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Open source tools for workgroup collaboration

Work Smart

Article from ADMIN 43/2018

By Thomas Joos

Want to keep your teams connected even when they are disconnected? RetroShare, SparkleShare, and I2P are free tools that support chat, data sharing, and other collaboration services.

When a workgroup consists of users in different locations, team members need a way to communicate and exchange files. Commercial collaboration tools often come with a high price tag. If your company needs something more than a web-based chat service, and you don't want to spare the expense for a commercial, closed source solution, you could always try an open source collaboration tool. This article introduces a few of the leading alternatives, including:

RetroShare
SparkleShare
I2P

These tools provide collaboration and data sharing for dispersed workgroups and offer some advanced security and privacy options.

RetroShare

RetroShare [1] lets team members communicate securely and exchange data at the same time. Access is via SSL encryption and PGP. The developers provide clients for Windows, Linux and Mac OS.

RetroShare also offers chat channels and lobbies, instant messaging, forums, VoIP communication, and client-based data exchange (Figure 1). All features are secured with PGP and are handled via the Internet – without the need for servers or cloud solutions. Users can easily handle the setup themselves without bothering the IT department.