Software on a shoestring budget

Harnessing the power of freely available computer programmes and applications for your business can save you a lot of money.

So, you have bought a couple of computers and completed your office IT set-up with all the peripherals, like printers and the necessary UPS units (yes, they are necessary, even under conditions of regular power supply). You may have even splashed out on a laptop, in order to afford your business the advantage of mobile computing that everyone is talking about.

There remains one more thing to be done before you can draw a line beneath your initial IT spending. All those new, shiny computers need software - lots of it. And that does not come cheap.

The good news is that almost all the software you need for the smooth functioning of your business can be acquired (legally, of course) free of charge. All you need is an Internet connection (the faster, the better) and some hard work learning how to use you new business tools.

Operating software 

Let's start with the operating software (OS), because without it you can not as much as take a peek into your computer. If you are Linux savvy, the Ubuntu distribution comes highly recommended. The Ubuntu desktop edition is bundled with office suite, giving you most of the software tools you are likely to need.

However, for the purposes of this article we shall assume that you intend to stick with Windows - because the spread of Linux is still limited, because some hardware and software applications may not be compatible with Linux, and because those computers that you bought probably came with Windows anyway.

Antivirus software

Before you do anything else, make sure that your computers are protected from the baddies that roam the Internet. There are very reasonably priced antivirus solutions on the market, but since we are doing it on a shoestring budget, we shall opt for the free version of AntiVir,  AVAST   or AVG antivirus software. Also obligatory are Spybot Search and Destroy, Ad-Aware, and Spyware Blaster. Throw in a good firewall, like Zone Alarm, and you are equipped to soar into cyberspace!  (An important aside: do remember to regularly update all of the above, including the OS).

With your computer thus protected, download the OpenOffice suite. This suite contains word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, graphics, database, and other applications. Your Open Office will be as good as (some would add: almost, wile others would exclaim: better than) Microsoft Office. Only, do remember to save the documents created with OpenOffice in Microsoft Office format (yes, OpenOffice allows you to do that) in order to be able to share them with people who use the latter.

Accounting software

The next stop on our itinerary through the realm of free and open source software is accounting software - for what business worthy of its name can be without it! Here too, you are in luck. Quick Books has released its entry-level version at no cost. Alternatively, you may opt for open-source TurboCASH. Either will serve your business well.

Build your own website

Since a business that can not be seen on the World Wide Web can hardly be called a business, you will want to build your Internet presence. For that, turn to the open source solution called Joomla, a content management system that enables you to build your web sites and powerful online applications. The industrious Joomla community has created a host of extensions to the main programme, from e-commerce software to mass-emailing applications.

In case you already have an HTML editor and are unwilling to forsake it, but yearn for a free e-commerce or a free mass emailing solution, point your browser to osCommerce or Zen Cart for the former, and to PHP Lists for the latter.

All of the solutions discussed in the last two paragraphs - Joomla, osCommerce, Zen Cart and PHP Lists - are server-based. That means that they need to be offered to you by your Internet service provider (those are the people you would normally depend on to host your web site). You in your turn would need to connect to the Internet, log into your account, and populate the applications with your content.

If you prefer to have everything on your hard disk drive, you may opt for the open source free cross-browser WYSIWYG editor. NewsMerge is good computer-based application for sending bulk emails. It is free, but beware - any support you need from its German owners will cost you dearly, in Euros.  And of course, we must not forget the e-commerce desktop-based solution on offer from your own SME Toolkit, The ShopFactory E-Trader. With WYSIWYG, NewsMerge and The ShopFactory, you do not have to be connected to the Internet all the time to build or maintain your shop. You can work on your own computer at your own speed, and then send everything up into the cyberspace and right onto your web site.

You will need good, or at least above average images for your company's online presence. You might be able to get acceptable results using the software that came with your digital camera. However, even a little more ambitious image manipulation requires true photo editing software. A very decent choice is Paint.NET. It supports layers, unlimited undo, special effects, etc. If you are looking for something more powerful, download Gimp - but expect to spend some time learning how to use it.

Most of the programmes mentioned here do involve some studying. You may need to spend hours on the Internet looking through the documentation and searching for answers on the forums. Luckily, most open source software projects have active communities, ready to help a newbie.

And before we forget, there is one unavoidable expense connected with downloading free software: the cost of the Internet connection. Budget amply for your broadband (forget the dial-up: it is too slow, and you will end up paying a fortune). And take heart - broadband prices are set to go down in a couple of years, with the completion of the fabled undersea cables network. By then, your business will have grown strong on a diet of free and open source software. Strong enough for you to be able to show appreciation by helping new users, spreading the word, or by donating cash to the projects of your choice.

(This article is courtesy of bidorbuy.co.za. http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/ is Africa's largest online auction site and marketplace. bidorbuy is a primary or secondary sales outlet for numerous home businesses, as well as small and medium businesses in South Africa.)