Posted on 2005-04-26
Posted by ned@openmfg.com
OpenRPT - Open Source Report Writer Now Available for Linux, Mac,
and Windows
ERP application vendor OpenMFG releases free multiplatform
reporting and business intelligence tool for PostgreSQL, other
database engines
NORFOLK, VA, April 26, 2005 ? OpenMFG, a leading enterprise
software vendor with deep roots in the open source software
community, today announced the general source code availability
of its open source report writer and rendering engine, OpenRPT.
OpenRPT has been in private beta testing with over 100 developers
from sixteen countries for the past several months, and is now
being released in both binary and source code form.
OpenMFG offers the only Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system
on the market today with a fully open source architecture. While
the server runs on the PostgreSQL open source database (on the
Linux, Mac OS X, or Windows operating system), the graphical
client software is also fully multiplatform, thanks to the open
source Qt framework for C++. The OpenMFG ERP Suite includes a
rich array of functionality for manufacturing and distribution
companies, including full native financials, inventory
management, purchasing and sales, scheduling and planning,
logistics, and its own native graphical report writer and
rendering engine.
Based on strong interest and feedback from the PostgreSQL
community, OpenMFG has decided to make the report writer
available separately under an open source license. While there
are several options for ad-hoc Web-based reporting, OpenRPT fills
a real void in the marketplace for an open source, general
purpose graphical, embeddable report writer. And unlike the
market-leading Crystal Reports or Microsoft Access report
designer, OpenRPT runs equally well on Linux, Mac OS X, and
Windows. It supports a number of advanced reporting features,
including graphs, integrated barcodes, label printing, and
watermarks. Report definitions can be stored in a PostgreSQL
database as XML, or exported to individual files. OpenRPT also
includes a simple scripting language called MetaSQL, which allows
more complex and dynamic SQL queries.
Unlike other open source reporting options, OpenRPT does not
require the use of Java or a web browser interface. Both the
OpenRPT graphical client and the server-side rendering engine are
completely embeddable in other applications or devices, under the
terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL). If a company
wishes to “opt out” of the GPL by purchasing a commercial
license, they may ? but it is not required. This “dual license”
approach allows OpenMFG to provide OpenRPT for free to anyone ?
without trying to second-guess users’ business objectives.
“Having been active users of PostgreSQL for many years, we’re
delighted to be able to contribute OpenRPT back to the
community,” said Ned Lilly, OpenMFG’s President and CEO. “We
also look forward to working with business users who have been
looking for an inexpensive embedded reporting solution that is
not tied to any particular platform or middleware
technology.”
PostgreSQL core team member Josh Berkus noted, “As adoption of
PostgreSQL in business environments grows, tools like OpenRPT
become indispensable for users. I’m really glad that OpenMFG
decided to open source their report writer, and look forward to
using it in one project myself.”
The OpenRPT project is hosted at both SourceForge.net, the
world's largest open source software development website, and
pgFoundry.org ? an implementation of the same underlying project
management software targeted specifically for supporting
PostgreSQL-related applications. For more information, please
visit www.openrpt.com.
About OpenMFG
OpenMFG, LLC develops next-generation enterprise applications
powered by open source software. OpenMFG products give companies
visibility into costs, supply chains, processes, inventory and
financial operations with a lower cost of ownership than
competing products, and are sold to end-user customers through a
network of value added partners throughout North America. For
more information, please visit the company Web site at
www.openmfg.com.
About PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL is the collective work of hundreds of developers,
building on twenty years of development which started at the
University of California at Berkeley. With its long-time support
of an enterprise level feature set, PostgreSQL is used by many of
today's most demanding businesses and government agencies.
PostgreSQL is distributed under a BSD license, which allows use
and distribution without fees for both commercial and
non-commercial applications. To find out more about PostgreSQL or
to download it, please visit www.postgresql.org.
