Pro Freeware and Open Source Solutions for Business

This book will point the way to numerous free, low-cost, and open-source software solutions that could provide viable alternatives to their paid counterparts. Pro Freeware and Open Source Solutions for Business is now in its Second Edition; it has been thoroughly revised and updated. This book covers the most up-to-date software versions. Software described in the First Edition that is no longer available has been replaced with comparable titles when possible.

The book starts with an office productivity tool known as OfficeLibre and goes on to explain CRM and compression software. You will then learn about desktop publishing, illustration, 3D modeling, and photo editing software. As we progress further, you will learn more about audio-video capture and editing software along with Openshot, an easy-to-use free video editor. You will also learn about available project planning and time tracking software, and much more. By the end of the book, you will have also gained knowledge about security programs, as well as how to use Linux on Windows and MacOS.

With the challenging economic times we find ourselves in, this book may be more important than ever to help small business owners eliminate and reduce costs, and keep more money in their business. .

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

* Understand the important differences between freeware and open-source software.
* Discern which paid commercial software the free version replaces (when applicable).
* Gain insight into how organizations and municipalities around the world adopting open-source software to save money on licensing fees.

WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR

Primarily small business owners, solo entrepreneurs or freelancers on a budget, and cost efficiency experts. PHILLIP W. WHITT is a professional digital retoucher,restoration artist, and author. . As a small business owner, he’s had a good deal of experience in seeking out and using free or inexpensive alternatives to expensive, paid software in his business (starting with his discovery of Open Office in 2009). Even now, most of his work is accomplished using free programs such as LibreOffice for document creation, GIMP or Paint.NET for editing images, and Inkscape for vector drawing. Mr. Whitt has authored several books pertaining to image editing using free software for Apress Publishing. He’s also produced several video tutorials for Apress as well.

CHAPTER 1: OFFICE PRODUCTIVITY, NOTE TAKING, ACCOUNTING, AND PDF CREATION

LIBREOFFICE: THE POWERFUL FREE OFFICE SUITE

LibreOffice Modules

Writer

Calc

Impress

Base

Draw

LibreOffice Support

GOOGLE DOCS: CREATE DOCUMENTS AND COLLABORATE ONLINE

Google Docs

Google Sheets

Google Slides

Google Forms

More

Google Docs Support

GOOGLE KEEP: CREATE, SYNC, AND SHARE NOTES

Feature Highlights

Google Keep Support

ZIM: OPEN-SOURCE NOTE TAKING

Feature Highlights

Zim Support

GNUCASH: OPEN-SOURCE ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE

Feature Highlights

GnuCash Support

MANAGER: FREE SMALL BUSINESS ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE

Feature Highlights

Manager Support

PDF REDIRECT: BASIC PDF CREATION FREEWARE

Feature Highlights

PDF reDirect Support

Chapter Summary

CHAPTER 2: POINT-OF-SALE, CRM, BACKUP, AND COMPRESSION SOFTWARE

IMONGO (FREE VERSION): A POINT-OF-SALE UTILITY FOR THE SMALL SHOP OR BOUTIQUE

Feature Highlights

Imonggo Support

POS/CASH REGISTER: TURN YOUR OLD PC INTO A CASH REGISTER

Feature Highlights

POS/Cash Register Support

BITRX24 (FREE OPTION): BASIC CRM FOR SMALL BUSINESS

Feature Highlights

Bitrx24 Support

FBACKUP (FREE OPTION): A FREE BASIC BACKUP UTILITY

Feature Highlights

FBackup Support

ZZIP: AN OPEN-SOURCE ALTERNATIVE TO WINZIP

Feature Highlights

7Zip Support

Chapter Summary

CHAPTER 3: DESKTOP PUBLISHING, ILLUSTRATION, PAINTING, AND 3D MODELING

GOOGLE DOCS: EASY, BASIC DESKTOP PUBLISHING

Feature Highlights

Google Docs Support

SCRIBUS: THE POWERFUL, PROFESSIONAL, OPEN-SOURCE DESKTOP PUBLISHING PROGRAM

Feature Highlights

Design Capabilities

Scribus Support

VECTR:A FREE, BASIC ON-LINE VECTOR DRAWING PROGRAM

Feature Highlights

Design Capabilities

Vectr Support

INKSCAPE: PRO-QUALITY OPEN-SOURCE VECTOR DRAWING SOFTWARE

Feature Highlights

Graphics Creation

Inkscape Support

KRITA: THE POWERFUL OPEN SOURCE DIGITAL DRAWING AND PAINTING PROGRAM

Feature Highlights

Document Creation

Brush Presets

Krita Support

FREECAD: OPEN-SOURCE PARAMETRIC 3D MODELING SOFTWARE

Feature Highlights

Drafting Capabilities

FreeCAD Support

BLENDER: THE ULTIMATE OPEN-SOURCE 3D CREATION SOFTWARE

Feature Highlights

Rendering Capabilities

Blender Support

Chapter Summary

CHAPTER 4: PHOTO EDITING SOFTWARE

PHOTOSCAPE: AN EASY-TO-USE PHOTO EDITOR FOR BEGINNERS

Feature Highlights

Tools

Filters

Objects

PhotoScape Support

PAINT.NET: BASIC IMAGE EDITING FOR WINDOWS

Feature Highlights

Editing Capabilities

Graphics Creation

Paint.NET Support

GIMP: THE PREMIER OPEN-SOURCE IMAGE EDITOR

Feature Highlights

Editing Capabilities

Graphics Creation

GIMP Support

PIXLR: WEB-BASED AND MOBILE DEVICE PHOTO EDITING

Feature Highlights

Editing Capabilities

DARKTABLE: AN OPEN-SOURCE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKFLOW PROGRAM

Feature Highlights

Editing Capabilities

darktable Support

FOTOSKETCHER: AUTOMATICALLY TURN PHOTOS INTO DIGITAL ART

Feature Highlights

Editing Capabilities

FotoSketcher Support Support

Chapter Summary

CHAPTER 5: AUDIO-VIDEO CAPTURE, CONVERSION, AND EDITING SOFTWARE

FRE:AC: (FREE AUDIO CONVERTER)AN OPEN-SOURCE AUDIO CONVERTER AND CD RIPPER

Feature Highlights

fre:ac Support

AUDACITYⓇ: A POWERFUL OPEN-SOURCE AUDIO EDITOR

Feature Highlights

Editing Capabilities

AudacityⓇ Support

MPEG STREAMCLIP: A HANDY FREE VIDEO CONVERSION TOOL

Feature Highlights

Editing Capabilities

MPEG Streamclip Support

VIRTUALDUB: OPEN-SOURCE VIDEO PROCESSING FOR WINDOWS

Feature Highlights

Editing Capabilities

VirtualDubSupport

OPENSHOT: A SIMPLE, POWERFUL FREE VIDEO EDITOR

Feature Highlights

Editing Capabilities

OpenShot Support

KDENLIVE: OPEN-SOURCE VIDEO EDITING FROM BASIC TO PRO

Feature Highlights

Editing Capabilities

Kdenlive Support

Chapter Summary

CHAPTER 6: PROJECT PLANNING, INVENTORY MANAGEMENT, AND TIME TRACKING SOFTWARE

PROJECTLIBRE AN OPEN SOURCE ALTERNATIVE TO MICROSOFT PROJECT

Feature Highlights

ProjectLibre Support

MONDAY.COM: FREE BASIC PROJECT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

Feature Highlights

monday.com Support

ABC INVENTORY: A FREE OPTION FOR SMALL AND MID-SIZED BUSINESS

Feature Highlights

ABC Inventory Support

HOMEBASE: FREE ONLINE SCHEDULING AND HR SOFTWARE

Feature Highlights

Homebase Support

Chapter Summary

CHAPTER 7: WEBSITE CREATION SOFTWARE AND WEB BROWSERS

WORDPRESS: FREE, OPEN-SOURCE TOOL AND CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Feature Highlights

Multi-Use and Multi-Blogging

WordPress Support

WIX: BUILD A BASIC SITE FOR FREE

Feature Highlights

Wix Support

AVG SECURE BROWSER:BROWSE MORE SECURELY AND PRIVATELY

Feature Highlights

FIREFOX: THE BROWSER THAT RESPECTS PRIVACY

Feature Highlights

Chapter Summary

CHAPTER 8: CONTENT MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

DRUPAL: AN OPEN-SOURCE, COMMUNITY BASED ALTERNATIVE

Feature Highlights

Drupal Support

CONCRETECMS (FORMERLY CONCRETE5): AN OPEN SOURCE CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Feature Highlights Concrete CMS Support

GETSIMPLE CMS: A SIMPLE, OPEN-SOURCE CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Feature Highlights GetSimple CMS Support

Chapter Summary

CHAPTER 9: SECURITY PROGRAMS

ADVANCED IP SCANNER: FREE SCANNER FOR IP ADDRESSES

Feature Highlights Advanced IP Scanner Support

KEEPASS: A FREE AND OPEN-SOURCE PASSWORD MANAGER

Feature Highlights

Keepass Support

TCPDUMP: A POWERFUL COMMAND LINE PACKET ANALYZER

Feature Highlights

tcpdump Support

AVIRA: POWERFUL, FREE ANTIVIRUS PROTECTION FOR PERSONAL PCS AND MACS

Feature Highlights

Avira Support

CLAMAV: AN OPEN-SOURCE CROSS PLATFORM ANTI-VIRUS PROGRAM

Feature Highlights

ClamAV Support

SIGNAL (FORMERLY OPEN WHISPER SYSTEMS): OPEN-SOURCE SECURITY FOR MOBILE DEVICES

Feature Highlights

Signal Support

Chapter Summary

CHAPTER 10: LINUX: THE FREE ALTERNATIVE TO WINDOWS AND MAC OS

What is Linux?

A Brief History of Linux

The Advantages of Using Linux

UBUNTU: POWERING MILLIONS OF LAPTOP AND DESKTOP COMPUTERS AROUND THE WORLD

Ease of Use

Ubuntu Dashboard and Desktop

Downloading and Installing Ubuntu

Ubuntu Software and Software Center

Running Windows Applications on WINE

Security

Accessory Compatibility

Ubuntu Support

ZORIN OS: ESPECIALLY FOR NEWCOMERS TO LINUX

The Look Changer

Downloading and Installing Zorin OS

Zorin OS Support

LINUX MINT: A MODERN, ELEGANT OPERATING SYSTEM

Downloading and Installing Linux Mint

Linux Mint Support

Chapter Summary