What not-for-profit organizations need to know about free software

Collaboratively authored by Dmytri Kleiner and Phillip Smith Last updated December 2004Like many curious onlookers, you're probably wondering, Are free and open-source applications really able to meet our needs? or, Are open-source systems compatible with the software that our clients, partners and colleagues are using? The honest answer is yes. In the past two years, the pace of open-source desktop development has increased dramatically, the usability of Linux has been improved, the installed base of users has increased to an estimated 18 million and many large software companiesfrom IBM to Novell to Sun—have made significant commitments to develop on, integrate with and support open-source operating systems and software. Additionally, several 'e-Riders' (organizations and individuals that support not-for-profit groups with technology) have started the process of moving their clients in the direction of free software, and many brands you experience every day, like the Government of Canada, CNN, Google and Yahoo, use open-source software to power their Web sites.If you have never heard the terms 'free software' or 'open source,' don't worry, you're not alone. If you have heard about free software and have questions about how it could support your organization's work, keep on reading