[olug] Open Source and Linux for Small Businesses

[T. J. Brumfield]

I working for a few large companies (HP, Harrahs) and a medium-sized
business (Omaha World-Herald) they have been reticent to accept any
suggestions, especially concerning OSS. Routinely they tell me they
need to cut costs, but they are terrified of free software.

However, I often do work on the side for small businesses that don't
have IT departments, and they are more willing to hear suggestions on
using OSS.

I'm trying to familiarize myself now more with some of these OSS
products I never got play with at work in hopes of implementing them
in the small business world. I'm especially interested in Zimbra,
Alfresco and Untangle. I'm curious if anyone here has some other
suggestions for software I should bone up on.

I notice almost every small business I visit uses Quickbooks, so a
Quickbooks alternative would be nice, but I don't know of any that
will import existing Quickbooks data.

I'm also curious if anyone has particular success stories or advice on
implementing OSS for small businesses.

-- T. J. Brumfield
"I'm questioning my education
Rewind and what does it show?
Could be, the truth it becomes you
I'm a seed, wondering why it grows"
-- Pearl Jam, Education