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DSC Tech Library
Linux Information
This section of our technical library presents information and documentation relating to the Linux operating system especially as it relates to the telecommunications and Linux CRM Software marketplace.
Since the Company's inception in 1978, DSC has specialized in the development of software productivity tools, call center applications, computer telephony integration software, and PC based phone systems. These products have been developed to run on a wide variety of computer systems and have been tested and operational on LINUX servers and systems. The following are articles and information regarding Linux and its applications in the telecom and business environments.
Is CRM Feasible on Open Source?
The following is an extract from the article "Is CRM Feasible on Open Source?" by Elizabeth Millard from CRM Buyer:
"As more companies explore the cost effectiveness and power of open-source platforms like Linux , questions are arising about the interoperability of major enterprise applications like CRM . Because no CRM system is designed specifically for Linux, some companies that run the open-source operating system are striving to fit vendors' offerings into an environment that may not be ideally suited for those programs.
But the integration process does not have to be a struggle to fit a square peg into a round hole. Despite the challenges that may crop up between open-source platforms and CRM systems, there are ways to use both technologies well, analysts say.
"It's certainly feasible," Aberdeen Group vice president Chris Selland told CRM Buyer. "It's just a matter of putting some extra resources into combining CRM and open source. A heck of a lot of companies are doing just that."
Do-It-Yourself CRM
One of the most popular methods of bringing CRM into an open-source environment has nothing to do with finding a vendor that can work well with Linux or FreeBSD, Selland said. Instead, he noted, "a tremendous number of companies are building something themselves."
He noted that some packaged CRM applications can run on Linux but still rely on an Oracle database . "You won't find a true CRM system for open source," he said. Because of that fact, many open-source advocates prefer to tinker with CRM components rather than go with a vendor's suite.
One plus of developing an in-house CRM application is that companies can eliminate unnecessary functions and include only the features and components they need. Yankee Group analyst Sheryl Kingstone told CRM Buyer that although this approach may require more of the IT department's time, it can produce an application that is truly company specific.
Share and Share Alike
A side benefit is that once a company has built a CRM system, it is likely to share that code with other developers, Kingstone added. After all, many users of open-source platforms appreciate the nonproprietary nature of that software. Therefore, they may be inclined to extend that sentiment to other areas, such as CRM development.
"Companies can take the open-source code for a CRM application that's been developed by other companies and personalize it for their use," Kingstone said. "We're seeing that a lot now -- where people share expertise and swap code rather than build something from the ground up."
Through developer forums and networking, IT departments within different companies can collaborate and perfect the code used for CRM systems. Because this is a growing trend, it is possible that stronger and more feature-filled CRM applications will become available for open-source platforms in the future.
As Kingstone said: "The more people gravitate toward sharing code, the more the applications will grow and evolve. Eventually, we could see a shift where CRM moves from a proprietary application to an open-source one. We're only on the edge of that now, but the movement is growing......."
To view the entire article, please visit www.crmbuyer.com.
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