What Open Source projects deserve more press than they get?

– by Robin “Roblimo” Miller –
We all hear plenty about Linux, about Apache, and about a few other high-profile Open Source and Free Software projects. Everybody writes about them, including us. But there are thousands of other excellent Open Source programs out there that get little or no publicity. Let’s change that.
Not long ago, NewsForge managing editor Grant Gross wrote about Virtual Machines and some software packages that allow people who don’t have mainframe-level budgets to make use of this technology. One reader noted that Grant had left out
the User-mode Linux Kernel (UML). As soon as he saw that comment, Grant contacted the UML project leaders, and you’ll see the resulting story within a day or two.

We enjoy supporting and publicizing innovative, useful Open Source and Free Software projects like UML. Well-funded companies that write Linux or Unix software or make Linux or Unix-compatible hardware either contact us directly or have their PR agencies contact us, so they’re easy for us to find. We welcome their news, and happily pass it on to you if we feel it’ll be interesting to even a few Linux.com and NewsForge readers. But we also like to write about people (and companies) that are doing useful work but don’t put a lot of effort into publicity.

NewsForge happily runs press releases about Linux and Open Source products, services, and events. A “press release” doesn’t need to be written by a PR agency or marketing person. Some of the most effective press releases we see come from people who obviously aren’t PR professionals, who just say what they have to offer and why it might interest the rest of the world. If you’re doing something you feel is important to Linux and Open Source users or developers, write a few paragraphs about it and submit your announcement here. Chances are, if your submission meets our simple selection criteria, it’ll appear within hours (not days) of the time you send it to us.

But there are plenty of developers who haven’t (yet) heard of Linux.com or NewsForge — or are so busy doing exciting work that they don’t have time to tell the world what they’re up to. This is why we’re asking for help.

If you know of a piece of software (or hardware) that is important to Linux or Open Source users or developers, but hasn’t gotten the public attention you feel it deserves, please use the “comments” space below this editorial to tell us about it. Or, if you prefer, email editors@linux.com.

We are serious about this. We know there are lots of people out there doing useful Free Software and Open Source work who deserve more credit than they get. So let’s get together and give them some!