196 Informatica Economică vol. 15, no. 1/2011

Open Source Approach to Tools

Romeo MARGEA, Camelia MARGEA, West University of Timisoara, Romania Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, [email protected], [email protected]

Managing large projects involving different groups of people and complex tasks can be challenging. The solution is to use Project management software, which allows a more efficient management of projects. However, famous project management systems can be costly and may require expensive custom servers. Even if is not as complex as , is noteworthy to think that not all projects need all the features, amenities and power of such systems. There are free and open source software alternatives that meet the needs of most projects, and that allow Web access based on different platforms and locations. A starting stage in adopting an OSS in-house is finding and identifying existing open source solution. In this paper we present an overview of Open Source Project Management Software (OSPMS) based on articles, reviews, books and developers’ web sites, about those that seem to be the most popular software in this category. Keywords: Project Management Software, Microsoft Project alternatives, Open Source Project Management Software

Introduction you are faced with many tasks, each with its 1 For some decades past the project own deadline for completion. PM requires management (PM) detached from standard the manager to be on alert all the time. management disciplines and has evolved into Essentially, PM can be defined as the art and an independent one. The need for PM science of managing everything related to a emerged as the economic situation has project (duties, team members, deadlines for become relatively stable. In a state of completion etc.).When all aspects are transition PM cannot be applied so involved into a project without causing any successfully, unstable environment giving rupture, we can say that the project is a not a good forecast, as a consequence, risks successful one. may appear here. Entities who are funding a project are According to the DEX, definition of the keeping in sight four functions - scope, project is: a plan to take, to do something; quality, time and cost. These functions intention; the first drawing or first ideas become constraints wherewith the project about something that is to be made or to be manager is operating. There are also two put into execution. Although, current practice entities involved: stakeholders, who have identifies the project itself with the work to direct stakes in the project, and constituents, be completed according to business which are affected by the impact of the requirements and project management — project. business planning activity separate from the Every project begins with the settling down in progress one. PM requires a degree of of the objectives to be achieved and of a professionalism, which increases with timetable for implementing the activities. increasing project complexity. The increasing Ideally, each step must take place as planned, number of factors involved in running a but for some unforeseen reason, some project, high values and limited resources activities during the project may not fit the turn everything into a highly complex schedule. In this context, it is necessary a activity [1]. reprogramming of all other activities, so the PM can be tricky, time consuming and whole project to be completed on time. confusing. It's easy to lose direction when Along the time constraint, another important

Informatica Economică vol. 15, no. 1/2011 197 restriction is cost, because usually a available [4] is needed. beneficiary of a project is not willing to pay 2.1 Free/Open Source too much (nothing, if possible) and also no Project management software market project contractor is ready to invest too encloses a lot of products. From all these, the much. free or / and open source (OS) are considered Simple projects can be built without using IT to be a special category, being perfect for tools, but accomplishing complex projects, small businesses. A reason is the fact that having into account the requirements and such businesses actually do not need to buy constraints outlined above, is very difficult huge project management software, but to without using some appropriate software. In understand the value of a well-founded these circumstances, the PM software project management. This free software / OS becomes a key tool in supporting the effort to generally provide only basic functionality complete a project in time and fitting it in the such as time lines rudimentary, PERT charts, budget. or Gantt charts. In terms of cost accounting PM software allows passing through the line their offer is slight, particularly for risk critical steps which any project managers management and customer support. have to make, to be more efficient than using 2.2 Client-Server some common software, as calendar or Some client-server software project Excel. There are opinions that these are time management are more specialized in niche consuming and it implies some personality areas. They are more targeted to desktop management and communication abilities, software and offers rich features such as the fitted to the different learning styles, for Gantt and PERT charts, risk management, completing some basic steps: Critical Path Analysis, EVA, accounting, and 1. Identification of problems: early, to avoid resource utilization. being too late to fix them; 2.3 Online/Web-based 2. Scope and contract clarification Sophisticated online web-based enterprise- 3. Resources optimization and online wide project management solutions allow organization (tools and administration): project members to report task evolution, and for completing the project as soon as report the details of their progress online. possible; This, in turn, allows the project manager to 4. Payment and budgeting cognition readily understand the status of the various 5. Plan updating: fast, in a few minutes each participants and to focus on the issues that week, in order to see the project status; are most important. 6. Programming updating when changes There are web-based solutions that can be occur: in seconds, for all those involved in operated from anywhere in the world, the project. [2], [3] whether on an intranet or internet. This There are certainly many more benefits that means that everyone from top management PM software can offer, but these factors to the frontline workforce can access project- above settle on the minimum tools that every related information anytime. Outside project manager requires, combined with an subcontractors as well as customers, can log organized communication and collaboration onto their relevant portion of the project and (agenda, weekly status templates, metrics get to track it. etc.). Among other modules, there are usually useful considered the timesheet modules, 2 A Classification of Project Management project calendars and email notification, all Software these helping the manager to monitor and to Although we do not intent to have a be proactive about both costs and time comprehensive classification of PM software deadlines. in this article, we consider that a short 2.4 General Project Management Tools description of the main types of PM software Some tools such as Microsoft Project and

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Visio are examples of applications well rated A few years ago installing and configuring a among PM software. They do everything Web server database and scripting language fairly well, but nothing tremendously. That associated (e.g., Apache, MySQL and PHP), PM software is mere tool in the hands of the able to support an online software was a project manager. relatively difficult task that requires the presence of an IT specialist. But currently 3 Collaborative Aspect of Project there are OS application packages like Management Software XAMPP, WAMPP leading these tasks to As mentioned in the introduction of this become simpler to reach, even for a person paper, a PM must provide modern software who has a minimum IT knowledge. tools for planning, organizing, managing and In addition, these packages also allow to collaborate within and across teams in installation of Web-based PM software on order to reach the project goals and the PC itself, it operated like a conventional objectives. applications offline desktop. Classical solutions, offline and standalone (desktop) are not good enough for these 4 Why Open Source Software Project tasks, since they do not offer modules Management Solutions? collaboration and since the communication There are different levels of complexity for between project members is made difficult. PM software, priced between 30 and 20.000 Web-based PM software comes with dollars or more. However, not everyone has collaborative tools that facilitate fast and the budget necessary to start with a PM efficient management of tasks and activities. commercial solution, such as Microsoft It is more comfortable to work with Web- Project or similar. based applications, so it is not a surprise the Microsoft Project is undoubtedly a powerful increasing number of Web-based tool for PM, an incredibly capable alternatives. Web 2.0 benefits are clearer for application, but often too complex and most people working in a technical field. exclusively targeted to the project manager. Even Microsoft offers as part of Project 2007 Somewhat similar circumstances encountered the Microsoft Office Online version (and Office package, 80% of users using only includes connectivity options with its Web- 20% of the many features of Microsoft based Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 Project [5]. The top alternatives at that time and Microsoft Office Project Portfolio (year 2008) mentioned by this author were: Server). OpenProj (also described below in our A Web-based PM software can be accessed paper), Zoho and Ganttproject. via an intranet, WAN / LAN or Internet using Besides this, the Professional Edition sells a Web browser, so there is no requirement to for $599, and if it would run on a server, the install any other software in the computer price exceeds $1,500. Under these conditions system. Software can be easily used, with this software could become be too expensive access control features (multi-user). for most SMEs, not mentioning the fact that Unfortunately they have deficiencies in because it is a desktop application the project planning, defining dependencies and collaborative support is poor. projects performances analysis. When a project manager needs software to When a company chooses to use online PM improve collaboration or planning a small software, maybe it is because it does not project, he may choose simpler solutions of want an application hosted on a server PM. For example choose software hosting company, paid as a monthly collaboration features and simpler planning subscription. Some companies want to install such as Microsoft Outlook, SharePoint, and software on their own server, assuming all Visio to solve problems. responsibility for IT matters arising from When, however, managers are challenged there. with large projects, planning or collaboration

Informatica Economică vol. 15, no. 1/2011 199 work may exceed the possibilities of normal administration and education to advertising, software. In this situation some PM system is business, commerce and other services, OSS required and free and OS software (OSS) can has proved to be an alternative worthy to take be probably a good choice. The ticketing into account [6] [7]. system and the management tasks are The above-mentioned are among the main comprehensive, even if it has many forms. reasons that led us to choose this particular This is probably due to the fact that these category of software, with its many applications are written by Web developers distinctive features and to achieve the present who understand the importance of a article. comprehensive system management tasks. Thus, online PM applications, by contrasting 5 Free/Open Source Alternative to Project to commercial OS, are noted through a Management Software detailed task management. Commercial Sustaining the idea that a Free/OS PM applications, on the other hand, are software (OSPMS) is an almost essential distinguished by attention to detail in the user commodity to keep business and/or working interface. life running smoothly in our days and to face Thus, some natural questions like: What the challenges of new economy [8], we will software should eventually to adopt? Whom expose in the subsequent part of this paper an to give greater importance, credibility a.s.o.? overview of OSPMS solutions. are very probable to come into light. The This overview of OSPMS solutions is an discussion is hard-bound, on each approach empirical study, based on articles, reviews, one could say "it has advantages and books and developers’ web sites, about those disadvantages and areas where it is most that seem to be the most popular software in appropriate”. We can think of Microsoft's this category, and we consider as being business - a colossus in the field of computer helpful for the process of identifying the best applications - as a business policy which PM software for an organization. This is a probably scared the world, being sometimes necessary part from adopting an OSS (Fig. very aggressive in their businesses. But there 1), as shown in documentations of are plenty of cases when the solutions offered governments which found that open source by hard money were abandoned in exchange software alternative and open source for solutions "much more" in terms of cost, platforms offers significant potential benefits market aggression (e.g. Oracle). OS, outside to their governmental agencies and to their its place, now well more defined within the wider community [9] [10]. In the software, can be seen as an incentive to “Recommended Tasks In Adopting OSS motivate other groups to innovate, change Opportunity” of [10, p.13-15], this stage, and take closer to the user view (and his entitled “Define Possible Solutions” is pocket). considered as Task A — recommended for From simple presentation sites or portals, to on-going projects, or Task C — collaboration and information complex recommended for new projects and cut-over sharing, in dynamic pages, from public projects.

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Fig. 1. A model workflow for in-house sourcing of OSS products [9] [10]

A top or a deep comparison of OSPMS 5.1 Strictly desktop-client programs solutions performances and features is difficult to be highlighted enough in a single 5.1.1 OpenProj paperwork. Thus, it will be the subject of a OpenProj is a free OS PM solution developed future research paper. For the current paper to replace the commercial project solutions. we decided to present the OSPMS solutions Currently it is considered to be „the most grouped by the criterion “web-based” and advanced project solution ever provided to “desktop”, because we believe that it is a the open source community” defining element for choosing the most (http://openproj.org/openproj) and it is appropriate solution. In addition to a brief owned by Serena Software, Inc., that presentation of applications, we have developed also another product based on the considered the identification of features such same core scheduling, resourcing and costing as Collaboration, Project Portfolio algorithms, delivered on a monthly Management, Resource Management subscription. Planning, Project Scheduling, Risk and Issue Because OpenProj had the same columns Tracking System, Document Management, (fields) as Microsoft Project, the users of Help / Support and platforms (operating OpenProj will be familiar with the features as systems) on that they can run. if they have using Microsoft Project. One of the great things about OpenProj is that it can open native Microsoft Project or Primavera files. So, you can easily switch to this free

Informatica Economică vol. 15, no. 1/2011 201 project management software, without losing allow staff to work together easily. existing MPP files. Being translated into Help support consist in a development blog French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, (http://ganttproject.blogspot.com/search/label/f Swedish, Finnish, Galician, Persian, Russian, aq), a forum (http://forum.ganttproject.biz/) Korean and Chinese, it is used in more than and a video tutorial 142 countries [11]. (http://teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_ OpenProj is ideal for desktop PM that id=10418&title=GanttProject). operates on Java Platform, so that is compliant with , Unix, Mac or 5.1.3 Open WorkBench Windows. There is literally no time or effort Sponsored by CA's Clarity, Open Workbench involved in switching to OpenProj, and the is a free and Powerful Alternative to teams can manage projects on any platform Microsoft Project in terms of ITS advanced for free. OpenProj was selected also for functionalities, and features inclusion with Star Office suite boxes in (http://www.openworkbench.org). Europe. Open WorkBench is an OS Windows-based desktop application that can import Microsoft 5.1.2 GanttProject Project files in XML format, so that you can GanttProject (http://www.ganttproject.biz) is easily transfer your project from Microsoft considered to be a very valuable freeware Project to Open WorkBench. PM program, suitable to any administrative Open WorkBench is remarkable by his manager who wishes to have a computer powerful scheduling feature called Auto program which helps them to easily manage Schedule. Open Workbench provides the staff and projects. It provides a variety of unique ability to generate project schedules tools to manage staff and keep track of based on resource constraints. This schedule projects, like Gantt’s free project scheduling can be saved, and any future revision can be and management software — can be used to compared to this original schedule. It has a define milestones and generate breakdowns schedule view that lets you fine-tune key of work and arrange them in chart format to schedule elements, such as resource be easier to understand visually. These charts availability and start and finish dates. can then be exported in various file formats Other tools included in Open WorkBench such as PNG images, PDF files, and HTML are: a nice set of tools to view information in files. This provides a link with the software various forms, including, Gantt and Phase that you are already familiar with and thus Level Gantt charts, as well as logical, PERT- make the entire system easier to use overall. style displays, the possibility to create It is compatible with Microsoft Project and projects, tasks, and corresponding estimates, allows you to create Gantt Charts, which and provide resource availability. All these include Work Breakdown Structure, help project managers in identifying impact dependencies, and defining milestones. After of scope change on project timelines, and that, you can assign human resources to new resourcing requirements, easily tasks, and create PERT charts. management of all the details, and their There is also a feature that allows various presentation in an easy to understand format. users to collaborate with others to help on a project or with some management features 5.1.4 TaskJuggler using the WebDAV interface. Collaboration It takes some effort to master the TaskJuggler is a feature that is invaluable to anyone who power, but it will become “a companion you works in an office environment in a don't want to miss anymore” management role as interacting with other (http://www.taskjuggler.org). staff is an integral part of the job and Covering the complete spectrum of PM tasks therefore it is important that any software from the first idea to the completion of the catering for this market has features that project, it assists you during project scoping,

202 Informatica Economică vol. 15, no. 1/2011 resource assignment, cost and revenue forums (http://forums.dotproject.net/), and planning, risk and communication wiki documentation sites, and also a training management. site that use a learning management system Its new approach to project planning and (Moodle). tracking is more flexible and superior to the commonly used Gantt chart editing tools. It 5.2.3 Collabtive has already been successfully used in many Collabtive is PM software aiming to be an projects and scales easily to projects with OS alternative to proprietary tools like hundreds of resources and thousands of tasks. Basecamp or ActiveCollab. It is a PHP based TaskJuggler provides an optimizing PM system, which means that can be run on scheduler that computes your project time almost any computer lines and resource assignments based on the (http://www.collabtive.o-dyn.de). project outline and the constraints that you Collabtive may not be as power-packed as its have provided. The built-in resource balancer commercial counterparts, but it provides and consistency checker offload you from more than a decent feature set to keep track having to worry about irrelevant details and of all the tasks and milestones associated to ring the alarm if the project gets out of hand. your project. It offers the ability to track projects, milestones, tasks and time, and 5.2 Web-based Open Source Project rounding itself out with reporting. Although Management Software it doesn’t provide advanced features such as Gantt charts, it does provide for a very 5.2.1 dotProject simple and efficient mechanism to keep track DotProject is a free PM tool, based on web of your projects. and PHP, useful for anyone from big Collabtive allows you to manage projects by businesses to the lone freelancer working setting up different tasks and assigning them from home (http://www.dotproject.net). to different users. The progress of these tasks In addition to the core modules which can then be tracked using the easy interface provide all the typical PM features, the Web of the application. The administrator can add site also includes links to a number of add-on multiple users to the application and each modules for integration with other user can access the interface through his/her applications, invoicing, help desk, and more. browser. DotProject provides users with the ability to Collabtive can be used in a number of create a visually simple schedule of projects, scenarios such as: to track curriculum allowing them to prioritize based on the progress in schools; by manufacturers to importance of certain tasks. The interface track the status of various orders. For retains a high level of simplicity, meaning students, it can be an ultimate collaboration that very little training is needed in order to platform, where they would be able to share use this free PM software. It is accessible to notes, homework, even entire assignments almost any user, making it the ideal choice and research. And last, it can be used as a for an organization that combines people of simple calendaring application. varying levels of skill and computer literacy. [12] 5.2.4 Redmine As the service is web-based, various accounts Redmine is an OS Web-based PM system, can be created to enable use for collaboration distributed under GNU General Public between employees. This allows the License v2 (GPL). It works on many employer to delegate various tasks to their platforms and can use many different employees and create working schedules for database back ends, including Oracle or the employees that they oversee; making sure MySQL, and was written using Ruby on that everything gets done. The Rails (http://www.redmine.org). support/helping system is available by Redmine contains a lot of functionality

Informatica Economică vol. 15, no. 1/2011 203 geared heavily towards developers. It’s criteria: powerful but may take some getting used to. • Web-based – the possibility to access the The default interface is not as clean as software over a network such as the Collabtive, but the whole point of OS is that Internet or an intranet, through a web it is free and you can contribute your browser. [13] enhancements back to the development • Platform – the on which community. the software can run. It supports multiple projects, role-based • Collaboration – the possibility to easily access and permissions, Gantt charting and a collaborate with everyone involved in the calendar. Redmine also supports wiki and project on a regular basis. This is done forums assigned on a project level to help usually through emails, online chats and centralize information and communication. forums. [13], [14] • Project Portfolio Management – 5.2.5 eGroupWare (Community Version) Managing a portfolio of projects, eGroupWare is a free OS groupware balancing resources across a portfolio of software, intended for businesses from small projects, etc. Tracking of the project sales to enterprises. It can be used either via its process, probabilities of potential projects, native web-interface, making access enterprise-wide project resource planning platform-independent, or by using different [13], [15], [16] supported groupware clients, such as • Resource Management Planning – , Novell Evolution, or Microsoft includes tools for defining resources Outlook. It can also be used by mobile phone (human and material), allocating to or PDA via SyncML projects and analyzing utilization; (http://www.egroupware.org). association of resources with tasks for a Its primary functions allow users to manage single project. With human resources, you contacts, appointments, projects and to-do should be able to group them by lists. The Project Manager module is department, by skills and by availability designed to create and manage multiple without double-booking resources or hierarchical projects. It supports milestones overloading them with tasks. [14], [15], and tracks both working time and costs. [16] Projects can be managed by lists or by using • Risk, Issue Tracking System – refers to a Gantt chart. In addition to PM tools, it features for defining and mitigating risks includes a calendar, address book, email and tracking issues. [13] system, file manager, version tracking • Project Scheduling – Creating and system, time sheet and wiki. tracking on a schedule dependencies and User accesses can be customized to allow for milestones, classical Gantt charts, efficient work and administration. Contacts, calendars etc. [15], [16], [14], [13] tasks and calendar information are shared • Document Management – Features for among all eGroupWare applications to help track and store electronic documents create more accurate project models. and/or images of paper documents. [13]

• Help/Support – Online project 5.3 Compressed Comparison of OSPMS management could have a variety of help In the next part we will depict the options, including support and FAQs for information found about the previously general questions, or online chat, blogs described OSPMS solutions in a more and forums for more specific questions. compressed and visually comprehensible The information about products and its way. For having a reference with a leader in use and problems may appear in wiki-type the PM software, table 1 contains also a line sites and/or on-line training (learning for Microsoft Project’s features. The management systems). [14] structure of the table refers to the following

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Table 1. Synthetic comparison of presented Open Source Project Management solutions

-

age

Feature

Scheduling Portfolio Support Planning based

- Software Web Platform Collaboration Project Management Resource Man ment Risk, Issue Tracking System Project Help/ Document Management Windows,

Collabtive Linux, Mac OS Windows,

dotProject Linux eGroupWare Windows, (Community Version) Linux, Mac OS Windows,

GanttProject Linux, Mac OS

Open Workbench Windows Windows,

OpenProj Linux, Unix, Mac OS Windows,

Redmine Linux

TaskJuggler SuSE Linux

Microsoft Project Windows

No matter the software, it does not make with guidance and leadership, to focus on project managers more effective, or teach making the process more productive, them how to define the scope, how to effective and attractive for all participants; communicate with the project sponsor or 6.integrate the e-mail, as an automate mean properly allocate tasks to project members, it of communication (not manually copy just makes them more efficient in updates from one software to another every accomplishing the PM tasks. Nevertheless, time when plans need to be updated). It is ones tried to outline the requirements for an interesting to see if in the future a closed ideal PM toll. According to [17], such a PM source/commercial solution or a free/open solution should: 1. be simple; 2. be agile; 3. source software will come up to the closer to be inexpensive; 4. be able to offer to the ideal requirements formulated for such a organization leaders an adequate visibility on software. internal operation from their organization, real-time, with the possibility to easily 6 Conclusions merging all parts into a bigger picture PM software market is rich in OS solutions immediately available to everyone on the that are able to provide similar functionality team to see; 5.eliminate the routine, so that or even superior to those offered by the project manager to be only preoccupied commercial solutions, some of the most

Informatica Economică vol. 15, no. 1/2011 205 representative being presented in this paper. software open source and commercial PM, One of the main advantages of OSPMS is but a good documenting and testing mixed their availability on various platforms and with a sharp view about the kinds of projects operating systems, a fact that is very you have to manage will allow you to select a important in circumstances where there is a PM software and tools according to worldwide trend of increasing use of OS organization’s need. operating systems, usually for security and cost reasons. Most OS solutions are 100% Acknowledgments compatible or supports import files in This work was supported by ANCS-CNMP, formats specific commercial software, so project number PNII– 92-100/2008. migration from commercial solutions to the OS is easy, while maintaining the References consistency if necessary collaboration and [1] G. Vasile, Project management, între file sharing firms using commercial solutions pasiune şi profesie. Market watch (79), of PMS. Retrieved May 26, 2008, at: Many OSPMS are Web-based solutions, http://www.marketwatch.ro/articol/1003/ most of them having high collaboration and Project_management_intre mobility capabilities, in line with current _pasiune_si_profesie, 2005 trends – this being an issue on what the [2] Hampton Group, Inc. (n.d.). Project desktop and MS Project solutions are Management Software. Retrieved May presently scarce. 20, 2010, from 4PM: Some OSPMS are designed strictly to http://www.4pm.com/articles/selpmsw.ht provide some particular functions, thus ml making them more strictly to fold on certain [3] C. Munn, Basic Project Management activities, hence it is not necessary to Steps: Clarity, Collaboration and purchase a widespread commercial software Cognition. Retrieved July 10, 2010, from for using only some modules. Project Management Hut: Last, but not least (maybe the most important http://www.pmhut.com/basic-project- issues for SMEs, especially in the context of management-steps-clarity-collaboration- global economic crisis), is the cost of and-cognition software acquisition, which for OS solutions [4] Envision Software, Incorporated. Project are much lower than commercial solutions. Management Software. Retrieved July 2, One of the less “comfortable” aspects about 2010, from the use of OSPMS is technical support and http://www.envisionsoftware.com/article documentation. This is usually poor or lacks. s/Project_Management_Software.html Also, in order to fully implement OS [5] D. Glumac, Free alternatives to MS (desktop, infrastructure, application etc.), the Project? Retrieved May 26, 2008, at: organization needs skilled (experienced) IT http://pandm20.blogspot.com/ personnel, over the average level, aspects search/label/Project%20Management that may lead to increased costs of [6] C. Margea, “The extending interest in implementation. Open Source Software solutions”. The Which OS for PM applications are best? It 9th International Conference in depends on activities are used and the best Management, Management & results that any software generates depends Competitiveness in Knowledge-Based on the sharp brain and intellect of the human Society, 22-24 November 2007. resource that are involved. Each of the Timişoara. software presented in the paper is distinctive [7] R. Margea, “Who and Why Choose in some way and requires a test to see if it fits Open Source Software?”, Politici for company activities. There will always be Sociale şi Administraţie Publică în pros and cons to the choice of online Context European, 8-9 may 2009. Resita

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[8] C. Harvey, Free Download: 100 Open m.../task...download/... Source Apps for Windows. 2009, July 23. /Itemid,86/ Retrieved: June 29, 2010, from [11] C. Harvey, 101 Great Enterprise Open http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/osrc/ Source Apps. Retrieved: June 26, 2010, article./ from http://www.linuxplanet. 12068_3826386_3/Free-Download-100- [12] com/linuxplanet/reviews/6796/5/. Open-Source-Apps-for-Windows.htm Retrieved: 14 July 2009 [9] Australian Government Information [13] http://training.dotproject.net/ Management Office, Guide to Open [14] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison Source Software for Australian _of_project_management_software Government Agencies. Sourcing open [15] http://online-project-management- source software. 2005, April. Last review.toptenreviews.com Modified: 14 May, 2008. Retrieved: 28 [16] Wyomissing Publishing, Project July 2010, at: Management Software Comparison, http://www.finance.gov.au/ 2008, February 24. Retrieved: June 26, publications/guide-to-open-source- 2010, from: http://www.pmdigest.com/ software/sourcing.html software/ [10] Open Source Competency Centre, [17] http://www.project-open.com/en/ Malaysian Administrative Modernisation products/ competing_systems.html and Management Planning Unit [18] A. Filev, What Would an Ideal Project (MAMPU), Open Source Software Management Tool Look Like? Retrieved (OSS) Implementation Guidelines. July 10, 2010, from Project Management Malaysian Public Sector Open Source Hut: http://www.pmhut.com/what- Software (OSS) Initiative. 2006. would-an-ideal-project-management- Retrieved: July 29, 2010, from tool-look-like www.oscc.org.my/component/option,co

Romeo MARGEA has graduated the Faculty of Physics in 1996, and the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration in 2002, from the West University of Timisoara. From 2008 he holds a PhD diploma in Economics. He is currently lecturer within the Informatics and Economic Statistics Department, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration from the West University of Timişoara. He is interested in open source software, web design, hardware and networking.

Camelia MARGEA has graduated the Faculty of Economics, at West University of Timişoara in 1997. She is PhD lecturer within the Informatics and Economic Statistics Department, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration from the West University of Timişoara. Her scientific fields of interest include: eLearning, multimedia design, open source software, human resource management.