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The bottom line is that the OpenSourceSun assessed our needs and took us from a paper-based, medium-sized business to the computer age on a shoestring budget.

We initially had them in just to stay in touch with the technology available within our industry -- making sure there were no magic bullets that our competitors might be taking advantage of. The Tool and Die business is ultra competitive in Canada. We had no intention of contracting them. They did it though, moved us over to the computer age with the OpenSource.

Quite frankly, we still don't even know what all this OpenSource stuff is about, nor do we care. All we know is that we have windows based workstations and a Red Hat Linux server from Dell.

  • Everything is backed up nightly,
  • We have our own e-mail server that we can add and remove addresses,
  • We run our own webserver with a simple contact-us website
  • They setup a database work order entry system,
  • We now have central location to update all our CAD drawings (this alone made it worthwhile),
  • Our executives can login securely and view everything from the cottage using VNC,
  • Configured our Microsoft machines
  • They even sourced our high speed internet connection for us
Most everyone else in the computer business quoted us numbers in the hundreds of thousands to do all this. Practical, tangible value is what it boiled down to.

We owe a debt of gratitude to these guys for putting up with our sarcasm. They really came through with their OpenSource stuff.

They built trust, listened to what we wanted, watched how we do things, made their recommendations with their budgets, and got the job done. No ongoing costs. They even took some time to show our non-technical people how to maintain security. We don't need an on-going relationship with them.

Many thanks OpenSourceSun,

Max Greer
CMA
R and G Tool and Die