Weapons of mass construction!

This world is definitely changing and people are coming to the realization sharing is after all the better  idea. Even if the governments and the corporations hate the idea of transparency which when applied in the software world turns out to be Open Source!
The Open Source community is huge! and those actively involved in it is definitely making a happier living. Maybe not billions but am sure they do have bigger and more contented smile on their face. They do become Godfathers for the average Joe.
So lets dive into few of the freely available weapons I mean softwares!

One of my favs is OpenERP! (http://www.openerp.com) An Open Source Modular ERP package! With a Huge community working day and night improving it! The best part of it is you can add just those modules that you need to run your business. Say Sales , Purchase and warehousing only !? or add HR to it too. Maybe a bit of  CRM too? How about a POS for the counter sale ? . Running on the rugged Postgres DB and with so many add on and modifications available without you getting your hands dirty with any coding! This is definitely my number one choice for most general business requirements! I would definitely take you through more of its features and why   it is  apt for small - medium scale business in UAE in the upcoming posts.

The next BIG BANGER! is Adempiere. (http://www.adempiere.com/) . Another Open Source product ! I mean truly open source. Unlike OpenERP which has a commercial version which can be bought off at various rates Adempiere is pure Open Source . There isn't a company behind it driving its development.Just pure rebels! Jedi Style! This too is quite popular in the Open Source world and is being used by many firms around the world. That's just signs of how their work matches upto the claimed size of their testicles. Again this product is well equipped with a production module and Hr management. Unlike OpenERP this is a tad more harder may it be with customization , ease of use or even looks . But hey for a free software its worth the effort and hardly lets you down. Just make sure you have a Jedi Knight under your payroll to vanquish those bugs. Its written in Java , well documented , there are functional books , developer books available. For a Java Expert this wouldn't be much of a roller coaster ride. And these boys are rolling out new features and updates very often. Like a Mobile client ! Touch Screen POS ! and many many other goodies!

I haven't forgotten the restaurant folks . You guys get FloreantPOS ! (http://floreantpos.com/) This little fellow is power packed! And open source! Documentation is fine. And this software isn't like the gaints above , can be learned by a bit of trail and error :D . But trust me your small little restaurent , cafe is in safe hands .With features like Kitchen printing , Back office support , Report generation , Multiple cashing methods , support for drive thru , dine in , take away , support for coupons and discounts this guy is packed with functionality! And it is truly opensource too! Did I forget to mention it is touchscreen?

A few others worth mentioning is LemonPos and OpenBravoPos.You could check them out too.They kick some commercial POS ass too.

All this can be self learned , customized and finally implemented by yourself! Provided your a bit of a computer geek.Really just a bit. If you don't have the time for all that and really want to just work on running your business.Thats when you call in open source enthusiast like myself and many others who would be glad to help you out!

Small - Medium Scale Business Software for the coming years

Uncertainty is looming in the air.Political , Economical instability is definitely creating chaos in decision making when it comes to your business. In this times when software to run your business is crucial and choices are plentiful its gonna take a lot of evaluation on what suits best for your business. Sometimes to people it seems an easy decision when leaders like SAP with their vast experience is providing their solution for a lumpish sum. The only obstacle is the lumpish sum.
In this time committing yourself to a huge sum of money for installation , maintenance over the entire lifetime of your business dealings is a good idea? I really doubt it. Your small business might be making the profits to cover the expense but is it cost effective? Can we do better ? Can we look for a more unconventional way to rebel across this corporate greed and do better than what these guys would have done for your business?
Like how modern rebels are defying  established norms in almost every area of our human existence , the same spirit is driving wonders when it comes to business software.
This blog is driven by that spirit to keep things as simple , cheap and practical for a normal business man in any domain may it be retail , trading , restaurant etc .Being in the UAE I would be focusing more on what is apt for this place and introduce difference ways of beating the conventional ways of doing business which definitely would be more effective and less on the pocket.
My major focus would be on OpenSource products , Web based free services , mobile technology and how to incorporate all of this to simulate or even beat the high end technology provided by the Big Brothers of business computing out there. (Eh hey get your work done risk free at the cheapest that is good enough?)
Am a young soul , I hate age old  ways of doing stuff . Oldies dont see the benefits of migrating to new ways of playing the game.If you feel what I feel keep a watch out for my posts.Or do feel free to contact me on my email. I am an implementer providing services in the UAE for SMEs.