Server Applications

Internet
Networking
Author

Vinh Nguyen

Published

December 19, 2010

I would like to compile a list of server applications that are available out there that I might use some day (or am using now). My preferences for software are GPL-based, lightweight, easy to setup up, easy to administer, easy to use, and widely-used (to get support). Most of these were found based on my experiences on the web or from searching.

For my web server, I have Ubuntu as the OS with Apache, MySQL, and [php][/php]/php, i.e., LAMP.

  1. UPDATE 1/8/2011 Web server: Apache is standard and most popular. nginx is supposedly a lot faster and more stable, especially for static content; it is also easy to configure. lighttpd and Mongoose are other alternatives. Here is a list and comparison.
  2. UPDATE 1/8/2011 Database: MySQL and PostgreSQL are popular open source programs. A list here.
  3. Content publishing/management system (CMS), e.g., blogs: Wordpress, Joomla and Drupal (requires more knowledge of html and css). I use Wordpress as my blogging platform. Most content websites I visit are using one of these platforms. Comparisons here. UPDATE 1/19/2011 For something simpler, consider PyBlosxom, or some solution that involves emacs and org-mode.
  4. Forum: phpBB. Comparisons here
  5. Wiki: MediaWiki, MoinMoin, dokuwiki, mojomojo. Comparisons here.
  6. Audio and video streaming: GNUMP3d MPEG4IP, Ampache, Subsonic. I currently use Ampache, but might test out GNUMP3d some day. Note you can also use VLC to stream. A list here
  7. Images/pictures/photos: Gallery and phpGraphy. A comparison here and my testing of a few different applications here.
  8. Customer relationship management (CRM): vtiger, openCRX. A short list is here and a list of lists is here.
  9. Mailing list: Mailman is king; Majordomo. A short list can be found here.
  10. Single sign-on (SSO), Central Authentication Service (CAS): If the above services are related, consider integrating OpenID using a plugin (?). Some open source softwares are OpenAM, CoSign, jasig.
  11. Data collection, surveys, forms: LimeSurvey, phpESP, RedCAP (not open source; institutions only), Form Tools, and orbeon. This list of open source healthcare software might help.
  12. UPDATE 12/20/2010 Software Configuration Management (SCM) or Revision Control Software: of course, git or maybe Subversion. A comparison here.
  13. UPDATE 12/20/2010 Issue-tracking systems (bug tracking, help desk, service desk, tickets): Trac (interface with svn by default; can add git through a plugin) and Bugzilla for for source code (bugs), and OTRS, os Ticket, Request Tracker or eticketsupport for help desk. A comparison here; another here; stack overflow post.
  14. UPDATE 12/20/2010 Collaborative Software Development (Forge): FusionForge (descendant of the open source GForge). A list can be found here.
  15. UPDATE 12/20/2010 School-related: SchoolTool, Open Admin and Open School for administration (School Management Software). Check out Edubuntu and skolelinux as OS's for students. Moodle is a Course Management Software (CMS) or Learning Management Software. Many more (different categories) can be found on SchoolForge. Loads of useful links and information regarding Linux and Education at this post.
  16. UPDATE 1/1/2011 Mail Server: See this and this. Looks like I would need Postfix (MTA) + many others, e.g., see this.
  17. UPDATE 1/8/2011 Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) = CRM + HRMS, of which PeopleSoft is an example: Compiere and OpenERP; a list here and here.
  18. UPDATE 1/8/2011 Job portal/board: jobberBase; a list here.
  19. UPDATE 1/19/2011 Blog aggregators: Planet Venus, used by Planet Emacsen, or some wordpress plugins, used by R Bloggers (I think).
  20. UPDATE 8/29/2011 Question and Answer site like Stack Overflow and the Stack Exchange suite: OSQA and shapado; list here.

UPDATE 1/1/2011 See this list for applications of different types.