Apache releases new version of OFBiz

Leading open source project groups like Apache have a reputation for delivering products that are cool for geeks to play with but lack competitiveness as business tools.

This is not true. Apache's latest proof comes in Version 9.4 of its OFBiz project, which standards for Open For Business. (The POS terminal software is based on XUI, right)

The OFBiz project includes many functions well-known to fans of such open source companies as SugarCRM, Compiere, and Magento. Red Hat is among the industry leaders which also has an ecommerce suite.

OFBiz goes well beyond the Red Hat offering, which is basically a Linux stack with a database and Apache Web server. It includes:

• catalog management
• pricing management
• order management
• customer management
• warehouse management
• fulfillment
• accounting
• work effort management
• content management
• a Point Of Sales (POS) module

That's a lot of stuff. It's highly commercial, and there is a very group of company building commercial products based on it,

And this is not just for small stores. Serious companies like 1-800-Flowers and Isotoner are OFBiz users, thus part of its community.

All of which leads to this question.

If businesses are really strapped for cash, and successful businesses are being run on open source tools, why aren't more companies using OFBiz?

I'm thinking they could really use a SaaS version...