| If you are a building a website or a forum, chances | | | | modify it accordingly to give it your own look. The |
| are you are using a web editor or paying for | | | | best ones are CSS derived and web standard |
| message board services. The costs of using these | | | | compliant.3. Web Browsers Internet Explorer isn't the |
| "out of the box" products can add up, especially if | | | | only name in town when talking about web browsers. |
| you are trying to grow your business. Let's look at | | | | Yes, they are dominant, but so many web savvy |
| some good "open source" options for you to | | | | folks have tired of Microsoft's dominance and are |
| consider. You may be surprised at how much money | | | | switching to Netscape, Firefox, Opera, and Safari to |
| open source can save you.What is open source? The | | | | name a few.4. Email Client Thunderbird is the name of |
| webopedia describes it as follows: | | | | another project developed by the people who |
| Generically, open source refers to a program in | | | | brought to you Firefox. With Thunderbird you can |
| which the source code is available to the general | | | | send and receive email, stop SPAM, and add plugins |
| public for use and/or modification from its original | | | | to design the program the way you want it to look.5. |
| design free of charge, i.e., open. Open source code is | | | | Office Software MS Office rules as WordPerfect |
| typically created as a collaborative effort in which | | | | barely hangs on. Still, there are options to these two |
| programmers improve upon the code and share the | | | | productivity suites in the form of OpenOffice.org. A |
| changes within the community. Open source sprouted | | | | big freebie associated with this site is the *pdf |
| in the technological community as a response to | | | | maker, saving you lots of money over purchasing |
| proprietary software owned by corporations.Not all | | | | Adobe Acrobat. Certainly OpenOffice isn't as snazzy |
| open source programs are worth downloading, but | | | | as MS Office, but for the price -- F-R-E-E -- it is |
| there are a few that merit further attention, | | | | worth a look.Are all open source products great? No, |
| including:1. PHP Originally called Personal Home Page, | | | | absolutely not. Some proprietary software developed |
| PHP is the backbone of many message boards. Yes, | | | | by corporations are far superior and worth it to you |
| you can use proprietary software such as vBulletin, | | | | if you do not have the time or inclination to make a |
| but you will pay a licensing fee and fees for updates. | | | | move to open source. Still, open source provides a |
| For one site, the cost may not be prohibitive, but if | | | | wonderful alternative to cash strapped and Microsoft |
| you run several sites your costs can easily become a | | | | weary web developers. In a day when corporations |
| significant part of your budget. Search the internet | | | | throw their considerable influence around, it is nice to |
| for a free PHP provider such as PHPBB2.2. Web | | | | see developers donating their talents to the |
| Templates Finding decent templates does not have | | | | worldwide web. Become a part of the growing open |
| to cost you dearly. There are sites offering some | | | | source movement today!Matt Keegan is an article |
| very well made templates that would cost you as | | | | writer and web designer who enjoys using various |
| much as $100 if purchased separately. Naturally, | | | | open source programs. Please visit The Article Writer |
| "everyone" downloads the copies, but you can | | | | at for samples of some of his work. |