Userland

• Open source organizations Acquia (for their solutions based on Drupal) and Liferay (for their portal development framework) both featured in Gartner’s look at the digital experience platform market, per Wire19. While Adobe took the top place, Acquia was labeled a “Leader” for going beyond simple web content management and including personalization, analytics, and data management as part of their solutions.
• On the topic of web systems, TechBullion published a list of seven reasons to use WordPress for your business website. While WordPress sometimes struggles with functionally- or architecturally-complex sites, the article rightly points out ownership (if you self-host), general usability, and the high availability of support as big advantages.
• ZDNet’s list of things to consider when switching to Linux applies just as well to SMBs as it does to consumers and enthusiasts. Its first point, that Linux is easier than many think, is especially valuable from the standpoint of “upcycling” older machines to serve either desktop or server use cases.

Server Closet

• An article from The New Stack outlines the benefits of Canonical’s Ubuntu Pro, a collection of additional services that complement Long Term Support (LTS) versions of its operating system. From security updates to compliance, organizations relying on Ubuntu for their infrastructure can now get enhanced support from its publisher.
• SuSE’s Adaptable Linux Platform, based on the company’s SLE Micro modular OS, is launching with new features to enable “confidential computing” (via ITWire) This is a fairly new concept where not only a system’s storage, but also it’s running process, are encrypted. The combination of it’s stable core and new encrypted virtual machines provide users with a platform where they can focus on applications rather than infrastructure.
• To complement its virtualization platform release as covered in the Mar. 24 edition of FOSS4Biz, Proxmox has released a new version of its Backup Server product (per Storage Review). New features include support for LDAP authentication and a new dark theme.

Userland

• As reported on OpenPR, human resources developer Open HRMS has release a new FOSS payroll solution. The release cites the application’s ease of use, security, and the presence of an active community as key advantages over other (proprietary) solutions.
• A list published by Cloudwards finds OpenProject to be the top FOSS project management solution, citing the depth of its feature set. While it supports more traditional “Waterfall”-style projects, other solutions in the list like Redmine and MeisterTask also address more agile approches using Kanban.
• An article from ZDNet highlights one of the most basic enteprise computing features–network file sharing–using Fedora Linux. Creating a local server with the ability to store files is a great way to reduce dependency on third parties for cloud services. Fedora is an excellent choice to build a server to provide common SMB services like printing, VPN access, or intranet hosting.
• Linux Shout outlined the installation of NextCloud on AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux. As one of the premier FOSS collaboration platforms, instructions like these make it easy for organizations to spin up a robust, extendable collaboration platform for free.

Server Closet

• On the subject of hosting services, the Proxmox Virtual Environment (VE) version 7.4 has been released, per StorageReview. In addition to providing fine-grained control over network-attached storage services, its management of virtual machines and containers make it a great option for organizations to host their own applications.

Board Room

• For organizations new to open source, an article from The Register demonstrates the sort of conflict that can arise through its use in commercial products. The Software Freedom Conservancy, an industry watchdog that ensures companies using free software stay true to the licenses they accept by doing so, have called on John Deere to release code. It’s included here not as a cautionary tale, but rather as a point of consideration for companies hoping to build on freely-licensed software, as well as to inform those that might use those products of the rights they have.
• A piece from FEDSCOOP offers a look at how the U.S. government combines the use of proprietary and open source software. While this site is focused on “FOSS for business,” the editor’s background as a business analyst still demands finding the “best tool for the job.”

Userland

• ZDNet published a look at Zorin OS, an excellent choice for SMB Linux desktops. Specifically, the article focused on Zorin’s Windows App Support, which aims to smooth over the process of installing Windows applications on Linux. Two components that enable this are the WINE compatibility layer (which Zorin includes by default) that allows Windows apps to install and run, and the PlayOnLinux program that optimizes those installations.
• Linux has been chasing a true “release-once, run anywhere” format for a long time. While the Flatpak format exists to address this need, it’s starting to get more (and more formal) support from the FOSS community. A piece at ZDNet outlines some steps that desktop players the GNOME Foundation and KDE Foundation (arguably the two most popular desktop environments) are promoting Flatpak and its associated Flathub store as a vendor-neutral place for developers to publish their software. They point directly to the contrast with the Snap format, which is controlled by Ubuntu publisher Canonical.
• OroCommerce, mentioned in our Jan. 20th issue, landed a spot on Geneva Lunch’s list of top ecommerce systems for distribution. Oro’s focus on B2B is a natural fit for distribution companies, and the publication highlighted it’s openness and modularity in addition to functions such as order management and billing.
• Techshali published a look at Liferay, a “digital experience platform” focused on building intra-company experiences. A “portal management system,” Liferay allows companies to integrate their important tools into single view, streamlining their employees’ workflows. Naturally, it offers a Community version for download in addition to commercial support.
• Open source options Simplenote and Joplin made the list of top free note-taking apps from the South Maryland Chronicle. Simplenote’s clean interface and Joplin’s flexibility were noted for different use cases, while the syncing ability of both was also highlighted.

Server Closet

• Docker, which in addition to being a management tool is also a provider of container hosting services, is informing customers who are on their legacy Free Team plan that they must migrate. Per the article by InfoWorld, the paid plan Docker is directions these organizations to will run $300/year and up. This is something that may affect small- to medium-sized businesses as well.
• OpenSourceForU published an article of FOSS business tools, including some useful lists for SMEs such as VPNs (such as OpenVPN and Libreswan) and helpdesk solutions.

Board Room

• As reported by TechCrunch, source code platform GitHub has released guides for companies seeking to implement Open Source Program Offices, or OSPOs. While open source software has been an important pillar in the overall software landscape for some time, recent events such as the Log4J exploit have made OSPOs more popular than ever. These guides can provide useful suggestions even for smaller organizations that leverage open source even if they don’t (yet) have an OSPO.
• Analytics Insight’s guide on choosing an open source license offers a good overview of the various options available. Even if your company isn’t considering it for your own code, it’s always useful to know the terms of licenses assigned to software you may be using.

Userland

• Mattermost announced a new integration for organizations using Microsoft Teams, by way of GlobeNewswire. “Mattermost for Microsoft Teams” provides the security and data control of Mattermost to Teams users who can continue benefitting from Microsoft 365 productivity and Active Directory user management.
• Human Resources Director performed an evaluation of the Odoo ERP system from the HR perspective. The overall conclusion was that the human resources functionality of Odoo was on the basic side, a common occurance in turnkey application suites. However often times these solutions can still satisfy the 80/20 rule for small- to medium-sized businesses.
• MEDevel’s list of top open source ERP systems included both popular entries, such as YetiForceCRM, as well as lesser-known solutions like WP ERP (a full ERP system delivered as a WordPress plugin). Oddly enough, while the article does mention Odoo and ERPNext, neither of these heavyweights in FOSS ERP actually made the list.
• A effective way to save costs while bootstrapping a new business is to upcycle computers. ZDNet’s piece on installing Linux on older laptops is a way to not only repurpose capable machines that may not support the very latest OS from Microsoft, but also cutting down on e-waste in the process.

Server Closet

• BizTech Magazine ran an overview of containers for those who may have heard of Docker, but don’t yet have a grasp of how it works. In addition to describing the primary tools for container management, it also lays out the differences between containers and virtual machines.
• AlmaLinux and RockyLinux are the two heirs apparent to the title of top open source production server OS following Red Hat’s conversion of CentOS to a rolling release cycle. This article from NewsAnyway compares the two, finding them very competitive with features such as ARM processor and Secure Boot support along with timely updates.

Board Room

• This piece from InfoWorld highlights that total cost of ownership for open source may not always beat that of proprietary software. However, other benefits such as allowing engineers to focus on their core competencies should also be considered as part of overall value.

Userland

• Instructions to install OnlyOFFICE, one of your editor’s favorite FOSS solutions, are available in this article from ZDNet. OnlyOFFICE provides an on-premises system offering standard applications such as mail, calendar, contacts, tasks, notes, word processor, spreadsheet, presentations, and more. One of its major advantages is inclusion of CRM and Projects, meaning it can be a free, private, turnkey solution for service-focused SMBs.
• MakeUseOf published a comparison of Chocolatey and winget, two tools for Windows that simplify the installation and update of FOSS applications. For business users, key decision points include Chocolatey for Business’ (C4B) central management and more robust catalog versus winget, which is free and already integrated into the Windows OS.
• The open source IceHrm received the vote for best performance management in TechRepublic’s list of top free HRM solutions. Its other features include recruitment, time tracking/leave management, payroll, and training. As with many FOSS solutions, it’s available for self-hosting by following the instructions on its GitHub page.
• This article from ZDNet touches on the highlights of the 22.04.2 Long Term Support (LTS) release of Ubuntu. With conservative upgrades of key components, the update refines the Ubuntu experience while favoring stability and simplicity.
• A piece on Medevel lists many (many!) open source health applications. It covers systems such as electronic health records (EHR), picture archiving and communications systems (PACS), laboratory information systems (LIMS), and hospital management systems (HMS), and mentions notable FOSS options for each.
• While most attention (and presumably market share) has shifted to The Document Foundation’s LibreOffice, its parent project OpenOffice has issued a new maintenance release. Now part of The Apache Foundation, its blog on the release mentions availability in the Microsoft Store for some languages alongside bugfixes and miscellaneous improvements.
• Strapi, a “headless” CMS, announced its SaaS offering Strapi Cloud (by way of BusinessWire). A headless content management system brings the productivity benefits of an administration UI, page templates, and widgets, only without some the overhead and vulnerability of a traditional (database-driven) CMS.

Server Closet

• HashiCorp Vault featured in The Daily Swig’s list of enterprise secrets platforms. Its open source, self-hostable version is available from the company’s Vault Project website.

Board Room

• If you’ve heard of this “open source software” thing but aren’t quite sure what it is or, more importantly, where all this software comes from, this article from The Register is for you. In summary, companies employ many of the contributors who write code for FOSS. Perhaps more surprisingly, Red Hat (the largest pure open source software company in the world) lost out the top contributor spot to both Google and Microsoft.
• TechCrunch ran an article [$$] on turning open source into a business. From the perspective of SMB IT decision makers, it highlights how you can support the open source projects you consider in becoming formal commercial entities.

Userland

• TechRepublic provides a how-to on installing the Helpy help desk solution, which offers features including ticket management, live chat, and a self-serve knowledgebase, using Docker. Like many open source applications, it’s available as a cloud service as well as for on-prem installation.
• Over at ZDNet, they published instructions on installing OpenProject, a leading open source alternative in the project and task management domain. Our Jan. 20 edition included how to set up a calendar on OpenProject once the solution is available.
• In this list of best learning management systems (LMS) by Nasdaq, the open source Moodle project grabbed the choice for best user friendliness. The article highlighted Moodle’s modularity and its wealth of supporting features, such as discussion forums and resource sharing.
• HowToForge posted instructions on installing the Concrete5 CMS on a Debian server. While Concrete5 is less well-known that WordPress or Drupal, this PHP-based system that boasts features like inline editing and robust permissions control.
• In sadder news via The Register, Canonical (publisher of the Ubuntu distribution) announced that all official versions of the OS will stop supporting Flatpak by default. Flatpak has become a favorite standard for distribution-agnostic software packaging. Canonical offers its own alternative, Snap, which supports server applications and provides more intelligent compression on the files that comprise an application.
• PC Magazine reviewed the GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP), arguably the most venerable of FOSS graphics apps. The GIMP got a “Good” rating based on the inescapable comparisons to Adobe’s Photoshop, though it pointed out (rightly so) a somewhat dated interface.

Server Closet

• Red Hat launched a program to make subscriptions to hybrid cloud products available to partners at no cost, per Computer Weekly. Partners can select the subscriptions they need for either on-premises or cloud access, allowing them to more economically develop their own offerings using Red Hat tech.

Board Room

• In this post from Silicon Republic Dr. Colin Keogh, who founded open source project the Open Ventilator, provides a balanced view of using both open source software and hardware. While the enthusiasm of contributors to open source can be a source of tremendous value, he also points to the sometimes chaotic nature of community-driven initiatives.

Userland

• As reported by Bakersfield.com, Mattermost (a secure instant messaging and collaboration platform) has announced new integrations with GitLab. The integration of GitLab activities (such as mentions or merge requests) into Mattermost will help streamline communication channels for technical organizations.
• The 3D printing site ALL3DP published a comparison of FreeCAD and LibreCAD. Though they have significantly different uses (FreeCAD works in 3D, while LibreCAD works in 2D), the article compares some things such as usability and compatibility. A great takeaway here is that there is an open source alternative for each type of application readily available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• The Vtiger CRM showed up in Bollyinside’s list of top CRMs for small business, noting its flexibility and usability. While there are plans for subscribing to Vtiger as a service, its open source version is easily downloadable and installable as well.
• ZDNet presented an overview of KDE Neon, which pairs a stable (LTS) Ubuntu base with the latest stable releases of the KDE Plasma desktop. KDE Neon is the author’s preferred daily driver, as it brings both the stability of long-term support for the underlying system and the best and brightest of new (but still stable) desktop goodness.

Server Closet

• Open source voice assistant developer Mycroft.ai has announced that it will not be able to deliver its Mark II smart speaker to some of its Kickstarter backers, per Opensourceforu. Furthermore, the project is in danger of shutting down. Consumer device aside, this means the market might also lose active development on the open source Mycroft software component. Mycroft can be and is used by other solutions (such as the KDE Project’s recently launched Plasma Big Screen television interface) to provide a voice assistant function that also respects users’ privacy.
• Canonical released a real-time version of the Linux kernel for the 22.04 Long-Term Support (LTS) version of its Ubuntu operating system, per TechRepublic. This is an important update for companies involved in extremely time-sensitive applications such as financial trading, telecom, and robotics.
• Once Red Hat acquired the CentOS server OS and switched it from stable to rolling releases, competitors AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux quickly came forward to fill the gap for an independent alternative compatible Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). UbuntuPIT published an extensive comparison of the two platforms for those looking to migrate away.
• Opensourceforu provided a thorough rundown of Podman, an alternative to Docker for managing and running containers. Although it’s designed to be a “drop-in” replacement for Docker down to the command level, as the default for Red Hat and its adjacent distributions, it’s good for business users to know its ins and outs.

Board Room

• ComputerWeekly.com interviewed Per Poug, the open source lead at Spotify, who elaborated some of the pros and cons of using open source software for businesses. Key advantages such as eliminating vendor lock-in, filling capability gaps, and collaborating with the community, must be weighed against the less stable nature of volunteer projects and the effort required to manage the open source software supply chain.