OStatic

We've mentioned DimDim - open source web conferencing software - here before, and our sister site Web Worker Daily has published a glowing review. Now, the latest DimDim open source release (beta version 3.5) is a big step forward for the open source community. With this version, it feels like DimDim is taking open source much more seriously from a partnership perspective.

There are two big structural changes in this particular release. First, although you can still download the entire source code in tar files and build it yourself, there's also a much easier way to get DimDim up and running: DimDim is now providing a VMware virtual appliance as an alternative. While this won't appeal to some hardcore open source folks - given that VMware itself is proprietary - it certainly does make setting up complex systems like DimDim simpler.

The other major change brings the open source version into closer alignment with DimDim's flagship products: The limit on the number of users who can join a meeting on this version has been removed. This is rare among free conferencing applications. It's also a smart move on the part of DimDim, as it's unlikely that open source use will seriously cannibalize DimDim's paid user base. Open source users can can act as evangelists - if they're satisfied that they're not getting a crippled product.

There are still differences between DimDim's flagship hosted and enterprise versions and the open source community version. That's because the paid versions use commercial streaming and media components (like Adobe Flash Server) that can't be included in GPL'd code. It's nice to see the company supporting both versions, as well as finding a path to profitability that does not depend solely on selling support for open code.

• Dimdim
• web conferencing