Looking for some help and advice, part1

[DogMeat]

CMS is not the acronym you are looking for.  CRM is the chappie.  Look for the Open Source ones, then look at the plug-in modules.

If you go for commercial versions, expect to spend too much on stuff you will never need/use.

[b00n]

Also be aware that open source CRM (and sadly many other types of software with commercial application these days) is a minefield - lots of dishonest companies claiming their product is open source when it is not.  VTiger looks like a good bet.

[smilodon]

Cheers all. I was thinking Joomla, Droopal etc were known as Content Management Systems? CMS. Shows what I know. So what does CRM stand for?

[b00n]

Customer relationship management.

Just occurred to me, going back to your mate's intended business plan - you'll want to look into the legal issues of taking software and charging people for using it - I doubt many software licenses (open source or otherwise) are particularly permissive in that regard.

[smilodon]

Thanks. As it happens 'most' open source systems make no restriction on how their software is used. The main restriction is that if you re-write their code you have to offer your revised software under the same open source licence as you receives it.

[DogMeat]

...Hence the reference to modules.  There are companys/individuals that write modules for Open Source CRMs for a fee.  Bearing in mind that you're not changing the original code, you can have a licensed module written/adapted for your mate's business at a much lower cost without infringing the OSS conditions.