Communication tools

Mozilla Thunderbird - is an email application that allows you to not only read and write emails, but also organize and secure your messages.

How we use it: to send and receive emails, organize emails into folders, use colouring feature to mark important messages, search for "lost" messages using a keyword, setup several email accounts, setup junk folder, etc.

Skype - with Skype's free software (by the way, it works seamlessly with your internet connection) you can chat away with free Skype-to-Skype calls and never worry about cost, time or distance.

How we use it: since we all work from home, we needed a tool that will allow us to keep in touch in "real time", like co-workers in "real" offices. We use Skype to chat with each other about projects, problems and the weather, as well as, to have conference calls with each other and our clients. Also, because Skype allows us to make phone calls to regular phones (local, long distance and international, cell phones), we save money.

ZoIPer - Voice Over IP tools that allows you to call and receive phone calls on your computer.

How we use it: since we are located in different cities, we needed a system that would allow our customers to call one number to reach any of us. ZoIPer allows us to work from home and receive phone calls from customers who are calling our Toronto number which is later redirected to our individual computers. Talk about technology!

You can find more free and open source tools at the SourceForge.Net or by using a search engine to browse the internet.

For help regarding the use of any of the tools listed here, please contact the software creator(s) - check "more information about" under the product. This page is not a complete list of free tools. We are not responsible for the way the applications work and unless you have a contract with us (available only to not-for-profit organizations), we won't be able to solve your software problems (contact us for a support contract).