Microsoft Gets Sweeter On SugarCRM, Open Source

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First, some background. SugarCRM in 2008 landed on The Open Source 50, which tracks the most promising open source partner programs. While most VARs are still getting to know SugarCRM, the company has been on Microsoft’s radar since 2006.

According to a SugarCRM spokeswoman:

Now, that community might grow — thanks to SugarCRM’s inclusion in Microsoft’s Windows Web App Gallery.

No doubt, Microsoft has spent recent years embracing and certifying open source applications on Windows Server. The so-called “WAMP” strategy aims to have Windows replace Linux in the LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP, etc.) software stack.

Windows 7 Team: Listen Up

It’s a smart strategy. In fact, the Windows 7 desktop team should leverage the same strategy, The VAR Guy believes.

Here’s the challenge: During the recent Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans, Microsoft actually promoted Corel — yes, that Corel — as a leading ISV writing Windows 7 applications. Yawn. No offense to Corel, but aren’t there any other exciting ISVs writing Windows desktop applications these days?

Sure, most application development has shifted to the web. But there are also hundreds — thousands? — of open source applications that run well on Windows XP, Windows Vista, and soon Windows 7. Heck, even the Microsoft Office team is talking up FireFox browser support for Office 2010’s hosted release (called Office Web).

Time for the Windows 7 team to do the same. Learn from the Windows Server-SugarCRM example. Talk up open source applications for Windows 7.

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