Essential Open Source Apps Every Small Business Needs

Switching to open source applications can offer numerous advantages for small businesses. These apps are usually more stable, cost-effective, and have a supportive community that can help out. Here are three open source tools you should consider for your small business.

First up is Firefox, a browser that I’ve been using since it was called Firebird. Although I briefly switched to Chromium, I’m back with Firefox due to its easy-to-tweak privacy settings, vast range of plugins, and cross-platform compatibility. Whether I’m using Linux (my go-to OS), Windows, or my Android phone, Firefox fits right in. There’s also a Mac version, but I usually stick to Safari on my iPad, which I got through my local school board.

You can download Firefox for free from Mozilla.org. To enhance your experience, try the Echofon plugin if you’re active on Twitter and the Cookie Whitelist plugin for better control over cookies. The latter lets you accept cookies only from sites you trust, making it easier to manage.

One common issue might be with vendor websites and online tools that only function in Internet Explorer. If your vendor doesn’t make their application compatible across platforms, consider urging them to do so. Applications that are exclusive to IE and Windows could pose security risks by making calls to your operating system. Additionally, such exclusivity renders these tools useless on most mobile devices, excluding a large portion of users.

Next, let’s talk about office applications. OpenOffice and LibreOffice are two strong contenders here. Although LibreOffice was formed by developers who left OpenOffice, both can effectively open most Microsoft Office documents, though heavy use of macros might cause some issues. If a spreadsheet becomes too complex, I recommend transitioning to a database application like MySQL or PostgreSQL, often run through a browser-based app like Firefox.

One standout feature of these office suites is the “export to PDF” button, providing an instant PDF file, perfect for emailing.

Lastly, there’s Thunderbird by Mozilla, an excellent alternative to Outlook which also comes with calendar capabilities if needed. I had no trouble syncing it with a Google calendar until I switched to using an iPad provided by the school board. Thunderbird has been my go-to email client since its release, and almost everyone at my current workplace uses it. My preferred setup involves IMAP servers, allowing me to view emails (both received and sent) on multiple devices seamlessly.