Tech Data, Synnex, Red Hat, Novell and the Open Source Channel Alliance continue to promote open source applications to VARs and solutions providers. But are open source VARs really ready for prime time? Yes and no. Here’s why.

Does the Open Source Model work better than its commercial alternative? This post comes on the heels of one of my fellow Staff Writer's posting the story, "A Modest Idea: What If Microsoft Open Sourced Windows?" And I'm aiming this commentary at Microsoft too but it applies to any company who seeks profit over what is fundamentally correct behavior in the marketplace.

IDG World Expo has teamed up with open source security gateway provider Untangle and electronics recycler Alameda County Computer Resource Center (ACCRC) to host an Installfest for Schools at LinuxWorld Conference and Expo in San Francisco next week. Volunteers will refurbish older discarded computers with free and open source software (FOSS) before they are donated to schools in need.

NTEN, the Nonprofit Technology Network, has just published the 2008 Content Management Systems Satisfaction Survey. It appears that non-profit organizations prefer open source solutions than proprietary one. These solutions maximize their resources allocation and give them the best of contemporary technologies.

Last week’s LinuxWorld Conference & Expo drew a broad cross section of users, from cautious onlookers trying to gauge how Linux and other open-source software could fit into their organizations to converts hoping to expand their use of such technologies.

Two recent events should give for-profit companies new reasons to re-evaluate the ways in which they use open source software as well as the extent to which they use it.

Novell and Tech Data have inked a partnership to promote SUSE Linux and open source application appliances to VARs and channel partners. In some (but not all) ways, the partnership counters recent work by Red Hat and Synnex (co-founders of the Open Source Channel Alliance). Here’s the scoop.

Game Jolt (a relatively new Open Source/Freeware game project hosting site) has recently announced their plans for implementing ad revenue sharing for Open Source and Freeware game developers. Most profit sharing schemes have only been available to the Casual/Flash gaming community, until now.

I made it up to LinuxWorld, just barely, after being sick earlier in the week. Mostly I was incognito and even old friends didn't recognize me. (Or maybe they owe me money and are avoiding me, who knows?)