Mobile computing now an open-source driver

Sun, meanwhile, used OSCON to release Sun Web Stack, a software stack that lets users choose which OS they want to include with their Web deployments. Microsoft also courted open source at the conference, making contributions to the Ruby and PHP communities and partnering up with the Apache Software Foundation, becoming a platinum-level sponsor.

"This sponsorship will enable the ASF to pay administrators and other support staff so that ASF developers can focus on writing great software," said Microsoft's Sam Ramji, director of platform strategy, in a blog entry.

Meanwhile, Open Web Foundation, an industry effort to develop and protect non-proprietary specifications for Web technologies, was unveiled at OSCON.

"The Open Web Foundation differs from most formal standards bodies as it is based around individual membership (like the Apache Software Foundation) and is designed to have a lightweight process, which makes it easier for a community of individuals and/or companies to come together and start work on an open specification," said David Recordon, an organizer of the foundation and open platforms tech lead for Six Apart, which makes blogging tools.

"Like the Apache Software Foundation, the incubation process will also focus on building a diverse community of contributors to each specification as well as ensuring the existence of multiple interoperable implementations like the IETF does," Recordon wrote in an e-mail.

OSCON attendee Jon Rockway, an author of the Catalyst Web framework for Perl, was disappointed with what he perceived to be the overly commercial bent of the event.

"One thing I don't like about OSCON is it feels a little bit too commercial for me," Rockway said. "Companies come and they want to pitch open source as a magic solution to any problem and really, I'm more of a coder than a business person."

Nonetheless, Rockway said he enjoyed seeing colleagues face to face at OSCON.

"I always come to these to meet up with friends," Rockway said.