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What Would You Do With Open.org?

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the whats-wrong-with-porn dept.

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."

12 of 239 comments (clear)

  1. I know! by loftwyr · · Score: 5, Funny

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

    1. Re:I know! by FatdogHaiku · · Score: 5, Funny

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

      --
      You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
  2. Goatse host by BumbaCLot · · Score: 5, Funny

    What is more open than goatse?

  3. Open Source but not necessarily free app store. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

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

    1. Re:Open Source but not necessarily free app store. by Foofoobar · · Score: 5, Interesting

      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.

      --
      This is my sig. There are many like it but this one is mine.
    2. Re:Open Source but not necessarily free app store. by CastrTroy · · Score: 5, Interesting

      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.

      --

      Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
  4. derp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

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

  5. Not just software by Chuckles08 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    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.

    --
    Twenda Learning: Educational Apps that Engage.
  6. To hell with revenue by DoktorSeven · · Score: 5, Interesting

    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.

    --
    This is a sig. Deal with it.
  7. I suffer from a similar quandary by stox · · Score: 5, Interesting

    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.

    --
    "To those who are overly cautious, everything is impossible. "
  8. Create a brand by neokushan · · Score: 5, Interesting

    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.

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    +1 IDisagreeSoHeMustBeATrollOrAnAstroturferOrAShill
  9. Re:New business model by tomhudson · · Score: 5, Informative
    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.