Open Source Solutions for Small Business Problems

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Document Management Resources

Software

    Subversion, open source Apache-based revision control
    TortoiseSVN, Windows Explorer client for Subversion
    RapidSVN, cross-platform client for Subversion
    ViewCVS, Web application for browsing Subversion and CVS repositories
    RCS, open source file-based revision control
    CVS, open source project revision control system using RCS
    Microsoft VSS, commercial revision control system
    Perforce, commercial revision control system

Web Sites

The software you have listed

The software you have listed here are just version control systems.
When I think of document management I expect something a little more elaborate, like FileMagic/Fortis from Westbrook, LaserFiche, or DocuShare from Xerox. These are all expensive. I'd like to see good open source solutions for real document management. Do you know of any?

Very good point. Yes, these

Very good point. Yes, these are revision control systems. I think they're a useful way to manage documents. Perhaps I shouldn't call them a document management system, in the sense you're referring to--a system for managing paper-based documents electronically.

In this chapter, I discussed the difference in approach between a revision control system (which I did call document management) and a content management system such as Zope. As businesses move away from paper-based systems, I think a strong content management system that provides searchability, organization, indexes, and multiple ways to find the information you're looking for will become dominant. I discuss content management more in the Publishing chapter (13).

In the near term, however, there is a big need for the systems you're referring to, that allow you to scan paper documents and find the appropriate ones as necessary. No, I don't know of any good open source systems for doing this (if anyone does, please add a comment!).

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