Software Catalog Introduction
From SME Guide
This software catalog is a companion document of the FLOSS guide for small and medium enterprises prepared in the context of the FLOSSMETRICS EU project; it is based on the work of the Innov7 OpenTTT project (www.openttt.eu), that helped in the identification of needs through a large number of interviews and audits within European SMEs interested in FLOSS. Within the project we identified two main areas of interest: horizontal (expressed by companies across a wide range of industry domains, like ERP systems or security software) and vertical (specific to a single industry area, like machine maintenance). As one of the hurdles identified by SMEs in the FLOSS adoption process is the identification of suitable solution, we have collected a sample of applications in the following areas:
- infrastructural software: tools and applications for the management of system and networks, security, digital identity and provision of basic services like backups and remote computing
- ERP/CRM: business management, including specialized modules like warehouse management and production planning, and customer relationship management
- groupware: Email, groupware, calendaring and project management
- document management
- CMS: content management systems for web sites
- VoIP (voice over IP), conferencing, instant messaging
- graphics/CAD (computer aided design)
- desktop applications and platforms
- engineering and manufacturing related applications
- vertical business applications and data exchange
- e-learning applications
This catalog should be considered just a way to provide potential users initial suggestions, and in no way it can be considered exhaustive; the inclusion of a project should not be seen as a specific endorsement by the Commission or the FLOSSMETRICS and OpenTTT project. The text and images are from the respective projects whenever available, otherwise text and screenshots were prepared by the author. We welcome any addition and suggestion, both in terms of changes to existing descriptions and new additions. The preferred format is a half or full page text with one or two screenshots of sufficient resolution for the printed media; text should present actual capabilities of the software presented in its open source form (for software that is available in a FLOSS version and a commercial one) in the available version. Changes should be submitted to the author, at the email address cdaffara@conecta.it ; future versions will be released at the address http://guide.conecta.it/
