download, so if you're ready to make the leap away from spreadsheets and paper ledgers, why not take it for a spin?

Manage Your Money While You Save It

It's not Quicken, but if you have some knowledge of accounting and are looking for finance management software that won't break the bank, GnuCash may be for you. It runs on Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X, and handles accounting both for individuals and for small businesses.

Its more-advanced features include support for true double-entry accounting, as well as for small-business accounting with management of customers, vendors, and jobs. However, while GnuCash can import QIF and OFX files to allow migration from other accounting programs, it has only recently supported Windows, and the program's UI may appear spare and even confusing to people who are familiar with more user-friendly, commercial alternatives.

For example, while GnuCash allows users to create a wide variety of custom reports, doing so requires knowledge of the somewhat-unusual programming language Scheme. Ultimately, if all you want to do is balance your checkbook, this software is probably overkill. But if you have complex accounting needs, GnuCash could be the serious financial software you're looking for.