Specialties
Powerful Open Source Web & Data Development Capabilities.
Web Apps
WordPress is the worlds most popular Open Source content management system (CMS).
Originally developed as a simple blog framework, the source code was so robust and powerful that it has been infinitely built upon, to be suitable enough to power a third of the entire internet.
Through the use of its core framework & accompanies by a series of community-developed plugins (add-on extensions to complement the core framework), Data Fidelity is able to build a site as simple as a one-page resume style website, right up to a powerful site capable of significant web traffic, and running business processes with. Common websites built with WordPress include E-commerce stores, data processing, data collecting websites (surveys, voting, grading, job scheduling) and static page websites.
NextCloud is a powerhouse in the Open Source community, as it was created as a self-hosted alternative to Big Tech products such as Dropbox, Google Drive, Google Docs or Zoom.
As a standalone PHP web application, NextCloud can be installed in a standard cpanel installation, on a linux managed system, or even on a self-hosted local PC or server.
As an Open Source application, NextCloud also has its own community-driven addon repository, which integrates document processing via web browser, video calling & instant messaging, calendar management, webmail clients & even digital radios.
Data Fidelity has installed NextCloud on local devices including thin clients and rackmount servers, Redhat OS based hosting platforms with cpanel, Docker, Kubernetes clusters & Network drives including WD and QNAP network attached storage drives.
SuiteCRM is a powerful Customer Relationship Management tool (CRM) which can be both hosted, or self-hosted as a standalone PHP web application.
SuiteCRM is a customer management tool for small to medium businesses, as a means of managing leads, organising customer relationships and journeys, as a full suite of sales, marketing and customer service tools all pre-installed.
Tools for SuiteCRM include sales, marketing, reports, customers, workflows, activity management, case managements and custom configurations.
Rainloop is an Open Source webmail client, which can be installed either on a hosting platform, or self-hosted.
Rainloop is a direct Open Source alternative to Microsoft Outlook, and Gmail webmail apps.
Rainloop is a fully-fledged mail client to connect to your custom email domain, with options for out-of-office messages, email signatures, automated forwarding, custom themes and mobile responsiveness.
Data Fidelity has integrated Rainloop as both self hosted or managed solutions as a standalone PHP web application, as well as linked Rainloop with either existing mailboxes, new mailboxes on Linux-based servers, or with self-hosted mail servers.
Linux Systems
Debian is one of the worlds most popular operating systems, for servers hosting web-based systems.
This is because Debian, is effectively a means of a ‘deconstructed operating system’; Debian can be installed as an operating system with bare-bones softwares and without a user interface or graphics drivers, or it can have custom user interfaces installed, custom drivers and softwares installed and used as a fully-fledged desktop operating system.
The reason it is most popular is because when using an operating system on a virtual machine (VM) to host a website, it is ideal to use as little computer resource power as possible for running the operating system, and conserve as much resource power as possible to handle web traffic (more site visitor capability for smaller hosting costs).
Ubuntu is the worlds most popular Linux-based desktop operating system.
Ubuntu is another iteration of the Debian operating system, however, with a large number of pre-installed softwares made to complement a Debian desktop operating system such as custom driver installers and a graphical user interface as standard, however still pre-installed with all tools needed for web hosting such as Apache2 and MariaDB.
Ubuntu is best suited for hosting a PHP web application where having a graphical user interface accessible to explore the server, instead of via a linux terminal.
Mint is another alternative operating system, designed specifically for a desktop experience rather than a web or server use case.
Mint is highly customizeable, elegant, graphical and user-friendly. It has a number of popular linux tools such as Nemo file browser, Linux terminal and Firefox web browser as standard.
Mint is recommended as a daily desktop system rather than for any web based systems; as an Open Source alternative to Windows or Apple systems.
Arch Linux is a Linux distribution made for, and only for, running as an ultra-light operating system. It is not a user-friendly operating system, however it is one of the most resource-conservative operating systems available today.
Arch also has a series of pre-configured UNIX utilities made for a type of operating system called Embedded Linux, which runs many smart devices such as WD NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices, various internet modems and routers also run Busybox (An Arch Distribution) as their embedded operating system.
Arch is a recommended operating system which involves an embedded operating system which is seldom accessed or configured, and includes a set, strict number of functions which will rarely, if ever change. Arch can be used on projects involving Raspberry Pi projects, Arduino boards for various sensor or probing tools and equipment, bespoke-built smart home devices or ultra-lightweight, ultra-low-power PC devices.
Mobile Devices
Ubuntu Touch is an Open Source operating system based on Ubuntu, managed by a nonprofit organisation UBports.
Ubuntu Touch is an entirely native operating system for ARM processor devices based on Linux, which includes a Linux terminal on the mobile device itself.
Many mobile devices do not openly advertise their processor models, bootloader instructions or capabilities, so it is recommended to check device compatibility first before installing Ubuntu Touch.
Another Open Source operating system, LineageOS is a community developed Android-based operating system which has been built to run natively on android devices, entirely independently of any and every Google-based app and code.
LineageOS can install and run android apps natively as per any standard android device, installing from Google Play store alternatives such as Aurorastore or APKpure.
Many mobile devices do not openly advertise their processor models, bootloader instructions or capabilities, so it is recommended to check device compatibility first before installing LineageOS.
An alternative to Lineage, CalyxOS is another Android-based, Open Source operating system which runs natively, however, exclusively on Google Pixel devices.
Due to the nature of the Google Pixel Bootloader (Device is manufactured by HTC) CalyxOS has a pre-configured installer, enabling for very fast, user-friendly and effective operating system installation.
Many mobile devices do not openly advertise their processor models, bootloader instructions or capabilities, so it is recommended to check device compatibility first before installing CalyxOS.
Exiting Big Tech
Finding alternatives to Google can frequently be confusing, however Data Fidelity has put together a list of alternatives to Google products:
- Google Search – Duckduckgo, Qwant, Ecosia, Brave
- Google Drive – NextCloud
- Gmail – Protonmail, Rainloop
- Google Docs – Collabora, OpenOffice
Similar to Google products, Microsoft has a number of competing product offerings. For alternative platforms from what Microsoft has available, we have the following:
Windows 10 – Linux Mint
Outlook/Hotmail – Protonmail, Rainloop
Most of Apple’s product offerings is based on exclusive, proprietary softwares and apps.
Data Fidelity does not use Apple products for any operations outside of a Virtual Machine environment. Apple iPhones are locked to iOS, and for this reason for privacy and to use Open Source software, we recommend using a device other than an Apple iPhone.
However, Apple alternatives for other software can be found below:
Safari – Brave
Mail – Thunderbird, Rainloop, Protonmail
Pages – Collabora, Openoffice, Libreoffice
