Ringside to offer the world's first open-source "social application server"

(Credit: Ringside Networks)

I guess it was just a matter of time before Bob Bickel, Rich Friedman, and other former JBoss employees started another application-server company, Ringside Networks. Who knew, however, that they'd launch the world's first open-source "social application server"?

What the heck is that? Well, for one thing it's certainly an innovative use of open source. For those who think that open source can't compete and innovate new markets, Ringside is about to put that theory to the test.

As to what the product does/is, according to a data sheet the company provided me and which will be distributed at Ringside's formal launch next week's Open Source Business Conference,

Ringside Social Application Server is the first open source platform that enables website owners to build and deploy social
applications that operate with existing website content and business applications while seamlessly integrating with social networks such as Facebook.

This provides three primary advantages:

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