Tech VIPs say future belongs to Open Source

And in contrast to my previous post as to Microsoft’s feelings about OSS, a panel of VIP power-players are saying the software future belongs to Open Source.

PALO ALTO, Calif.–A panel of high-profile industry players weighed in Thursday on whether the world will ultimately turn to open source as a means for solving its software needs, with the overriding view being “yes.”

In the next five to 10 years, the open-source movement will transform the software business, according to several top industry executives speaking at the AO 2005 Innovation Summit at Stanford University.

“We’re building a whole new world in the software industry,” said Ray Lane, a partner at venture capitalist Kleiner Perkins Caufield &Byers, who was moderating the open-source panel.

Kim Polese, CEO of SpikeSource, said she believes that every application in a proprietary technology environment will become an open-source tool in the coming years. Her company provides an integrated package of interoperable pretested software to CIOs. [Read the rest]