Building a business on open source software. A collab series with @IBRACORP!

This is an intro video to discuss quickly a new series that the @IBRACORP channel and my channel will be collaborating on. We may even have a few other channels chime in from time to time as well.
We have been thinking about what it really takes to build a business completely on and around open source software. So, that's what we are going to do.
Each month, the @IBRACORP channel and I will take a piece of software we think would be needed and useful to a business. We will give you the instructions for setting it up and using it. We'll each cover a piece of "competitive" open source software, then come back together afterward to compare and contrast our options, and determine which will fit each of our business ideas the best.
What we need from all of you, is input! We'll be posting polls and asking for your input on what kind of business you're most interested in building, and after that, which software you think would be the best fit for the various tasks and needs of such a business.
You'll be helping direct us, and we'll be providing the details and insight. I'm so extremely excited about this series! I hope you will be as well!
=== Contact ===
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=== Attributions ===
Intro and Outro music provided by www.bensound.com

[@stephenanthony5923]

Your channel has become my go-to for info about self-hosted FOSS. Everything is so well organized, documented and communicated to the public for FREE. I can't overstate how hugely valuable your channel is. Thank you so much for your hard work. You are a legend!

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Wow, thank you! You are very welcome.

[@andyturner605]

@@AwesomeOpenSource I second that, I host a few websites of my own & also a few for others because I'm able to follow these vids I'm able to 1 keep prices low and 2 assure my clients they have complete privacy, most people think I'm mad for even trying to sell webspace on home based servers but I have isolated broadband and in the 2 years I've hosted my sites I've not had many issues (mostly my own doing anyway), so these tutorials are a godsend, I'm hoping to offer vps in the near future which I'm looking forward to getting into.

[@bossmbgaming]

I am working on opening an tech support buisness in the near future and I plan on using opensource for everything as much as possible, great to see you guys collaborating and working on bringing some amazing content for the viewers in the near future. I will definitely be following along on this journey with you. Keep up the excellent work! (I just may use some of these programs depending on what best fits the needs of my buisness)

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

That's awesome! Hopefully we can provide ideas for you as you grow your business.

[@TheInternalNet]

YES PLEASE!! I SUPPORT THIS MESSAGE!!!!

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Awesome!

[@techitint.9100]

Thanks Guys, I'm sure it will be a winning collaboration. I've been working with OSS since the early 90s and still doing it, I think it just gets better year after year.

[@kristopherleslie8343]

Open source or closed don’t matter 🤷🏽‍♂️ all that matters is who delivers and provided a good product and support and service 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

I agree, open source continues to get better all the time. I think the key thing is getting people to understand that free is great, but it needs to be more about freedom.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

I partially agree, at the end of the day if closed source does something for you that open source doesn't, then it may be the right option at that time. What I hope to gain from this is to encourage people to see that open source can solve most if not all of the same issues, provide them a solid foundation for running a business, and thus boost the open source economy. Closed source often gets specific features because it's being paid for. Not just because there is money coming in, but because the expectation is higher in many regards that because you paid for it, you expect more back. You can have the same expectation from open source, if you pay for it of course. We just haven't set that expectation properly in many cases.

[@kristopherleslie8343]

@@AwesomeOpenSource yea the source type doesn’t always matter. Some people wear it like a badge lol. If whatever your using is a line of business app, then people expect support. Provide support and that ends the debate is what works lol and what’s a hobby 😆

[@kristopherleslie8343]

Looking forward to this!

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Us too! Weve been having a ton of fun so far.

[@dontaylor7808]

This is a great project, I would like to see the following. Remote management, imaging, patch management, trouble ticketing system, help-desk call center. Just to name a few

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Great suggestions! I'm sure we'll end up covering all of these plus many more.

[@IBRACORP]

Can't wait to kick off mate!

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

So excited to get this going!

[@danielsonuk7171]

yeah, i think you've hit the nail on the head, @ the right time. Malletts Malllet

[@cheebadigga4092]

Thanks for this series! Absolutely fantastic content!!

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

My pleasure!

[@TonyBleak]

Perfect, Thanks. I've been a follower of your channel for a while so as my "side jobs" has recently turned into a full time thing this is great. I was watching the ERPNext video but it has changed a little since you posted it. I'll be standing by waiting.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

It's on my list of options for ERP for sure.

[@tidloc]

this sounds very interesting! my input would be - you might notice, I come more from the security part: - freeipa as central library service, can be used with all the following services, I think I connected it to all of them at least - gitlab, if developer - jitsi, as video conferencing - nextcloud, for file sharing - phpipam, as ip management tool - redmine, as ticketing tool - synapse, as secure chat - xwiki, as knowledge management system need to look into crater if I would recommend it too, so not writing it down yet. It looks decent in your video, but didn't have a chance to play with it myself :D

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

I have these all to my list as options to potentially cover.

[@warricksmythevideo]

So relevant for me right now. Thank you guys.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Our pleasure, and hope you'll get a lot out of it.

[@carmp3fan]

I am working on doing this now, not only to run my own business but to enable other small businesses by hosting these services.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

That's awesome! make sure to check out my more recent series (still ongoing) with Build an MSP on Open Source!. It's applicable to a lot of business in many cases!

[@mattwood3157]

i've been trying this at the moment but uptake is slow :(

[@mattwood3157]

I joined a start-up company that had next to no money spare as it was all earmarked for production of the product. I sourced a refurbished Dell Server and spun up a linux server running docker and used opensource software to bring them project management tools, a HR system, Inventory Management, a website and loads more all running off the one server. Even a ticketing system. Unfortunately I parted ways due to funding issues caused by product production issues/delays but I continued to consult back and maintain the server where required. This made me want to branch off and start up my own company that offers the same service to a wider audience. It would be great to help companies just starting up with a low budget. But finding it hard to get anyone interested... Maybe it's the lack of knowledge around Open Source Software? I've tried my best on my website to explain it all and to showcase and share my recommended opensource software. Would be interested to hear other peoples experiences

[@d3xio]

Well done guys, I admit this idea sounds quite interesting. My suggestion would be Dolibarr, I think it is a great piece of software that has tons of potential, and also Proxmox would be interesting to see.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

We can put these on the list o foptions for sure.

[@nirmalbalani6126]

Erpnext is a superb alternative

[@NoName-zm6xs]

Great video series idea. I’m fairly certain I will be watching all of the videos you both produce for this series. I have some suggestions for you to consider. However, for fear of this comment getting too long (and to keep things a little more organized), I’m going to reply to this comment with each of my suggestions individually. So if you see this comment on your comments feed, be sure to come find this comment on episode 0 of your building a business with open source software series and read all of my suggestions/replies.

[@NoName-zm6xs]

My first suggestion would be to take into consideration the issue of business scaling in each of your videos. Making a sole proprietorship business for a software programmer working from home alone using all open source software would be easy. But what about if you’re trying to use all open source software for a business with 10k employees working out of 100 locations spread across 10 different countries? How would you manage to pull that off using all open source? Yeah, that’s my first suggestion. Maybe talk about business scaling in each video or have one or multiple videos about it. Or maybe after you’ve gotten the series to a point where your business is set up, you could start making videos with an emphasis on scaling your business.

[@NoName-zm6xs]

My second suggestion is to have one of the videos talking about different architectures for the businesses IT resources. Should you build a powerhouse server and stick it in a data center somewhere and have that server hosting everything for your business? Should you pay for a service (such as linode) to host everything for you? Would it be a good idea to pay for vendors and ditch the open source/ self hosting for certain things? Should you have a mix? Yeah, that’s my second suggestion. Talk about the pros and cons of different architectures/setups.

[@NoName-zm6xs]

My third suggestion is to talk about whether using self hosting / open source for services requiring 99.9% uptime is a good idea or not out of its even feasible for businesses of different sizes. Examples of the services I’m talking about here are the email host and the phone host, to name a couple. I’m trying to get my consulting business setup using as much free/open source software as possible but i can’t shake the fear that if these things go down for any reason whatsoever and an important client coincidentally sends important correspondence during the downtime, it could spell disaster. Also, what about how long will it take to notice the service went down? Yeah, that’s my third suggestion. Talk about whether you even should use open source software for certain things.

[@NoName-zm6xs]

My fourth suggestion is to talk about accounting/payroll with deeper thought than a simple “ok, here’s what open source software we’re using for accounting”. Compliance with the government is a concern with these things. While you can probably find general accounting software to use, I doubt you can find open source accounting software that keeps payroll compliance updated in real time for every different state/country. How much money do you have to withhold from paychecks in your geographical area? How much do you have to pay for unemployment insurance? Disability? Social security and Medicare? Etc. These things are different depending on where you are doing business and they also change somewhat regularly. And don’t even get me started on things like how much sales tax to charge and/or government sanctions fees when crossing state/country borders. Yeah, that’s my fourth suggestion. Talk about how you’re all open source software business is planning on handling government compliance.

[@NoName-zm6xs]

My fifth suggestion is to go deep on docker, in particular, how to containerize large/complicated applications. If you watch the KZbin video “Container Hacks and Fun Images” by Jessie Frazelle, you’ll see what I’m talking about. The issue with her video is that she just shows you this is possible but doesn’t go into detail about how to actually do it yourself. The reason why I’m suggesting this is because, if my business does need to purchase closed source software for whatever reason, but it’s software that isn’t needed very much, I’d rather buy it once and host it in a container where the employees can access it when they need it rather than having to purchase a license for each individual employee. Yeah, that’s my fifth suggestion. Go deep on docker (and kubernetes probably).

[@dexterflodstrom9975]

Thanks for another great video. Your videos are super helpful, theyre always easy to follow and really good quality.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Glad you like them!

[@spieldings]

I hope that works out for you! I tried that for 20 years, but in Germany it is close to inpossible to establish. Yes some really made it work, but I was not able to do that! Best of Business for you!

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

It's definitely hard, and there is a ton of competition, as I'm sure you now my friend.

[@DevilDriver665]

Great video but 480p only?

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Mine shows up in HD, not sure why you get 480p only.

[@gragnaktube]

@@AwesomeOpenSource This video shows 480p maximum here as well.

[@servinetit5756]

Epic! I gotta say I love this idea. 🐧 I already use open source software for servers, automation, business processes, & webdev but this is taking it to a whole new level.

[@xerr0n]

can you mention a few thigs you use?

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Definitely let us know what you're using today.

[@servinetit5756]

@@AwesomeOpenSource Sure thing. I use many open source software. Webmin, CSF, OpenVPN, Dovecot, qmail, Mailform, Exim, Roundcube, nginx, apache. squid, lighttpd More servers & Tools: Matrix - Element with own Synapse Server Gotify & ntfy push notifications Apache Fineract - Open Banking API Mifosx Warpgate Hapttic Statping-ng Rocket.chat Syncthing Turtl Dashy Kubectl OpenGIS / OpenStreetmap that's all I can think of right now.. 👍

[@dimitristsoutsouras2712]

Is it going to include Active Directory as well? (Like Zential or something) ... with organizational units / users /polices rinters etc? Without that you can t even go to step 2. PS Proxmox / XCPNG for hypervisor Zential for Active Directory / DNS / NTP / DHCP Pfsense for Firewall Softether for VPN (already using it). I would say wireguard but requires teh user to have admin rights to run the client side app (weird)

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

We can look at that for sure. LDAP most likely.

[@mahaboobbasha2396]

Hy Guys, Thats really awsome. Suggession from me is - 1. Odoo ERP 2. OSTicket 3. Tactical RMM (Brian, these are very interesting products, please have a look at it)

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Will do, and thanks for some great suggestions.

[@descmba]

I think the main thing that you touched on... without really mentioning it, is collaboration itself. How would you self host a system that would allow you to do things like MS Teams to include storing files so that they can be edited by a team... simultaneously... using something like LibreOffice. One thing the last couple of years has taught me is, I never want to go back to revision control! I want one document, and that is it. If I can't have everyone in my team working on that document at the same time... then I will stick with MS Office and Teams.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Indeed, the ability to work on dos simultaneously has made teams more efficient, and indeed version control isn't always the best route. We'll see what we can find to tackle these topics.

[@yourpcmd]

I've been an MSP for over 10 years now. I use open source software, many from this channel to test things, except for the one thing I've been wanting and asking for for months, Openfire in Docker.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Already on my list to look into.

[@BrandonJohnson-yk7tb]

This is exactly what I am trying to achieve I do hope that you guys will do this from beginning stage up to the business endpoint meaning setting up a server/host and then router and DNS and to active directory maybe even with samba and really map out then needed steps that all are possible to get with all open source software all the way to finished production environment. I know that is a bit of a wish list but hey one can hope,lol. Love all the great work you guys do and love to see where you guys take this one

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

That's acutally my goal with this series. Take you from nothing, to running your business day to day on open source, step by step and bit by bit (get it... bit by bit, like in computer code...hahahaha) but seriously, this is my goal.

[@BrandonJohnson-yk7tb]

@@AwesomeOpenSource i can't wait i have already tried piecing together a library of your videos to do basically that so this will make it way easier to just go through it with you step by step thanks again for all of the great content and please keep it coming

[@HeieiX]

It all starts with your communication hub. No matter what the business, having a platform that competes with the likes of Google Workspace or Microsoft’s similar offering (Email, chat, meetings, calendar, contacts, etc.) then an open source phone system, double entry accounting software, and a way to handle e-signing of documents and contracts. It’s far from everything but it’s sort of a solid base for ANY business to get started. I dig this idea. I find myself doing this kind of research on a case by case basis (and it takes time ;D)

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Indeed. Communication within a business is key, but so is the communication with clients and other businesses. We'll definitely be tackling options for getting all of this up, running, and make it as smooth a system as we can.

[@kimcosmos]

Try ignite realtime with asterix. Being java its bad as a cloud microservice but should integrate well with a dedicated server. I like the XMPP, webRTC and SIP with shared whiteboards etc. It was designed to be an alternative to all the commercial meeting software. Clients use a browser plugin for the meeting calls. Its more comprehensive than Jitsi but doesn't have atlassian behind it

[@jayfraxtea]

Great cooperation! I'm not sure if it would be too intense, but you could do a comparison between how to run the core of business processes in Tryton vs. Flectra, both forks of what is today Odoo. I'm familiar with this family for over ten years and I use Tryton, cuz it is the most basic one while it provides the functionality I need for service- and software-based businesses. All members of the Odoo-family run on Python and PostgreSQL, have great API-functionality and are extendable in a similar way.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Very interesting. I'll take a look.

[@techiemen1654]

a very good idea, and think of EMR, PACS, DICOM, Radiology information system, Laboratory information system, and Hospital information system. There are numerous open source softwares available, but no radiology information system. Health care software has a huge market.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Let us see what we can come up with. They may fall outside of our knowledge base in the series, but if it does, I can try to find solutions separately as well.

[@MrPDC-jr5yl]

Hey Brian, is there any open source inventory and stock tracking app/software?

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

There are a few, and I have it on my list to cover some in the future.

[@warmsmells]

Reminder to highlight the business models of each individual project as well, if you're using software to generate income the developers should be compensated. Those projects with business models also tend to be more robust and include optional support contracts. "Passion projects" (in an MSP stack for example) don't usually stand the test of time, as development can simply stop, leaving you open to future vulnerabilities.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Absolutely, we want to talk about not only how you can make money in business using open source software, but definitely how the open source projects are then supported, and how each business can pay it forward to keep their software going and updated.

[@Goldcrowdnetwork]

Can this series be done on a Cloud VPS? Specifically the OPNSense?

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

I'm not sure you would want OPNSense in the cloud. I guess it depends on what you're trying to do with it, but it's a Firewall first and foremost, so depending on your cloud provider, they may offer a firewall already (liek Digital Ocean).

[@zadekeys2194]

Another idea: Ansible Playbook to deploy a Mikrotik with X features, focusing on security, and containers.. Specifically UptimeKuma or TinyCheck. UptimeKuma on a router seems like a logical step, provided you don't have a pi,spare pc,cloud setup / don't want to add any of that to the setup. That said I do prefer to use PFSense as the router+firewall+DHCP+local DNS etc etc and essentially use the Mikrotik's as a semi-smart AP + switch. If you can find models with High manual WLAN Tx/Rx then you can get some real impressive range, even through bricks/concrete. Obv this is not ideal buuut it's fun to plan with. :)

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Let me see what we can come up with. Great ideas!

[@jonathanmoss2624]

This is a cool project to look into, recently I have been trying to find an open source payroll software that also supports biometric systems eg. thumb scanners. So far I haven’t found any great ones. But I would love to see all the open sources solutions everyone can share and will also be a good opportunity to support good projects.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Can you tell me more? Why the need for biometrics?

[@jonathanmoss2624]

@@AwesomeOpenSource It is for time tracking / clocking in and out. So when employees arrive at work, they scan themselves in via thumb, face tag, card or whatever method the company wants to use. Then that data is added to the payroll system so that the company pays the correct wage and overtime. Odoo has a module / plugin called “open HRMS” that apparently can do this. But I couldn’t get the plug-in to work. Odoo v15 just kept giving me issues with database tables missing and wouldn’t load the plug-in. But personally it would be better to have a stand alone application that could do it instead.

[@MichaelSharpTechniSmart]

I would like to build a secondary DNS for ourselves but then make it available to the open source community. Tools for advertising and marketing to cover costs and maybe even profit. What do you guys think?

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

We'll see what we can fit in.

[@eniggma9353]

I might steal your series and adapt it to a foregin market, what creds would you like sir? just being open here. Of course i mean as inspiration and not a 1:1 copy :) let me know.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Nothing to steal. It's all about being open, so feel free to spread the word my friend.

[@usmcnomad]

Infosec consulting: in addition to project/engagement management and communication w/ clients, tools for consistent, repeatable development of deliverables/reports, pen testing/vulnerability scanning & assessment/adversary emulation/purple team/etc. (especially remotely accessing an appliance, VM, or instance in the client's environment whether on-prem, colo, or cloud), risk assessments, controls-based assessments, etc. Would also be very interested to see a video/series on using OpenCTI, n8n, baserow, and other tools (like OpenVAS/OpenSCAP, ScoutSuite, ZAP, BurpSuite, Heimdall2, etc.) to create HTML reports based on identified vulnerabilities and contextualized threat intelligence. May be a good chance to discuss how this could apply to our home environments as well.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Some of these may fall outside of our expertise, but I have taken them down as notes and things to keep in mind for sure.

[@vijeyparthasarathy]

Good 1..project management system 2. Ansible playback for Docker with wordpress mysql phpmyadmin installation

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Suggestions added, and thank you for posting them.

[@danielsonuk7171]

Impressed, II think the time is now for an Open solution to SOHO. I'm trying to establish a true SHOT - Small Hybrid Office Tech

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Very nice!

[@SinisterSpatula]

I'm interested

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Stick with us, it's going to get Awesome!

[@josemarialabarta]

Two good applications OnlyOffice Workspace and FacturaScripts (this is Spanish) version with Docker

[@kristopherleslie8343]

I personally don’t even think an office software is even needed 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Excellent, thanks for the thoughts.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

I think most modern business have need to make documents for internal use, and external sharing to clients, not to mention you'll almost surely have a client send documents to you in some office format that you'll need to open or read. Browsers can do a lot of this, but to function, it may be good to have a solid officer option just in case.

[@kristopherleslie8343]

@@AwesomeOpenSource honestly it just depends. Most things people are doing most likely should be in app or database.

[@MisterOA]

I'd like to see the open source way to achieve what things like Active Directory/GPO allow you to achieve.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

I have it in my notes already.

[@WackyEagle]

I wouldbe interested in project/task management tools, tools like cattr that assist in managing off shore team, and billing something beyond just invoices for selling packages. Some other areas of interest include API creation with tools like Fusio, and managing the business its self, such as a ERP.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Added to the list of things to look into. Thanks for the suggestions.

[@thulanidhlamini1347]

Building on top of portainer or similar with the best of the breed open source software like Nextcloud , Zammad Helpdesk , Mattermost/Rocketchat , Snipe Asset Management , Moodle , PostgreSQL to name a few.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Great ideas. Added to my growing list.

[@ARROWS0S]

Basic networking with PFSENSE and VLANs. A PROXMOX server for LDAP, Nextcloud, Docker. Truenas for backups...

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

On it.

[@ARROWS0S]

Excellent videos! Thank you

[@kimcosmos]

Marketing A/B testing is a business essential premium feature that is unavailable as FLOSS. Identifying wide holes like this would be a great service for developers. Shopify has OSS ruby components and mailchimp has a limited service for classifying respondents but no real FLOSS option

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Thanks for the info! This is definitely an area I'm hoping to learn more about.

[@andrewbeasley]

Sound fascinating but please please please look at it from business issues NOT technology solutions. IT is designed to support the business not be the end. Look at how the business needs to create / collaborate internally and externally (inc CRM), how it needs to control money and projects and address HR issues (from recruit, through onboard to release) You need to cover Windows integration as a significant line of business software still runs on this. User security / backup / archiving is a must and be simple for the users (also how to stop the users fiddling with settings) Once these are defined the IT support should be handled inc it's CRM needs (the dreaded helpdesk ticket) and it's reporting back to management. It would be great if you showed - How to save money, why this solution is best for the business, how the business can use it - without these I think it will become a tech review...

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Great thoughts, and super helpful. This is the goal. Not to solve an IT need, but to build a functioning business. It may be an IT based business, but IT is only part of that business, you need all of the supporting bits you note. Financial, CRM, HR, Payroll, Communication, and so much more.

[@StephenCunningham1]

Chick Filet runs on intel nucs with Kubernetes. That would make for a cool project

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

At least a tasty one!

[@toast-n-jam]

Are you going to cover making the system NIST compliant? #FingersCrossed

[@toast-n-jam]

Please make sure to cover the cybersecurity of the end system, maintenance and monitoring of that solution.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Great thoughts indeed. Thanks for this, we'll definitely want to keep that in mind all the way through I think.

[@haidars]

For msp and sme - itop (ticket, inventory and itil compliant) - ocs inventory Ng - chef or cnic

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Thanks, I'll look into these!

[@kbit8473]

this is so well planned as I am literally doing this right now. guys are amazing!

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Awesome! Glad the timing is good.

[@accordracer85]

if you need help, i do this daily in my MSP. 90% opensource

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

We may definitely reach out! Thanks for offering!

[@accordracer85]

@@AwesomeOpenSource Reach out anytime.

[@borisvokladski5844]

My idea: Create a business platform on Kasm Workspaces for self hosting cloud apps (office apps, virtual desktops etc.), IredMail for mail and calendar and Nextcloud for file storage.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

We'll be doing something similar, and if Kasm is the right fit, we may use it. You should be able to apply a lot of what we are going to cover to such a business either way.

[@stevenwinderlich2891]

Sadly everywhere i look more and more companies start using Microsoft 365, Google Cloud, AWS, SAP, Acrobat Reader and more and more Closed Source US Technology...... I got to admit though that Microsoft is working on EU customers to move their data into the EU and keep and process it there as well and you got their Purview to keep after ur data and tools that prevent you from sending out of the EU or less secure countries, it even finds sensitive data inside documents, databases and chat messages..... Also Microsoft Priva is a helpful tool as well. Heck their tools can even catch employees trying to exfiltrate data out of your organization. But yeah you have to give the opportunity for anyone to get a copy of all data they have on you per GDPR, but it can be anywhere, OneDrive SharePoint, Mails, chat messages, databases, even third party cloud solutions good luck picking that all together if youre using Open Source tools that dont interconnect with eachother. What would be interesting to see if theres any form or possibilities to manage Linux systems on a big scale like for updates, rolling out softwares, changing settings, keeping after security, compliance, hardware faults, user accounts and all of that along the lines.

[@TheLavaBlock]

Nextcloud can be very useful there

[@stevenwinderlich2891]

@@TheLavaBlock Yes but it isnt on a level of anything that Microsoft offers. Teams has realtime subtitles even with translations, integrations into other Office apps and tools, lots of extensions for business apps like SAP and the likes, documents can be viewed and edited right inside Teams. Lots of AI Features as well throughout the entire MS365 ecosystem. The Office apps can be hardware-virtualized to separate them from the OS data and user data, same for MS Edge as well. Also overall the MS365 package covers alot more things like an entire internal social platform for employees, Big data analytics, security, management, compliance, heck even a phone system is possible

[@kristopherleslie8343]

Plenty of options problem is making them accessible to IT that are trying to be modern. Technically you could use Python to do most of what your talking about with say Ansible and it would do most of everything. As far as system management.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

I love that you brought up GDPR. I work for a company in the US, and while we don't have any European customers yet, we do have Canadian, and we do have to silo off the Canadian and US back-ends for similar reasons. So, i'll do my best to keep these things in mind as we do our search and review of potential software and options.

[@Robert_s8]

Great Idea! I put together some thoughts and sent them to your email account as it was too difficult to put here and have it formatted in a halfway readable way. I am currently doing this on my own and look forward to seeing your take on this.

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

I received them. I'm getting them added to my notes stack already, so thank you.

[@redonwight]

Moodle for training staff

[@AwesomeOpenSource]

Added. Great suggestion.

[@redonwight]

@@AwesomeOpenSource thank you, for something I would want to know as a business owner is the ability to have something that alerted employees to fulfill a task (form fill evidence) at a certain time daily with evidence reporting it. Thankyou in advance if you hear of such a thing. Example being the food industry a reminder to staff to check fridge temperatures.

[@redonwight]

Added tips of Things I have learnt. Raspberry pi are business owners best friend They are great thin clients and kiosks for all kinds of things from time attendance machines to recipe calculators.