U.S. open-source group opens chapter in Europe
Consortium of companies working on software interoperability cites Europe's abundant open-source projects.
"More open-source projects have originated in Europe than anywhere else in the world," said Bertrand Diard, chief executive officer of data-integration specialist Talend, a founding member of the Open Solutions Alliance. Founded a year ago, the OSA has had a U.S. focus until now.
The European chapter of the OSA will be formally incorporated in the next 90 days, and will then look for
"When the OSA got started, we saw our mission as a global one, but the critical mass of activity
Sartorio sees 2008 as turning point for open source. In late 2007, he promised that OSA would "out-Microsoft Microsoft" in response to a user survey that revealed a demand for interoperability among open-source tools.
"We have encountered other groups with a similar mission, like the U.K.'s OpenForum, but they tend to focus on pure advocacy," said Sartorio. "The OSA focuses on business applications and their interoperability."
Open-source companies need interoperability because they are usually small and focused, he said. When they get bought by larger companies, this helps them integrate, but not all open-source companies have that option.
Open source is growing rapidly in Europe: in France, total spending on open-source services and products jumped 66 percent to $1.07 billion in 2007, according to Paris-based analysts Pierre Audoin Conseil.
Other OSA chapters are expected elsewhere in the world. "Our chapter system is intended to scale around the world," said Sartorio. "I would expect by this time next year we will have chapters up and running in other regions enjoying strong open-source adoption, including Asia and Latin America."
Peter Judge of ZDNet UK reported from London.