Small Business Online, Small Business

Most business owners spend a lot of money on proprietary software, but is it a valid expense? While some cases require proprietary software, there are other cases in which businesses can utilize alternatives. As explained in the video report below, there are alternatives that are both free and open source.

Since many businesses use Microsoft Office, first on the list of options is Open Office. This software includes programs for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, databases, and more. The interface is very similar to Microsoft Office and other similar office suites.

GnuCash is another alternative that is a free accounting software. With this software, users can track income, expenses, bank accounts, and stocks. Other features include the monitoring of accounts payable, accounts receivable, and detailed reporting. Users can also import data from programs such as Microsoft Money and Quicken and can export data to spreadsheets such as Microsoft Excel.

Thirdly, GIMP serves as an open source substitute for Photoshop. Although not as comprehensive as the Adobe product, GIMP does allow users to produce simple Web graphics, modify product photos, and create flyers and other marketing materials. GIMP’s interface is very similar to Photoshop’s interface and all the images created can be saved in a variety of formats.

Last but not least is Zimbra. This software is a free collaboration suite that serves as a high-level email program. It provides email, calendar, document storing and editing, instant messaging, and easy-to-use administrative controls. The open source edition of Zimbra also integrates with other email clients such as Outlook and Apple Mail. As mentioned earlier, all these programs are free and are compatible with most common operating systems. By using them, businesses could see significant savings in investments and maintenance costs.

On the flip side, savings should not be the only motivation for utilizing this software. A business should be able to function just as it would with proprietary software. Fortunately, since it is free, businesses have adequate time to test the software before they make a complete transfer.

Electric carmaker Tesla Motors Corp’s initial public offering zoomed ahead on Tuesday with shares rallying more than 40 percent as investors bet that electric cars would define the future of transportation.

Tesla’s shining debut came despite weakness in the broad market and as other auto stocks were hit by concerns of a global slowdown. Tesla was the top gainer on the Nasdaq on Tuesday, offering hope to other companies mulling initial public offerings but which may have shied away given recent volatility.

Tesla’s closing share price of $23.89 boosted its market capitalization to $2.22 billion, compared with $1.6 billion on Monday night. It is the first initial public offering by an American automaker since Ford’s debut in 1956. The debut comes amid heightened interest in electric cars and as major automakers gear up to launch various types of battery-powered vehicles, including plug-in hybrids.

“They’re competing against both internal combustion engines and alternative fuels like fuel cells, compressed natural gas and things like that,” said Matt Therian, an analyst with Connecticut-based IPO research house Renaissance Capital. “It’s probably too early to say that electric vehicles are definitely going to be the next thing in cars, but if they are I think the potential is huge.” source: reuters.com/article/

Asian stocks slid and the euro struggled near a two-week low on Wednesday as investors unwound risky positions before the quarter-end amid heightened concerns over banks’ funding conditions in Europe.

Asian stocks, which have slipped nearly 10 percent in the past three months, are on course for their worst quarterly performance since the end of 2008, when global investors fled to safety after the collapse of Lehman Brothers.

The MSCI index of Asia Pacific shares outside Japan dropped 1 percent. Japan’s Nikkei average fell 1.8 percent to a seven-month low after breaking below a key support level. source: reuters.com/article/

U.S. consumer confidence dropped in June after rising for three months, adding to the view the economic recovery is slowing, while home prices unexpectedly climbed in April.

The report Tuesday from The Conference Board, an industry group, showed the drop in confidence came from worries about the labor market which has been one of weakest areas of the U.S. economy.

The group’s index of consumer attitudes fell to 52.9 in June from a downwardly revised 62.7 in May. The June figure was sharply below the median of forecasts from analysts polled by Reuters.

Assessment of the labor market also worsened, with the “jobs hard to get” index rising while the “jobs plentiful” index slipped.

“There remain a lot of questions around the sustainability of economic growth,” said Sean Simko, fixed-income portfolio manager in Oaks, Pennsylvania. source: www.reuters.com/article/

Sales at U.S. retailers unexpectedly fell in May for the first time in eight months, but a jump in consumer sentiment to a near 2-1/2 year high in early June tempered fears of a slowing economic recovery.

The drop in sales reported by the Commerce Department on Friday reflected weak gasoline prices and the end of a home buyer tax credit that had boosted sales of building materials.

Analysts said the underlying trend of steadily advancing consumer spending was intact — despite some recent data that suggested a slowing of the recovery — and there was little risk of the economy slipping back into recession.

“We have placed a double-dip in the U.S. for a long time at 15 percent and that is still where we are. The most likely scenario is the economy continues to grow at a 3-percent pace,” said Michael Strauss, chief economist at Commonfund in Wilton, Connecticut.

Total retail sales dropped 1.2 percent in May after rising 0.6 percent in April. Economists had forecast a May rise of 0.2 percent.

Receipts from building materials suppliers tumbled a record 9.3 percent in May after the expiration of incentives to boost the sale of energy-efficient appliances.

Gasoline prices, which normally rise in May, fell and weighed on the dollar value of sales.

source www.reuters.com/article/