To allow customers to order groceries online, Jim selected the open source e-commerce software
called osCommerce (www.oscommerce.com). The osCommerce software is built with the PHP
Web scripting language and uses a MySQL database. Jim runs the software from a Linux system
with an Apache Web server.
On the office side of the business, Jim relies entirely on Fedora Linux systems. He uses OpenOffice.org
Writer for documents, GIMP and Inkscape for logos and other artwork, and GnuCash for accounting.
For Web browsing, Firefox is used. So far, there has been no need to purchase any commercial
software.
Here are some of the advantages that Jim has derived from his all??“open source business:
Community support??”The communities surrounding osCommerce and Fedora have
been very helpful. With active forums and 24-hour IRC channels, it has been easier to
get help with those projects than with any proprietary software. Also unlike proprietary
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software, participants are generally quite knowledgeable and often include the developers
of the software themselves.
Long-term security??”Jim disputes conventional wisdom that betting your business on
proprietary software is safer than relying on open source. If a software company goes out
of business, the small business could go down, too.
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