As a further proof of the maturity of the open source market, the OSA (Open Solutions Alliance) has recently celebrated its first anniversary. As a reminder, the OSA is a consortium of open source software vendors dedicated to making enterprise-class open software solutions work together. It helps customers put open solutions to work by enabling application integration, certifying quality solutions, and promoting cooperation among open solutions developers. Officially created one year, the OSA has just held a new board election and has also announced earlier this year its European chapter. This European chapter has itself chosen a temporary board of directors, whose first mission will be to select where the organization will be incorporated. I am proud to say that Talend’s General Manager for EMEA, François, will be sitting on this board.

Six directions have been decided for the European OSA for this year:

• Promoting and defending interoperability
• Developing an ecosystem through the recruitment of vendors, SIs and ISVs
• Marketing and business development for and around the EOSA members
• Developing relationships with the open source community
• International exchanges and relationships with the other OSA chapters
• Promoting and defending open source in Europe

As explained by Dominic Sartorio, the OSA President, the first year of such a consortium usually carries high risks that can put in question its existence. The OSA has brilliantly worked around all obstacles and starts its second year, leveraging a growing members number (22 to date). Dominic’s article that presents this first year from the insider’s perspective calls for even more collaboration between organizations.

I have no doubt that even more of us will celebrate the OSA’s second anniversary next year.

Bertrand