I started falling in love with the world wide web at the age of 17, more that 10 years ago, I tried writing HTML code just for the fun of it, I still remember my first page was a lyric to a song, hosted on Lycos (it was free and easy to set-up). The most the page can do is a marque text flying across the page. I was thrilled to figured that out.
After SPM I did consider choosing IT as an option for my degree but can't seem to let go my love for life science. I end-up in Biomedical Engineering instead, where I had the chance to explore both IT and life science and I love every minutes of it.
During my degree, I chose to write website for my father's company, he had no objection since it was free labour. I didn't complaint because I wanted to learn how to write webpage. The website was pure HTML. From one page it evolve to almost 20 pages and I learnt the hard way how tedious it is to keep track of every single page, to edit a single link you had to do it almost 20 times over.
All my webpage programming ability was self taught. I attend to WWW school and had no proper programming lesson. By this stage, I wanted something simpler, which brought me to PHP scripting. Then I knew how to make all that links sit in one file and just combined them together with PHP. Life just gets easier. Then I move to SQL and database stuff. Life get simpler and simpler.
But this post is not about how to write those codes. In the 10 years of dabbling with webpage script writing, so many things have change, more and more free source software are being publish to help people manage website without having to know all the long winded scripting ability.
You can download this program, run-it and 'blink' you've got yourselves a professional looking website is seconds. Here is a list of free source software that I've used and know for a certain that they work like it said it would. This list contain free website management tool, free e-commerce solution so you can set your online shop in mere minutes, free Point of Sale (POS) system and free Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) which can save you thousands, free productivity suite and free Operation System (OS).
Free Website management tool.
Wordpress - this must be one of the most famous website tool available for free. Most use by bloggers for easy management of their blog content, with thousands of plug-in available and dedicated contributors that will help with any problems you have, it is certainly one of the few free tools that had revolutionize how a person can mange a website.
Joomla - I've came across people who want static page website, especially small-medium enterprises that use Wordpress as their content management tool. Which is not wrong if you constantly want to update news and stuff but there are other tools you can use to manage a website with a more easy option, without having to figure out how to switch of comments, linking page and how to manage the static page to look exactly like you wanted it which it quite hard to do with Wordpress.
If you know how to upload Wordpress that Joomla is just the same, only it will allow you more freedom with your content. If you want a static page like normal a company website, Joomla is the tool for you.
The training/ tutorial can be easily available from the web or Youtube for free. You can try to watch on of it here.
Drupal - Drupal is another Content Management System similar to Joomla, I've used both and frankly speaking, I like the feel of Drupal more than Joomla. (maybe it's just me, for me Joomla feels like a heavyweight compared to Drupal.)
Wix.com - first of all Wix.com is not a content management tool, it is an online Flash creator that can be use for free, you can create a stunning looking flash website in minutes without having to know all the scripting details. It is WYSIWYG editor. Basically you can login and start creating in seconds.
I used this site to create a motel site for a client, one of the reason is to enable them to change to content themselves easily. You can check the website here.
Free Open Source Productivity Suite:
OpenOffice.org - while trying to figure out how to use a cheap productivity suite for the company, I came across OpenOffice. This productivity suite was set to rival Microsoft Office and it did. Hadn't any complaint so far.
Ubuntu Linux - You can save up to RM1000 if you buy a computer with open operation system and one of the operation system available is Ubuntu Linux. Open Operation System has come a long way since Unix started, nowadays free operation system can perform just as good or better than a paid one.
Free Website management tool.
Openbravos Pos - This is a very useful tool if you have a store and wanted to use POS system but get a bit worried about the price. A normal POS system (hardware + software) can cost up to RM8000 in Malaysia. For a small SME this cost can cover a lot more that just a POS system.
I bought a normal PC costing about RM 1,700 and add to it hardware like receipt printer, barcode scanner and cash drawer. With the software being completely free the total cost for my POS system in only RM 2500.
All you need is to install Java runtime and the Openbravos POS installer and your are a step closer to your own POS sytem.
Openbravo ERP - It is a web-base open enterprise resource planning tool. Running a corporation can be tedious but having a software that allows you to run it really helps a lot. The intallation is a bit tricky, so not many people might understand how it works but there are a lot of articles written on how to install Openbravo and the support community is very helpful.
Free E-Commerce Solution
Oscommerce - ever wanted to set you own shop online but find it hard or just costly. Oscommerce is one of the free e-commerce solution tools that is available completely for free. There are add- on modules that are constantly being published to carter you need. Malaysia have quite a few module specifically published to for online shop owner like Maybank2u payment module, Poslaju rate counter and also local zone module.
Zen Cart - Zen cart is another free online shop tool, it is easily manage and just like Oscommerce have hundreds of add-ons that can be use.
AgoraCart - This is another free e-commerce site solution. I've tried using AgoraCart before but really liking the feel, but maybe for some this is their best solution. There are an option for Gold membership for more functions and productivity so some might say it is not completely free of charge.
P/s: I will try to list other free solution here, if you have other great free tools, solutions or software please tell me so I can list it down.
A new model of intellectual property management for Linux must be established to maintain advances in software innovation -- regardless of the size or type of business or organization. - Open Source quotes
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