SourceLabs announced a Self-Support offering for Linux, as well as a similar offering for open source Java. The tools and services give developers, corporate IT professionals, and their solution providers a new way to more effectively support open source software than large vendors pushing expensive support contracts, enabling greater productivity, independence and self-reliance. Close to 3000 users registered for SourceLabs' Self-Support Suite with advanced discovery during a successful private beta program launched in December 2007.

"Until now customers have had to choose between using open source software without support or buying traditional support contracts from vendors at a cost and service level that hasn't always made sense. Now they have a third choice," said Byron Sebastian, CEO and Founder of SourceLabs. "Our Self-Support Suites together with our Swik.net social network use unique patent-pending technology that enables open source professionals to quickly access better information and analytical tools than support vendors have traditionally had at their fingertips. Much in the same way OSS commoditized the software industry, marking a huge shift in the way technology is developed and operates, we are extending that value to software support. Our technology levels the playing field and gives businesses the freedom to choose the best tools for the job."

Just a few years ago OSS was used because of its 'freeness' and was often limited in scope, function, or features. Today, businesses recognize the value and quality of OSS software, selecting it as the best choice for many mission critical operations. Along with the increase of OSS deployments, the means to secure, manage and support the code while simultaneously improving performance represents that last mile. SourceLabs' Self-Support Tools and discovery technologies empower all enterprises using OSS to achieve the greatest benefits by anonymously sharing problems, identifying issues and ranking the quality of field-tested solutions. With SourceLabs, the world's largest enterprises now have the flexibility to quickly and continually adapt to today's changing software and business requirements, without incurring risk.

"A key element in SourceLabs' offering is sophisticated searching against a massive repository of application performance data and issues to help rapidly resolve problems for enterprises adopting open source software," said Michael Azoff, Senior Research Analyst at the Butler Group. "Butler Group believes the Self-Support Suite provides an important level of assurance."