LinuxWorld Announces “Software Central”,
New Show Floor Area for Software Solutions

Software Central will feature a collection of software solution vendors in one dedicated area of the exhibitor show floor

FRAMINGHAM, Massachusetts –(BW)– IDG World Expo, the leading producer of world-class tradeshows and events around the globe has announced that LinuxWorld Conference & Expo will feature “Software Central,” a new area on the show floor specifically created to showcase software solutions from management tools to middleware to applications, whether open source or optimized for Linux. LinuxWorld Conference & Expo is scheduled to take place August 4-7, 2008 at the Moscone Center.

"Software Central is a great addition to the LinuxWorld show floor because it provides attendees with a one-stop shopping area where they can see the majority of vendors promoting software solutions," said Dominic Sartorio, President, Open Solutions Alliance. "With the proliferation of Linux and open source solutions that are coming to market, this will serve as convenient place for IT professionals to test drive solutions including business applications, data management, virtualization and mobile computing. The Open Solutions Alliance plans to have its member showcase in Software Central, and expects to benefit from the business-software-focused attention and traffic.”

In addition to featuring exhibit booths, the Software Central area will also feature several “hot spots” designating it a must-see part of the show floor. These hot spots include:

• Open Solutions Alliance Showcase: The OSA Interoperability Showcase will feature live demonstrations from several industry-leading vendors and communities who are working together to speed the creation and adoption of integrated, interoperable open solutions for business customers.
• AppZone: A special pavilion dedicated to the top of the stack, showcasing open source in mission critical applications.
• .org Pavilion: This perennial attendee favorite will showcase 20-25 of the coolest and most important open source projects currently taking place. Whether seeking a graphics toolkit or a whole content management system, this is the place to connect with the developers and expert users who make it all work.

“In creating Software Central, LinuxWorld has made it easier for IT buyers to find the latest generation of Linux and open source software solutions in one place on the show floor,” said open source industry visionary Larry Augustin. “In addition, Software Central will feature some of the most unique open source projects in the .org Pavilion, and AppZone will showcase open source mission critical applications, which have become the newest area of growth in open source software over the last few years.”