Open Source Development Network unveils freshmeat II

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Author: JT Smith

The Open Source
Development Network (OSDN.com), a division of VA Linux Systems, Inc.
(Nasdaq:LNUX – news), today announced the highly anticipated release
of freshmeat II, the result of a year-long development effort to
enhance freshmeat.net. (NewsForge is part of OSDN.)

Founded in 1997, freshmeat.net (http://freshmeat.net/) is the largest
index of Linux and Open Source software on the Web. With thousands of
applications meticulously catalogued in the freshmeat database and
links to new code added daily, freshmeat.net is the first stop for
users hunting for the software they need. freshmeat.net is well known
for providing the latest news on new Open Source software releases, as
well as extensive archives of project release histories, links and
spirited discussion and commentary.

Many of the new features in freshmeat II expand the ability of the
site’s users to customize their personal accounts in ways that make it
easier and faster to find what they want and communicate with each
other. Among the most important advances are:

  • Filtering and email notification. freshmeat II makes it easier
    for users to track the software they want by filtering out
    specific categories of software by application type and/or release
    priority. Users can also receive email notification of software
    updates and user commentary.

  • Improved ease of use. Submitting software for inclusion on
    freshmeat.net is easier than ever, thanks to refinements in
    freshmeat’s
    administration and maintenance interfaces.
    freshmeat II also introduces screenshots, public and private
    user pages and extended search capabilities.

  • Easier communication and real-time feedback. Threaded comments
    and instant messaging allow users to send notes to each other.

  • Branches and improved categorization. Projects in the
    freshmeat database can be split into branches (e.g., “stable”
    vs. “development”). freshmeat II has adopted the Trove
    categorization system, which will make it easier for freshmeat.net
    to work with SourceForge.net, the world’s largest ASP for Open
    Source development, as well as other archives using Trove.

  • Expanded statistics. The freshmeat statistics page now tracks
    the top 20 projects by hit count and the top 20 users by logins,
    in addition to many other useful numbers.

    “Thanks to the feature requests and enthusiastic feedback from our
    readers and contributors, freshmeat.net now provides a much more
    powerful toolset,” said Patrick “scoop” Lenz, founder of
    freshmeat.net. “We hope that by making freshmeat II even easier to
    use, we encourage more developers to release early and often.”

    OSDN’s Linux Kernel Month on freshmeat.net

    In addition to the launch of freshmeat II, freshmeat.net kicks off the
    month of February with weekly features on Linux kernel-related issues,
    as part of OSDN’s Linux Kernel Month. Highlights will include: “2.4:
    What’s in it for me?” by freshmeat.net editor Jeff Covey; a
    behind-the-scenes look at how Linux distributions prepare for major
    kernel releases; and an in-depth discussion of journaling file systems
    for Linux.

    Further information on OSDN’s Linux Kernel Month activities is
    available at The Kernel Bazaar at http://osdn.com/bazaar/linuxkernel/.
    Information on how to sponsor Linux Kernel Month and future OSDN
    Technology Months is available via email at sponsorship@osdn.com.

    About OSDN

    OSDN (Open Source Development Network), a division of VA Linux
    Systems, Inc., is the leading Linux and Open Source destination on the
    Internet. OSDN is a network and community outreach organization
    committed to accelerating Open Source software development, which also
    serves as a gateway for individuals and organizations worldwide to
    understand and join this revolution. Serving 100 million page
    impressions to more than 4 million users each month, OSDN includes the
    leading Open Source sites for news, information and discussion
    (Slashdot, NewsForge and Linux.com), the largest sites for
    collaborative Open Source development and support (SourceForge.net and
    QuestionExchange), the most popular sites for Open Source software
    distribution (freshmeat.net and Themes.org), online shopping for
    technical enthusiasts (ThinkGeek), a new print publication (Open
    magazine), and community discussion forums and personalized content on
    OSDN.com.

    Certain statements in this press release, including statements about
    future growth in Open Source software development and future features,
    functionality and growth of freshmeat.net, are forward-looking
    statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could
    cause results to be materially different from expectations. Such
    risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the ability
    of VA Linux and OSDN to attract and retain qualified personnel;
    industry trends related to Open Source and Linux; and other risks
    detailed in VA Linux’s filings with the Securities and Exchange
    Commission, copies of which may be accessed through the SEC’s web site
    at www.sec.gov.

    Note: VA Linux Systems, “Open Source Development Network (OSDN)”,
    SourceForge, Slashdot, freshmeat.net, QuestionExchange, ThinkGeek, and
    NewsForge are trademarks of VA Linux Systems, Inc. Linux is a
    registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. All other trademarks are
    property of their respective owners.