At first this was just a bitch page but I've since put lots of work into it as so many have sent me Basecamp alternatives. To date I've been told in email by close to 100 people that the listing of project management tools has been very valuable to them so I think it's now fair for me to monetize the site a bit. Want to advertise? Let me know.
It's a web-based project management service.
Yes, and this website documents why.
The company that developed Basecamp and offers it as a web-based service. 37 Signals is run by Jason Fried who blogs frequent at Signal vs. Noise.
Here are my (current) Top 10 Reasons in increasing order of importance, although wait a few days and I'm sure I'll find more:
Sorry, I just couldn't seem to manage to limit to only 10. :-(
Evidently Jason Fried's favorite phrase is:
No. sorry. (end of discussion).
Here are numerous examples of Jason ignoring legitimate customer needs:
See 37 Signal's blog post about people who email them and request features that are important for their use of Basecamp:
What's worse is that many people commented condemned them for riduculing their customers in public, but instead of realizing their screwed up and apologizing they defend their actions by trying to manipulating words, much akin to Bill Clinton's manupulating the definition of "is!" 37 Signals even condescends the people who tell them in a respectful manner that what they did was in poor taste and showed bad judgement! This is almost as bad as watching Dick Cheney deny there was anything wrong with Haliburton's no-bid contracts!
These guys need to be kicked to the curb, but hard.
Based on all this chittah-chattah, I guess I'm not the only one who has issues with 37 Signals, eh?
Anyway, I was looking at the logs I noticed referrals from the blog Logic + Emotion. Evidently David Armano found this website and then wrote Does Basecamp Sux? Interestingly, Jason Fried posted a huge rambling response in the comments section repeating his tired old line about how "Saying 'no' is doing customers a favor." No, I'll decide if you are doing me a favor Jason, not you.
The real problem though is that Jason just doesn't get it! It's not that he told me 'no'; it's how he told me 'no.' It's that he told me with an arrogance and condescenscion that I have never experienced before or since from a company official. His response implied that I was just an idiot who didn't know any better and that he was far more aware of what I really needed. Frankly, I've got enough self-esteem that that kind of response doesn't put me into the "I'm not worthy" hero-worship mode that his cult-of-personality followers exude. Instead, it just got really pissed me off; hence this site.
So if you are reading this Jason, please get a clue! It's not that you set priorities for your company that may not align with mine, it's that you have the worst attitude I've ever experienced when communicating those priorities. Maybe you can be introspective about that, but I won't hold my breath. I'm sure you'll find a way to blame me instead.
The following is a list, in alphabetical order, of both hosted services and open-source software for project management; I have not used any of these. I learned of them when people emailed me about them. Caveat emptor, but I can't imagine any of these being worse than dealing with BaseCamp and the attitudes of 37 Signals!
24SevenOffice is an ajax-based ERP/CRM-solution that includes a project management module. It is integrated with the CRM, invoice, accounting, e-mail, timesheet and document management modules. No activity limit. Offers web-services for integration with other systems.
5pm is the new version of the project management tool we've been using for years. The customizable interface was designed to make the maximum use of screen space, and everything is within a click or two. Check the visual timeline for an alternative view of your projects/tasks.
Free for fairly basic web-based facilities (less than 50 tasks per project) with options for more if you're prepared to pay. Not the most intuitive (export/import a bit difficult to find!).
activeCollab is a web based collaboration and project management tool. Allows teams and their clients to collaborate on active projects. Formerly open source and free, not a commercial project.
AgendaPoint is an application for simple task- and project management for individuals and small teams. AgendaPoint allows people to create to-do lists, work with simple notes/documents, upload and download files, and provide feedback through comments with 50MB free storage, and share everything on a project-by-project basis. Use of the basic version is free with a pledge to remain free.
@task is a web-based project and portfolio management software application. @task has worksheets, interactive Gantt charts, customizable templates, portfolio overviews and they claim to welcome and incorporate customer feedback. @task is also database, platform, and browser independent and can communicate with existing systems.
Celoxis is a web based project management software. It offers project templates, Microsoft Project import, time sheets, expenses, web folders, discussion forums and more. It offers a workflow system where you can model and track your business processes like issue tracking, help desk, etc. Celoxis is cross platform and cross browser (supports Safari on Macs) and is available as a hosted service or as an installable version.
10x the horsepower of Basecamp, just as simple and without the attitude. Central Desktop - Team/Project Tools that just work.
Features unlimited projects & tasks, milestones & due dates, time tracking & reports, tags & search, project timeline. No ads, no fees, no restrictions
Online project management and knowledge sharing. Includes project workspaces, tasks and reports; enterprise wiki, permissions and roles; ticketing and bug tracking; communication and knowledge sharing; simple and intuitive interface.
Copper is a web-based project management software tool designed to help organizations collaborate and manage client information, projects, tasks, files, contacts and calendars. With Copper you can create projects and tasks, review timelines and progress while your staff, clients, and subcontractors actively contribute to this information. You can purchase the software and host it yourself, or subscribe to a hosted version for a monthly fee.
DeskAway is a project & task management software for small creative firms. DeskAway allows people to create, manage and track multiple projects from one window. With DeskAway, you can easily get all requirements from your client, assign tasks, share files and see a report of who is doing what. Try the 30-day free trial. No credit card required.
Devshop is a hosted project management application specifically designed for planning software projects. Not planning weddings, or building roads - just software. Devshop’s interface is easy to use, with all the richness of a desktop tool and all of the “run anywhere” reach of the Web. Devshop learns about you and your team over time to help you create more achievable software schedules. Visit the sight for a free single user account.
The Open Source Project Management tool. dotProject is a volunteer supported Project Management application. There is no "company" behind this project, it is managed, maintained, developed and supported by a volunteer group and by the users themselves. The software is free to anyone who would like to download it. Day to day support is provided free by volunteers.
Enterprise Project 2.0 allows team to complex projects. Emphasis is placed on privacy and data security. Functionality includes Clients, Leads, Project Information, Tasks, Calendar Entries, Trouble Tickets, Resources, Shared Files, Forums, Invoicings, Gantt charting, Hour and Progress logging, Scheduling events, Email updates, and Monitoring project progress.
Huddle is a network of secure online spaces that combine powerful document, project & team tools with the simplicity of a social networking site. Collaborate on documents (with access control, version management and approval workflow), create project milestones and share ideas online. Fully hosted, no special software required. Free package (1 project huddle, 5 users, 25MB of storage) and several paid subscriptions available.
A hosted service that enables you to centralize and manage your projects, streamline your tasks, and track time in a personalized online space. This application generates timesheets, reports and invoices and calculates real-time budget vs. the actual budget. Also, you can upload documents and files pertaining to specific projects and assignments.
Kiwi Manager is an online project management software that allows you to collaborate with your clients and team members over the Internet.
VO solutions steamlines Project planing, Task management ,Resource management, Document management, Issue management, Team collaboration, Time tracking and Analytics to help you maximize your productivity and returns.
LiquidPlanner is online project management software that offers teams a project environment with social networking features. Free during initial beta period.
A unified personal task and team project assistant that lets you create a drag and drop Agenda from multiple projects to narrow your focus for the day. More sophisticated than Basecamp with due dates, comments, priority and email notification options for all tasks. Features Jott support so you can call in tasks from a cell phone and lots of mobile support for iPhone and BlackBerry users. Ideal for staying connected and completing your own tasks, plus team collaboration and GTD.
Includes Calendars, Contact Manager, Message Forums, Knowledge Base, Pop Email Reader, Link/URL Sharing, File Sharing, Chat Room, Phone Message Pad and Task Manager.
OnStage is a web based project management workspace and collaboration tool for groups of people. OnStage includes features such as: messaging, document storage and version control, tasks and milestones, project calendar, Gantt charts, SSL encryption, and time zone support.
phpCollab is an open-source internet-enabled collaboration workspace for project teams. Modeled on Macromedia Sitespring, phpCollab allows for the consulting team to share information and publish information in one space and, when desired, to another space for the client. phpCollab encompasses task planning, document sharing, and hooks into other open source applications for bug tracking and content management.
Includes group calendar, project management, time card system, file management, contact manager, mail client.
PipelineDeals is a simple web-based CRM solution with automatical data backup. Pay as you go pricing with no storage limits. Teams can manage and organize deals, documents, contacts, and a calendar. Application supports Reporting on Deals, Leads, Lead Sources, Milestones and Notes with customized filters.
PlanDone, an on-demand wiki application, offers online planning, corporate communications and detail management in a centralized interactive location for all team members working on a project. PlanDone retains the core project management features associated with task management and workflow in a simple format and offers a priority ranking system to assist with daily planning and a deadline analysis tool to aid in timely project completion.
ProjectOffice.net is a free online project management tool that provides all-in-one functionality: managing projects and tasks, time management, issue tracking system and increased team collaboration through wikis.
ProejctPier is a free, open-source app for managing tasks, projects and teams through a web interface. ProjectPier will help your organization communicate and collaborate. It includes an import function to assist in migrating all your existing data away from BaseCamp. Its function is similar to commercial groupware/project management products, but allows self-hosting.
Powerful and clean interface. Gantt charts included. Euro-friendly.
ProjectSpaces is an online workspace tool to help project teams and other groups share documents, manage tasks, and coordinate activities. ProjectSpaces is fast and lightweight and focuses on simplicity and ease of use.
Web based project management, task and time tracking solution. Designed for small to medium Creative or Tech firms. ProWorkflow can help manage projects, notes, contacts, reports and includes excellent time sheeting and timelines.
ProejctPier is a free, open-source app for managing tasks, projects and teams through a web interface. ProjectPier will help your organization communicate and collaborate. It includes an import function to assist in migrating all your existing data away from BaseCamp. Its function is similar to commercial groupware/project management products, but allows self-hosting.
QFile by Qonsort is a flexible web based business management solution that supports huge attachments and flexible workflow, so you can change it to work the way you do. You can store Contact Information and integrate it with your projects, for example.
RailsCollab is a port of the project management tool ActiveCollab (which is written in PHP) to the Ruby on Rails framework, obviously written in Ruby. ActiveCollab in turn is loosely based on BaseCamp, which also happens to be written in Ruby - what a co-incidence!
Smartsheet.com is a web-based solution for managing a variety of team tasks. It offers intelligent collaboration within a simple spreadsheet interface. Smartsheet.com offers a template library which gives users a great starting point in a variety of industries including marketing and human resources. Smartsheet.com offers a free account and paid accounts.
Free webbased project managements. With Streber, freelancers and small teams can setup projects and keep track of tasks, issues, bugs, efforts etc. Project-User-Rights can be adjusted e.g. to provide clients a limited view of the current project state.
Teamwork is a Java web based software solution for managing work and communication through projects. Groupware and project management features are used in an integrated environment. A free online version is available. Persistent classes sources (over Hibernate) ara available under GPL.
TeamWork Live is an intuitive, secure, web-based project management and collaboration tool. It helps you run your projects more efficiently, promotes collaboration and accountability among team members, and makes your clients happier through increased transparency.
A suite of integrated, Web based modular applications for project management, time and expense reporting, purchasing, invoicing, personnel management, CRM and reporting. Source code included with licensing. A free demo site is available for a hands-on evaluation.
Setup and manage projects. trivialPRO includes ajax calendar, task management, dashboard, file upload, timetracking and simple user rights. So far only in German.
Easy to use, web-based project management software. Software as a service project management or host it yourself. Create templates, import projects, track time and manage schedules. Full featured customizeable reporting. Visit the site for a Free Test Drive.
Individual users are assigned rights and permissions. Users can also be put into groups with controlled rights and permissions. Projects and tasks progress and approaching deadlines are graphically highlighted. Changes are personally highlighted for other users to see. Changes and new items can be emailed to affected users.
Web based project management software, with time tracking, team collaboration tools and a shared archive for the projects documentation. Designed for professionals and for small and medium firms.
Free with no limit on the amount of activities you can keep track of.
Zoho Projects is an online tool that helps you track and manage your projects. Features include Tasks/Milestones Management, Centralized Document Management, Project Calendar, Gantt Charts, Reports, Timesheets and more. Unlimited Users. Free for one project. Pricing starts at $5 per month.
I am a frustrated Basecamp user and 37 Signals customer. After months of using it, I finally became so fed up I couldn't take it anymore.
(I'm now a former 37 Signals customer and no longer a Basecamp user. Just to be accurate...)
Email me at: editor[at]whybasecampsux[dot]org
Want me to add your project management website or web app to the list? If so, email me information in the exact HTML format shown below to make it a no brainer for me to add. And follow the description; anything too "salesy" and I won't add it.
<li id="your-site-or-app-name" >
<dt>
<a href="http://www.yoursitedomain.com/">Your Web Site/App Name</a>
</dt>
<dd>
<p>
Description of your website here. Keep it as short as the
rest. DO NOT include adjectives that embellish your
website (i.e. "best", "leading", etc.); just the facts, or I
won't include it. And give me at least a week to add it.
</p>
</dd>
</li>