Link This | Email this | Blog This | Comments (0)

Open Source Mania

July 24, 2008 I just got back from WiLSWorld, put on by Wisconsin Library Services (WiLS) in Madison for member libraries. Now I realize that Madison is rarefied air, likely almost as far left as its better known cousin Berkeley, CA, but one would hope with less true craziness. But still, it was fairly striking that the program was rife with program offerings featuring open source library software and simultaneously largely devoid of programs relating to commercial applications.

The program handouts included a sheet on a Wisconsin project with Evergreen, and Joshua Ferraro of LibLime presented on a variety of open source applications including their flagship product Koha. Later in the program some representatives from the WALDO organization of New York presented on their experience with Koha Zoom. And although she wasn't on the program (if I were the meeting organizers I would have booted me off one of my three -- yes three -- slots to get her up there), Karen Schneider newly of Equinox Software was in attendance, as was her code jockey colleague Jason Etheridge.

The impression I was left with was that there are new kids in town, and the status quo just might find itself the status quo ante before too many years pass. I would check my stock portfolio if I were you, is all I'm saying.

Posted by Roy Tennant on July 24, 2008 | Comments (0)