Former MS Employees Explore OSS

Roberto Andressi writes "A few former Microsoft employees have launched a Web site that evaluates open-source projects. The site is intended as a way for first-time OSS users to 'get their feet wet' before diving into the large community of open source projects out there. The site, Ohloh, will provide background information on a prospective project. The folks behind the site even plan to include a lexicon of terms for very new users. " From the article: "'We collect from the infrastructure the open-source community uses to develop the software,' Ohloh co-founder and CEO Scott Collison told CNET News.com. 'It also serves as an open-source directory. You can find open-source projects and compare them, and gradually find one that's right for you.' The site could appeal to developers who are frustrated by the number of open-source projects that lack clear explanations. Ohloh also seeks to help developers make a build vs. buy decision by offering code analysis, said Collison, who along with co-founder Jason Allen, previously worked at Microsoft."

Comments

Why link to ZDNET Asia?

[assantisz]

This link is much faster (that is if you are in the USA, of course): Web site that evaluates open-source projects.

Re:Why link to ZDNET Asia?

[ozbird]

The big problem with a lot of OSS project sites is the lack of basic information about what the software even *IS*.

Hence sites like freshmeat.net - my first port of call if I know the kind of application I want, but not which one (or even what the available options are.)

Maybe I'm getting cynical, this has the distinct smell of astroturf. How "Ohloh" can you go?

Newbies guide to opensource

[Kuku_monroe]

Gettin' your feet wet' before diving into the large community of open source. Step 1: All Open source projects have weird name like "Ohloh"