Hi!
This project's goal is to create a FREE ERP!
But at the moment, we are only starting off.
Right now, you are probably only interested in knowing when you will start seeing THE CODE. Well, I hope to release what I call milestone 0.09, in the beginning of June.
What is milestone 0.09?
Milestone 0.09 represents the implementation of the security server for the ERP and a JAVA test interface.
What is the security server?
The security server, will be the component providing the security interfaces for all the other components. It will be the basis by which we limit and control the user access privileges and functions.

The Basis for this project is to create a complete Production Control System, or as its more commonly known, an ERP.

What is an ERP?
An ERP, is the software through which a production facility (a factory), can be computer managed. By computer managed, we mean a system that centralizes and processes all the data retrieved from the various departments (production, warehouse, logistics, planning, purchasing, sales, etc).
This data represents the STATE (in the computer jargon) of the production facility at a particular time. From a known STATE, it then becomes possible to plan the FUTURE production needs and necessities (STATEs) of the the facility.

What makes OpenPCS different from standard ERPs?

• It is Open Source!
  You will have complete access to all the source, both client and server components.
• It is Free!
  OpenPCS is released under GNU Public License (GPL).
  There are no charges for the source or binaries created from the sources.
• It was designed, from the start, to be based on Open Platforms!
  The client component, is written in JAVA.
  The advantages to JAVA being, it is FREE and it runs on any operating system.
  The server components are written in C++ for LINUX.
  Linux, again is a FREE very stable Operating System, that is rapidly being THE Operating System of choice Backoffice SERVERS.
  The Database used, is PostgreSQL, a FREE Relational Database.
  

This is the first, in what I hope will be a long list of news articles.
But at the moment, what we have is a very sparse WEB Site for this project.
I think, this project is something that can potentially revolutionize the production industry (BIG WORDS!).
Why?
Because currently, most small production companies are being run off SPREADSHEETS, since not many can afford to start off on the right foot (i.e. have an ERP installation).
I also hope, through the Open Source approach, that most companies have away to avoid many of the problems with most current ERPs!
How?
Because you can customize the ERP internally to suit your needs exactly.
I am basically coming off an installation of an ERP in the company I work for, and what I discovered was:

• It shouldn't be the computer departments that heads the search for the ERP!
• There is no real way to evaluate if an ERP is suitable for a company, short of installing and testing it completely (With real, live, production data, for a couple of months)!!!
  Unfortunately, not many companies will allow you this privilege.
  
• There is no perfect ERP system, since they are all designed to a standard way of doing things.
  Unfortunately, there are few standard companies.
  
• The installation of the ERP is only the beginning of your problems!
  
• There has to be way to customize the ERP, internally, to suit your needs! And I don't mean just the documents and user interface layouts!
  I mean complete customization. Being able to change the way the software process data (internal logic).
  Even if the company installing the ERP does not have a computer department capable of making these modifications, this option should still exists. You never know what the future holds in store.
  

• Complete the Configuration of this SourceForge Project (mailing lists, forums, etc)
• Establish Complete Feature List and Milestones till Version 1.00