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Running a Small Business on the Linux Platform?
WinDOOR asks: "As part of a small-mid sized family business, finding a way to rid ourselves from the dependence of using Microsoft products is a very daunting challenge. I've been searching for a good Linux based ERP/CRM software that's adequate for use with about 20 or so users and that can handle light manufacturing and POS type order inputting. I've looked at Compiere, but consider the Oracle tax to be one and the same as the Microsoft tax.
We don't have the money nor expertise to design our own solutions like the big corporations that have switched sides. What packages or vendors have you had the most success with? Is Postgre or MySQL an acceptable database backend? Is there a viable replacement for MS Access yet? What language would be best to learn if I had to create my own solution? Do CS Students do this kind of work to pay the bills?"
Running a business is hard enough with moving into software development. Find off the shelf packages that meet your needs and concentrate on what you are good at.
And there is no replacement for MS Access. IT professionals rightly hate it. But if you are paying salaries, a database that is quick and easy to set up, that anyone can make forms and queries in is waht you need. BUT, move to a SQL backend as soon as is possible and just use Access as a GUI.
1000s Warcraft Gold while you sleep
I can't imagine this is the first guy to consider Compiere but be reluctant to commit to Oracle -- who do they think their likely customers are?
What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
FC3 is, admittedly, not "stable" like, say, BSD is stable. It's also not unstable like a -test branch is unstable. It's a production distro, albeit one with less-seasoned packages. Its performance for us so far has been flawless. And, more importantly, it's an OS that is known and understood by the people who will support it after I'm gone . There's a huge userbase--and knowledgebase--accessible for no cost. There's a massive collection of easily-managed packages. (And the people who will tend this db server know how to use it all.)
I openly admit there may be better options for this deployment. But remember, with a CS undergrad, you're not getting a seasoned professional. You're getting someone who, to some extent, learns the ropes as they go. I'd be willing to bet you were one yourself, one day.
Most people (detractors AND advocates) seem to miss the point of Access.
For quick and dirty solutions made by non or semi-technical people, it provides a simple, highly integrated environment covering ALL of the following areas: database management (storage), forms data entry, query building, reporting, scripting.
Access has some horrible weaknesses (the database engine is practically suicide for any important application). Equivalent and arguably superior open source solutions exist for every single piece of functionality Access provides. Therefore it is quite possible to put together a suite of tools that is far superior to Access as a whole.
However, getting each piece up and running and familiarizing yourself with it takes a certain amount of time and effort, as is especially the case with most open source software. Multiply it by everything you need to make up the whole suite, and most people will not bother unless they are professionals at creating datbase applications.
That said, if you are reasonably conversant with SQL, and don't have fancy reporting or validation needs, I think a lot of the kind of simple form entry and data retrieval tasks could be handled by Zope with the appropriate Zope extensions (products). You don't get a fancy query builder or report formatter, but on the plus side you have a three tier application that requires only a browser to operate.
Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
"Bravo to your answer. That guy reminds me of the occasional A-hole you find on the openBSD list"
Well, you both remember me how brave clueless people can manage to be.
Fedora is beta-quality software by its very mission statement. It's not only it is not meant to do the job, but it is that is your ass the one to be butted out as soon as any problem arises (migration costs in a six month window, for instance) and someone a bit more clueful than you point the "why" (out of his knowledge or out of his malice, it really doesn't matter).
All first poster can come with is "I chose Fedora Core because we are tight on budget (talking about the main database server for a company, 350US$ a year is too much money, even for a small company, even if it were the only option? are you kidding?) and the only option I can come with is RHEL and/or Windows/SQL Server".
I'll tell you a secret: Linux+PostgreSQL+PHP on a production environment? Can you spell D-E-B-I-A-N?
Oh! but our tech boys are more comfortable with RH-like Linux? OK then, what about Cent-OS or White Tiger? Heck, even Mandrake would do the trick!
"I openly admit there may be better options for this deployment. But remember, with a CS undergrad, you're not getting a seasoned professional."
Which doesn't make you less of a dumbass, it only makes you a young dumbass and as such still recoverable, and quite frankly, by the way you express yourself, you will probably become a valuable professional... on proper time. Now, the dumbass beyond salvation becomes the PHB that leaves one of her company critical assets in hands of a CS undergrad.
"I'm also a CS/Math (returning to school after 9 years in IT) student and thought that Fedora Core X would make a great OS for any small business... from the desktop to the servers"
And I think you are one of those that see nails everywhere only because all they know about is a hammer. Since you say you have 9 years experience in IT, then you probably are beyond solution too.