Hewlett-Packard is supplying more arms to the open source
development community, announcing on Monday that it has built an
internal developers network based on an open source software
platform from CollabNet, a software and consulting company launched
by Apache software co-creator Brian Behlendorf.
Hewlett-Packard's (HP) printing and imaging division has launched
what it calls the Collaborative Development Program (CDP), a
proprietary network that links HP's worldwide employees to
collaborate on software development projects. CollabNet's Web-based
development environment also allows HP's business partners and
customers to contribute to the development through a secure
connection.
HP first started testing the network in July 2000 with 30
developers. Since then, the program has grown to include more than
100 projects and support for more than 1,200 developers worldwide,
according to CollabNet. The financial terms of the deal were not
disclosed, but CollabNet said that it has signed a one-year term
with HP and will continue to charge for consulting support.
"It's a testament to the power of collaboration within an
enterprise," Bernie Mills, senior vice-president of marketing at
CollabNet, said in an interview. "This is a good example of how an
enterprise that may not be interested in open sourcing their code
can take advantage of (the open source process)."
HP has shown continual support for the open source model. Early
last year it chose CollabNet's SourceCast software to build an
online community where developers can play with its e-Speak source
code and design applications around it. HP also contributed to
CollabNet's latest round of financing last year, marking its first
investment in an open source company.
Many enterprise customers became aware of the model only recently,
in the face of criticism from open source's most vocal opponent,
Microsoft. Many attributes of open source, such as the free
distribution of source code, go against the traditions of
proprietary software makers.
"There are a lot of good things that have come out of the open
source movement, and a lot of that revolves around collaboration
and having developers more involved in the process," said Kathy
Quirk, an analyst with Hurwitz Group. "If there's a process that
makes developers more productive, that works out well for
everybody."
CollabNet hosts open source development projects for some of the
largest technology companies. Motorola uses CollabNet's software
package to allow developers to make applications for its phones
that use J2ME (Java 2 Platform Micro Edition). Nokia built a Web
site using CollabNet's platform for developers to create
applications for its planned Media Terminal home entertainment
system. CollabNet also hosts four developer communities for Sun
Microsystems, including one for its peer-to-peer project,
Jxta.
CollabNet offers three products based on its SourceCast software.
One allows developers to submit a project to be worked on by other
open source developers. A second lets corporations build
communities in which outside developers can contribute to open
source projects. This product includes a branded Web site with
development tools, project administrative and management
capabilities, as well as legal and technical consulting.
The third platform, of which HP will become the first customer, is
the enterprise development network, where the open source
development model is used in-house.
"The same backbone technology is being applied here inside the
enterprise," Mills said. Additional security measures have been
rolled into the platform so customers can manage which developers
can access specific parts of the code under development. Also, the
platform allows companies to choose their own software development
tools besides the ones that come embedded in the product.
CollabNet has faced setbacks in the past few months as it works to
develop a viable business model. The online marketplace it helped
launch for open source projects, SourceXchange, closed its doors
last month. The site acted as a brokerage for deals between open
source software projects and programmers, a model that became the
basis for CollabNet.
But SourceXchange's demise wasn't the end for CollabNet. Mills said
the company is doing fine financially and new deals with enterprise
customers will bring new opportunities. The company also has plenty
of cash left from $35m (£25.5m) funding it raised last June from a
group of nine technology vendors, including Sun, Intel and Oracle,
he said.