The Linux specialist says it’s launching a social networking site

My first reaction is to question “Why”? After that, I suppose that Red Hat believes that this will work to increase their user base somehow.

It seems open-source software, so popular with hard-core developers and cost-conscious businesses looking for flexibility, is searching for new friends—teens. Earlier this month, Red Hat, the open-source champion and distributor of the Linux operating system, announced it will be launching an open source-based social networking site.

The Raleigh, North Carolina-based company unveiled Mugshot at its user and developer summit, which ended June 2. The site offers activities like “Link Swarm,” which allows users to share web links with individuals or groups in real time. “Music Radar” lets music fans trade recommendations using music services like iTunes or Yahoo Music.

It sounds a lot like established networking sites like Flickr or MySpace. But Red Hat says Mugshot will complement these, not compete with them. What’s different is that the software powering Mugshot is completely open source, meaning users themselves can improve the site and use it free of charge. In the future, the company also plans to release features that allow users to share tips on video content…. Source: Red Herring

[tags]linux,social networking,myspace,specialist,mugshot[/tags]