Open-Source Vendors Team for App Interoperability

In an effort to encourage enterprises to invest in open-source business software, 10 vendors have founded the Open Software Alliance. The group aims to create a set of common definitions, tools and frameworks vendors can use to increase interoperability among software solutions, and ultimately lower implementation costs and speed open-source software deployments.

In an effort to encourage enterprises to invest in open-source business software, 10 vendors have founded the Open Software Alliance. The group aims to create a set of common definitions, tools and frameworks vendors can use to increase interoperability among software solutions, and ultimately lower implementation costs and speed open-source software deployments.

The vendor-neutral body will also organize what it calls "meta communities" to foster cooperation and innovation among individuals and companies. Additionally, the organization will provide marketing support to advertise business benefits of using open-source business software suites.

But while the newly formed Open Software Alliance is backed by a number of open-source vendors--including Adaptive Planning, Centric CRM, EnterpriseDB, JasperSoft, SpikeSource and Talend--the industry's most powerful vendors, Novell and Red Hat, are not part of the organization; in fact, they participate in the Interop Vendor Alliance, which was also founded to promote open-source software.The Open Source Alliance says it differs from other industry groups in that instead of concentrating on just one project or pushing the adoption of a single technology, it will work to address underlying interoperability issues. The group says its ultimate objective is to cultivate the development of open-source suites that will appeal to business customers looking for low-cost alternatives to proprietary software products.

The Open Software Alliance is encouraging other vendors to join its ranks. The alliance is also accepting integrator and reseller members, as well as community-based organizations.