Andover.Net Launches Open Magazine

Posted on May 5, 2000

Andover.net, an Internet destination for Linux and Open Source computing, has announced the launch of Open magazine, which will premiere in August. Editorial content in the new monthly will feature benchmarked product reviews, technology briefings and detailed case studies that reveal the dramatic changes Open Source is making on information technology.

``Andover.Net created a powerful vertical portal for a community building enterprise computing strategies on Open Source software,'' says Bill Dwyer, Andover.Net's Vice President of Publishing. Dwyer notes: ``Our leading Linux and Open Source sites, Slashdot.org and Freshmeat.net, already recognize the 'three C's of successful web publishing: Community, Content and Commerce. But the market is adding a fourth 'C'...Change. For some time, the only operating system to gain on Microsoft in market share has been Linux. Next--Apache, also Open Source, became the number one web server. Now the hottest niche in the storage market, Network Attached Storage, is being enabled by Open Source operating systems like Linux and FreeBSD. That leaves a lot of decision makers, who must align business goals with technology strategies, struggling to stay on top of the change. We'll be there in print as well as on the Web to help them work through the confusion.''

Michael Lamattina, publisher of Open, says Andover.Net's first magazine challenges traditional publishing strategy in that it inverts the traditional relationship between print and Web-based media. According to Lamattina, ``Traditional magazine publishers focus their energies on print media and relegate the Internet to supplementing print material and archiving past issues. At Andover.Net, we start on the Web with two-way flow of information and then follow that up with the print magazine. This gives us a truly comprehensive information system.''

Commenting on the launch, Lamattina notes, ``We can deliver breaking news in the blink of an eye and provide our readers with electronic forums and peer-to-peer communication via the Web. Now with the magazine, we can fulfill their most detailed information needs. What's more, in the true spirit of the Open Movement, we can utilize the Web to enable Open's readers--many of whom are key decision makers--to engage in an open dialogue for guiding content. This complements Andover.Net's new Corporate Services program in identifying and communicating with key decision makers adopting Open Source development methods.''