A good, preferably open-source project management software? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2022, 06:37:15 pm
content: Currently looking for a good (at least decent and not too old) tool for project management/planning, ideally open-source, which can do the usual (WBS, Gantt...), handle multi-projects and if possible doesn't looks like we're back in the 90's, UI-wise. Oh, and that is a stand-alone application and not just some web stuff requiring a server.I know of a few: projectlibre, GanttProject for instance, but not fully meeting the above requirements.Most of the current solutions seem to either be fully web/cloud stuff, or MS Project.If you know of/use anything else that could match my criterions, please share. =)

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2022, 06:48:56 pm
content: One of my customers uses RationalPlan

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2022, 07:46:28 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on August 15, 2022, 06:48:56 pmDownloaded the trial version, doesn't seem too bad.

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2022, 02:02:07 pm
content: When the PCs first came out, we were required to use VisiSchedule. Looks like you can get it for free now:https://winworldpc.com/product/visischedule/12It was so bad you were years ahead using a pencil and napkin.We then moved to something called PS2000. Then, it was TimeLine. Then some dip shit decided we needed fully custom software and lower management approve the efforts. This was the days of us having a generic schedule. This went on for a few years until the top level saw what was going on and put a stop to it. A few people lost their jobs over it. Then MS came out with MS Project and I started using Pert. Then it was back to fully custom software with countless hours invested into a tool which is so poor that top management was using Excel!On the bright side, I am not required to use it.Sorry for going off topic....

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2022, 07:17:36 pm
content: OK, well... anyone else?

author: pardo-bsso
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2022, 12:53:44 pm
content: org-mode (and I'm a diehard *vim user...)Odoo (can be installed locally, but the initial setup to get things like you want may take some time)?

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2022, 05:42:25 pm
content: As with a number of other software tools, it looks like the better ones are now only web-based.The standalone apps almost all suck. MS Project is not bad, but it's kinda expensive, and I have other reasons for not wanting to use it - I have in the past and don't want to anymore.I've now tried RationalPlan, and while it's simple enough and has the basic functions that I need, and is not expensive, its UI is all in all pretty bad. The worse being the quality of the "reports" - they are ugly and almost unusable for any occasion where you'd need to share them.The open-source ones are kinda the same or worse. GanttProject, ProjectLibre, they do have OK functionalities, but their UI is horrible and the reports are crap.There is OpenProject which looks rather good (https://www.openproject.org) and is open-source. It is web-based, but you can install it on your own server and there is a community edition free to use. Installation is a bit inconvenient though. Then there is OnePoint Projects, which seems kinda in the same league. (Have used it in the past, and they used to have a standalone app version, but it's gone forever.)Are standalone desktop apps dead already?

author: andre_teprom
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2023, 03:59:20 pm
content: I get where you're coming from with finding the right project management software. It's a bit of a jungle out there! I had to sift through a bunch myself before landing on something that worked for me. TaskJuggler caught my attention first. It's open-source and kind of a hidden gem. It handles the basics like Gantt charts pretty well, and while the UI isn't super flashy, it's functional and not stuck in the past.Another one that I found pretty handy is OpenProject. It's a bit more modern-looking and also open-source. It's web-based but doesn't feel like you need a degree in IT to use it.I've been mixing in someproductivity tracking toolswith my project management routine. It's been super helpful to see where my time (and my team's time) is actually going.

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2023, 04:28:06 pm
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on August 18, 2022, 05:42:25 pmEverything is a subscription. There is no money in perpetual software anymore.Especially since the product you are asking for here is easily scoped out to teamwork, it doesn't make sense to make it standalone.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2023, 10:31:28 pm
content: Quote from: andre_teprom on December 02, 2023, 03:59:20 pmThanks for digging up an oldish thread with this very useful answer.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2023, 10:35:07 pm
content: But since the thread has been revived, turns out that I'm now using Calligra Plan, which is pretty decent, better IMO than all the alternatives mentioned earlier, open source and fully standalone.I recommend it to anyone looking for something like that.

author: abeyer
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2023, 01:32:03 am
content: Quote from: SiliconWizard on December 02, 2023, 10:35:07 pmThat's good to know. We're in the process of switching to Planner at work, which is thenewweb interface for MS Project (not to be confused with the previous and awful sharepoint based web interface to project), and it's actually not too bad and I don't hate it. But it's a $30/month subscription if you want to buy a copy of it yourself.