Start-ups seek lead OS role

If two companies established in Massachusetts have their way, Massachusetts will become a double epicentre for open source software, reports Mass High Tech Business.

Two start-ups with Massachusetts roots are hoping to become the next Red Hat of their respective open source communities, and venture dollars are chasing their efforts.

Acquia has closed $8 million in new financing bringing to $15 million the total in funds raised by the company founded by Drupal creator Dries Buytaert.

Several open source software companies and many other allies have banded together in a consortium called Open Source for America to try to persuade the US government to use more of the collaboratively developed software, according to CNET News.

The consortium wants the government to participate in its development, and help its practitioners work with the government better.

The group includes more than 70 companies, academic institutions, organisations, and individuals - among them are Linux sellers Red Hat, Novell, and Canonical.

Adobe Systems will offer more of its Flash rich media application platform up to open source, reports Computerworld.

This move is viewed by analysts as reactive to the fierce competition Adobe faces in the rich Internet application market from the Microsoft Silverlight platform.

Also in the open source realm, Canonical, commercial sponsor of the Ubuntu Linux distribution, will offer code for the Launchpad software development and collaboration platform in an open source format.