12 alternatives to Basecamp

I've spent a great deal of time investigating and using a multitude of tools for web based data and project management, communication, authoring, and collaboration. It's amazing the amount of attention this type of software receives from developers and designers.

Of all the software I have surveyed, Basecamp from Chicago based 37signals, gets by far the most press. Deservedly so, as the quality they deliver far exceeds their marketing acumen.

But as you might expect, there are alternatives, and considering the amount of time you will spend using the software, and your own unique needs, it's useful to try as many alternatives as time will allow.

While there are certainly more definitive lists, the following are what I found most interesting or useful.

Web based project collaboration tools
Huddle - Huddle combines online collaboration, online project management and document sharing using social networking principles.

Redmine - Redmine is a flexible project management web application. Written using Ruby on Rails framework, it is cross-platform and cross-database. Redmine is open source and released under the terms of the GNU General Public License v2 (GPL).

Action Method - Action Method is a radical approach to productivity and project management.

Google Sites - Google Sites is a free and easy way to create and share webpages.

Project Pier - ProjectPier is a Free, Open-Source, self-hosted PHP application for managing tasks, projects and teams through an intuitive web interface. ProjectPier will help your organization communicate, collaborate and get things done Its function is similar to commercial groupware/project management products, but allows the freedom and scalability of self-hosting.

5pm - 5pm can be your central location for project and task management, team collaboration, time tracking, reporting and more...

OpenGoo - OpenGoo is an Open Source Web Office. It is a complete solution for every organization to create, collaborate, share and publish all its internal and external documents.

Kindling - Kindling is an idea management and collaboration tool for groups. We know how important it is to find good ideas within your company, so we created a tool to help foster great thinking. Kindling is for groups, businesses and organizations.

2collab - 2collab works by being a social bookmarking site where you can store and organize your favorite internet resources - such as research articles from any publisher, blogs, websites, and more. Then, in private or public groups you can share your bookmarks with others - your colleagues, distributed research team, or the wider pool of experts in your field. Members of groups can evaluate these resources (by adding ratings and comments) and add their own bookmarks.

Mindquarry - Mindquarry is an Open Source collaborative software platform for file sharing (documents, images, media files, etc.), task and project management, team collaboration and Wiki editing that meshes simplicity and functionality. As a result, knowledge workers are able to connect with team members and share information from wherever they are, effectively improving team-work and increasing productivity within the company.

Goplan - Goplan is an online project management solution. It allows teams and individuals to collaborate through tasks, file management, real-time chat, online calendaring, and many other features.

Co-op - Co-op allows you to stay in tune with your co-workers. Ask questions, share knowledge, track time, and update agendas all in one place.

Others:
Evernote - Evernote allows you to easily capture information in any environment using whatever device or platform you find most convenient, and makes this information accessible and searchable at any time, from anywhere.

Getsignoff - You may produce the best website designs ever, but getting sign off is always painful. Presenting designs to distant clients and managing their feedback is challenging. GetSignOff provides a mechanism for presenting your site designs, managing feedback and organising multiple versions of a design.

More information on collaboration and collaborative software:
Levels of Collaboration - David Coleman
A Manifesto for Collaborative Tools - Eugene Eric Kim
Collaborative Software - Wikipedia
Knowledge Management and Collaborative Models - Susan Cowan
Managing Collective Intelligence - Oliver Zara