Open Source Software
Over time I hope to gather a selection of articles and links to help inform you about Free/Open Source software, and will eventually become a wiki providing library of useful information and guides. If you would like to know about Open Source software that will perform a certain task, or have found some you would like advice about using, please email me and I will be happy to give some recommendations or do some research for you.
The Free Software Foundation An organisation that promotes the use of free software.
Ubuntu Linux Complete desktop operating system, free download and can be run off a CD/DVD.
Firefox Cross platform browser, very fast and secure.
Kubuntu Ubuntu variant based on the KDE Desktop Environment, has various pros and cons compared to Ubuntu.
UbuntuStudio Variation of Ubuntu for media creation, has a suite of applications for image, video and audio creation/editing.
Useful applications
All the projects listed below are all free to use, most can be run on Linux and Windows systems. An excellent way to get started with them is to re-use an old computer, install the server version of Ubuntu on it. No licence fees, no time limited trial - just software to use for whatever you want.
Dokuwiki A powerful Wiki (like Wikipedia), perfect for making your own information sites, highly customisable and can be configured for public and private sites. I use this to record configs, procedures and anything I want to put into a central document store.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) can be many things, but commonly provide ways to retain and manage customer data, some include stock control, quotes, invoicing, marketing etc. Those listed above can be run on systems using entirely free software, whether your own or a host.
Drupal CMS project (Content Management Systems) Essentially a website with built in administration and content creation, allowing you to create a website with many advanced features without any need for coding knowledge. Despite its large array of features it is easy to use, and can be run on server using free software or a web host.