Is Open Source the Right Solution for Your Higher Ed Campus?

Irvington, VA (PRWEB) August 19, 2009 -- Edu1world (www.edu1world.org), an online professional networking site for higher education technology professionals and practitioners, announced today the launch of an "Open Source Community" on edu1world.org. Access to this resource is available worldwide at no charge to higher education CIO's, technology directors, administrators, faculty and staff. The purpose of this online Open Source Community is to connect those who have been successful in implementing and integrating open source with those who are considering open source software solutions.

While product-specific list serve forums do exist, access is usually limited to members and discussion restricted to single products. The edu1world Open Source Community fills the need for a free, open, unrestricted, vendor-neutral online community of practice for those wishing to share information and educate themselves on the options using a state-of-the art web 2.0 platform which fosters collaboration.

"Critical to the success of this community is early participation by thought leaders. We are actively seeking information technology professionals, programmers, developers, vendors, consultants, and sponsors who will contribute to the conversation and share their knowledge and experience, " said ed1world CEO Vicki Tambellini. "Our goal is access. We will save people both time and money by making open source information readily available and easy to search and retrieve."

Open source is a software development method that combines the power of distributed peer review with transparency of process. Open source software (OSS) projects are built and maintained by a network of volunteer programmers. The source code for these programs is made available to the general public with relaxed or non-existent copyright restrictions, making the cost much lower than traditional, proprietary software applications.

According to edu1world General Manager Liz Dietz, "Every campus should be prepared to answer the question: 'Is open source the right solution for us?' It is a big decision for a campus to go open source. And while they are not necessarily appropriate for all, everyone in the higher education technology arena needs to understand what the open source options are. Learning management, financial management, CRM, portals - just about every system on campus has a high quality open source alternative now."

"College and university campuses are challenged with escalating costs and scarce financial resources, and people are being asked to find cost-effective options. We are offering this Open Source Community as a place where people can educate themselves, ask questions, connect and collaborate with colleagues who are already using open source, share their experiences, and ultimately get what they need to make an informed decision," continued Dietz.

Innovativ Consulting Partners (http://www.innovativcp.com) (ICP) is the primary sponsor of the Open Source Community. ICP Managing Director Anthony DiSanza commented, "We're pleased to support edu1world in developing the Open Source community. Having known Liz Dietz & Vicki Tambellini for more than ten years, we believe they have the necessary knowledge of the higher education market and can cultivate a community that will deliver value to education customers."

"Open Source is a fast growing industry and simply cannot be overlooked," stated Tambellini. According to a July 2009 report released by IDC (http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS21947509), a global provider of market intelligence for the technology market, enterprises increased their spending on open source software by 34 percent in 2008 and that number is projected to increase another 24 percent this year.

"Edu1world is made up of virtual communities where members from around the world connect, collaborate, communicate, and access the information they need to succeed," Tambellini continued. "We believe that a community dedicated to the topic of open source solutions is vital to the growth and economic strength of educational institutions and we look forward to facilitating a lively and engaging conversation among our users."

According to Tambellini, technology vendors and consultants are both welcome and encouraged to participate in the Open Source Community and all of the other open discussion communities on the edu1world website for a nominal monthly fee. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.

For additional information on the edu1world Open Source Community, please contact Vicki Tambellini. Full time higher education institution employees can register (http://www.edu1world.org/Home/pages/register) at any time at no charge.

About Edu1world

Edu1world LLC (www.edu1world.org/Global) is an online professional network for higher education technology practitioners & providers, administrative professionals, vendors, associations, and faculty who are interested in and work with technology. It is made up of virtual communities where members from around the world connect, collaborate, communicate, and access the information they need to succeed. The edu1world mission is to deliver a state of the art web 2.0 SaaS application that builds transparency between technology vendors and educational institutions and unites the vendor community with the education industry for the benefit of all. Edu1world LLC is owned by Vicki Tambellini and Liz Dietz.

Edu1world is a project of The Tambellini Group (www.thetambelliningroup.com) a consultancy providing trusted market insights through innovative tools, high-quality research and industry expertise that minimizes the risks associated with technology purchase decisions, improves vendor-customer relationships, and enables breakthrough results for decision makers who work in or serve the education, government and not-for-profit markets. The Tambellini Group, founded and led by Vicki Tambellini, is headquartered in Irvington, Virginia.

About Innovativ Consulting Partners

Innovativ Consulting Partners (http://www.innovativcp.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=27&Itemid=129) provides the client-point expertise needed to fully implement foundation solutions successfully. The company has decades of experience in Higher Education and the public sector, and serves its customers through a focused understanding of industry challenges and opportunities. Innovativ is a Kuali Foundation® Commercial Affiliate and business partners with Oracle® and PeopleSoft®.

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