12 Free Open Source Software Apps for MarCom Departments

When I took over the communications department for a small charity, I switched workstations to Ubuntu and installed free open source software equivalents of popular marketing communications software. Employees who were familiar with InDesign, PhotoShop and the Microsoft Office Suite had little problem adapting to the new FOSS setup. They also appreciated the faster performance of their workstations.

Below is a list of 12 free open source software programs that a marketing communications department can use to create high-quality, professional communications.

1. Replace Microsoft Windows with Ubuntu

Linux is a computer operating system. An operating system is the software that runs your computer, like Microsoft Windows and Apple OS X. Linux is distributed by groups who package the operating system with useful applications, much in the same way Windows comes with a calculator and notepad. Unlike Windows and OS X, Linux is free open source software.

My favorite distribution of Linux is Ubuntu. I like the Unity GUI (graphical user interface). Instead of clicking a home button and navigating through a thick, jumbled tree of programs, the Unity Dash offers much quicker access to files and programs. Simply typing a letter into the Dash returns a series of matching programs and files. It’s like having Google’s intelligent search platform for a computer interface.

Not all computers are compatible with Linux. You should research your computer hardware to make sure it will work. You can also download Ubuntu and burn a bootable DVD or USB. This is called a Live DVD or Live USB. You can reboot your computer from the bootable media and run Ubuntu without having to install it. It’s a great way to test it out.

For business use, I advise sticking with the Long-Term Support (LTS) version of Ubuntu. Canonical, the company that distributes Ubuntu, releases two updates each year. Some features in the “between-LTS” releases could cause problems with some hardware configurations. It’s best to stick with what works in the workplace.

You can install the following programs through Ubuntu’s Software Center application that Canonical packages with the distribution. Larger companies can manage its multitude of desktops through Canonical’s fee-based Landscape service.

Did I mention that computers run much faster with Ubuntu? I’ve seen Windows computers that crawled become snappy after wiping Windows and installing Ubuntu. So, if you have an older or slower computer that doesn’t seem to run Windows without a lot of drag, try Ubuntu. It will amaze you.

2. Replace Adobe InDesign with Scribus

I love InDesign. It’s easy to use, has an intuitive interface and produces great final products. It also costs several hundred dollars — not to mention the ongoing expense of keeping it updated. For small companies on a tight budget, Scribus can perform the same designs and render professional, printer-ready PDF artwork.

InDesign has a few feature advantages over Scribus. For example, Scribus does not have a bulleted or numbered list feature. However, like most free open source software applications, Scribus has an online support community to help you find workarounds. Once you’re familiar with the interface, features and capabilities of Scribus, I think you’ll find that your print shop staff won’t know the difference.

Scribus is available for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.

3. Replace Adobe PhotoShop with GIMP

PhotoShop is a powerful program. The latest release had incredibly impressive features, such as its Content-Aware functions. But if you just need to edit images with a program that supports layers and doesn’t cost hundreds of dollars, GIMP is your free open source software application. That’s not to say that GIMP isn’t a powerful program. It has plenty of powerful features and lots of online tutorials to help you accomplish just about any photo editing task.

After you install GIMP, open a photo and play around with the filters. You can also extend the program’s functionality with plugins. Browse the features list and GIMP Plugin Registry to get an idea of what GIMP can do.

GIMP is available for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.

4. Replace Adobe Illustrator with InkScape

I’m not an illustrator or an artist. I haven’t used Adobe Illustrator as often as I’ve used InDesign. However, I’ve used InkScape to edit vector files and found it easy to use. I would love to hear impressions about InkScape from illustrators or digital artists in the comments.

InkScape is available for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.

5. Replace Microsoft Office with LibreOffice

Hardcore Microsoft Office users may cringe at the thought of using another office suite. The interface for Word, Excel and PowerPoint seems to be burned into their psyche. However, migrating to a free open source software alternative can save your organization from burning through its budget and offer faster-running applications.

LibreOffice is a community developed project of The Document Foundation. The office suite includes a document writer, spreadsheet application, database front-end, multimedia slideshow presentation creator, a drawing program and a math equation editor.  Like all of these applications, it’s free open source software.

As a writer, I mostly use Writer (the equivalent to Microsoft Word) and Calc (the equivalent to Microsoft Excel). I’ve only run into one feature that needs improving: mail merge. It’s much easier to perform mail merges with Microsoft Word. I anticipate that the community of developers will improve LibreOffice’s mail merge feature. Mail merge will need to run more smoothly before LibreOffice can earn adoption into office environments that need this feature.

LibreOffice is available for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.

6. Replace Outlook with Thunderbird

Unless you’re running a Microsoft Exchange Server, Outlook is overkill for your email needs. Its inefficient management of data files causes the program to run slower as your inbox grows larger. This slowdown can also impact the overall speed of your computer.

I love Thunderbird because it’s fast and has everything you need in an email client. You can install add-ons to extend its features. The first add-on I recommend is the Lightning calendar add-on. I also like Thunderbird’s search feature much better than Outlook’s.

Email is a big deal. You don’t want to lose anything when migrating to Thunderbird. You can find several online how-to guides for migrating from Outlook to Thunderbird. My preferred method is to install Thunderbird on Windows before installing Ubuntu. This will convert all your email messages to Thunderbird format. Then backup your Thunderbird data to a USB flash drive and copy your Thunderbird profile to the fresh Ubuntu installation after installing the application. You’ll need to import your contacts. So, don’t forget to save them in a CSV file.

Thunderbird is available for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. (check OS X)

6 More Free Open Source Software Applications for MarCom Departments

Most, but not all, of the following applications qualify as free open source software.

1. Firefox replacing Internet Explorer is not unique to Linux, but it’s worth mentioning. Chromium is an open source version of Google’s Chrome browser. I must confess that I prefer Google’s official Chrome browser for Ubuntu.
    
2. If you use VOIP (voice over IP phone service), Linphone is a VOIP client for Linux. You can make and receive calls from your computer — no need for clunky phones.
    
3. Remote computing is becoming common in the modern workplace. I telecommuted for four years in one of my previous jobs. On Ubuntu systems, you can work from home using Virtual Network Computing clients like RealVNC or NoMachine.
    
4. Some tech-savvy MarCom pros are involved with website development. Filezilla is a great file transfer protocol client for replacing commercial clients like SmartFTP.
    
5. DropBox for Ubuntu works great for saving files to the cloud and sharing files with coworkers. If you want a free open source software solution, point your IT team to OwnCloud.
    
6. Linux currently lacks an advanced FOSS video editing application. OpenShot, however, is great for basic video editing. I can’t wait for Lightworks to be ready for Linux. Lightworks is a powerful video editing program that will finally bring cinema quality video production to Linux. It’s currently in beta.

Does Your Workplace Use FOSS?

It’s becoming more common for nonprofits and small businesses to use free open source software. Millions of home users are already running Linux with FOSS applications. Government organizations, nonprofits and small businesses are saving millions by migrating from Windows to Ubuntu. I would love to hear about your experiences with FOSS at work and at home. Share your thoughts in the comments below.

The post 12 Free Open Source Software Apps for MarCom Departments appeared first on John Janney.