What Would You Do With Open.org?

itwbennett writes "The Linux Fund recently bought the open.org domain at auction for an undisclosed sum. Now begins the challenge of doing something with it — something that generates enough revenue to be self-sustaining."

Comments

I know!

[loftwyr]

A repository of knock spells? Sure to be a winner!

Re:I know!

[FatdogHaiku]

How about a single page with a large graphic saying:
CLOSED

Goatse host

[BumbaCLot]

What is more open than goatse?

Open Source but not necessarily free app store.

[Anonymous Coward]

Something like the Mac App Store, but cross platform and accepting only open source submissions. Take a 30% cut of paid downloads.

Re:Open Source but not necessarily free app store.

[Foofoobar]

Better. Supply open source support for sourceforge/open source projects.

Allow people to signup (with valid paypal account) and they go into a support pool for open source projects. People who answer questions correctly (or get most points) get most pay while fewer points get a smaller percentage of pay for that question.

People who wish to pay for support can sign up for an unlimited number of questions or pay per question asked. The amount would be based on each project and the popularity and number of downloads of said project (or something like that). Percentage of pay could also go to maintainers of project.

Re:Open Source but not necessarily free app store.

[CastrTroy]

Maybe I'm not the only one, but while sourceforge/freshmeant/whatever is a good place to find good open source apps, you also have to wade through a pile of garbage to get to them. Maybe open.org could be a place where only the elite apps get shown off, to get across to people that open source software really is amazing, if you ignore all the terrible or half done projects. Sure it's not very "open" but would go a long way to getting the average Joe to using open source software.

derp

[Anonymous Coward]

Shouldnt they have a clue what they will do with the domain before blowing money into the wind?

Not just software

[Chuckles08]

It would be great if open.org was a place to find not just software but other types of open source content and resources that could be used creatively with open software. I'm thinking of sites like the Encyclopedia of Life (eol.org), freesound.org, and the like.

Re:Not just software

[peterhil]

I second this idea, I would like to see it become a useful resource for both users and developers/artists. There could be a directory and a customized search engine pointing to good resources about open source and creative commons materials.

For developers it could help find libraries with selected license (BSD and MIT like licenses in addition to GPL like), links to free tutorials, books, documentation and interesting projects to collaborate by language, information about different licenses. Also a message board or news section for finding collaborators for and announcing new projects might be useful.

Wiki works too for a dictionary claryifying some terms about open source, but I think it should just be a part of the site. I see a collectively edited Dmoz or Yahoo style link directory equally useful. For inspiration on making new users for open source software: http://www.opensourcemac.org/

On the software side, there is already Github, Sourceforge and many more, but open.org could provide some visual statistics about most used open source software, most active projects, most liked projects the information being collected from different sites and repository hosts. Github and ohloh.net do a good work of being useful for both developers and users. In my opinion Sourceforge has gone much worse in this respect in the last two versions, unvisionarily mixing the two sides and not catering to either.

As for the self-sustaining revenue: On the web there's generally four ways to make money:
Donations, ads, selling some useful items or services and porn.

To hell with revenue

[DoktorSeven]

Start something that promotes open software, open ideas, and open standards. Take on Microsoft and other companies head on. Show people what quality software and open standards do for everyone.

That's what I'd do.

I suffer from a similar quandary

[stox]

I own neutrality.org. If any readers would be interested in assisting me in fighting the good fight, please drop me a note at ideas@neutrality.org. My intent is to use this to promote network neutrality, and not to make a quick buck.

A new marketing campaign for open source

[suso]

I think there needs to be a fresh new marketing campaign that reintroduces the concept of open source software to people (including the geeks) because it seems that a lot of the efforts have fizzled out or become misunderstood by the latest generation.

Create a brand

[neokushan]

Part of the "problem" with open source is that only us geek types give a damn about it. Average joe doesn't care about how "open" what he's buying is, which is why people continue to buy closed systems without a second thought.

Open.org could be the face of open platforms. Get a nice logo and some sort of catchy slogan "Approved by Open.org - your software, how you want it" or something. So when Microsoft releases a new "open" standard that isn't actually that open, open.org could be the ones fighting to make it as open as possible, supporting a truly open alternative, keeping things that are supposed to be open, but aren't, in check (I'm looking at you, Oracle) and generally educating the masses on why being open is "cool" and why they should care, as well as encouraging companies to open up their products more.

copyleft repository

[WiglyWorm]

There are so many OSS/FOSS repositories out there. I'd love to see them help foster the copyleft movement and get a directory of creative commons art, audio, video, and ui elements. It would both benefit Linux itself, and attract high traffic for people looking for stock photos etc. thus, ad revenue.

Re:New business model

[tomhudson]

Considering that it was already being used for something better than "OGM I can get open.org - what can I do with it?"

The domain name was recently acquired by Linux Fund from the City of Salem, Oregon for an undisclosed amount. Salem's public library was using the domain for a kids-to-Internet program entitled the Oregon Public Education Network. The Linux Fund purchased the domain at public auction.

... maybe they can return it to its original use - but it wasn't just for kids, as you can see if you look at the archives.

snapshot index from wayback machine, from a few years ago, the shutting down notification page.

So, why not the Open Public Education Network? It's self-referential, same as Linux Is Not Unix, or Gnu's Not Unux.

Solutions Database

[Anonymous Showered]

For individuals or for business, the site could offer alternatives and/or solutions to common problems. It can also promote open standards for others to follow.

e.g. replacement Office suite = Libre Office, ProTools = Audacity, SAP ERP = OpenTaps, OpenBravo, etc.

You can setup case studies to advocate the use of open source software and solutions.

This wouldn't just apply to software. You can also throw in hardware designs too (I'm thinking Arduino stuff).

A source of income could be companies that advertise on the site, offering their expertise in setting up open source business systems.

Pointers to all things Open

[miruku]

Make a site that is a great resource to all things Open. Not just software or hardware, but open culture, architecture, design, access, etc. Be educational yet very handy so as to better inform and enthuse users as to what communities and resources are out there and how they can participate, either globally or locally. Be a hub site to help join the dots and frame how fantastic the idea of Open is.