“Making open source content management software that can be used
by regular, non-technical people is Bethesda, Md.-based eGrail’s
mission. So is making money. The two goals do not have to be
mutually exclusive, said Al Brown, chief technical officer of
eGrail inc., an Internet infrastructure software product and
services company. EGrail’s hybrid sales approach is to offer both
free software and packaged, retail commercial products. This model
enables users to access source code and, if they are so inclined,
customize solutions and allows eGrail to make money to finance
continuing research and development. Brown discussed eGrail’s sales
approach and technology and Linux’s future in the enterprise market
in a recent interview.”
“searchEnterpriseLinux: As a start-up company working in the
free software arena, how do you plan to make money?”
“Brown: We have made available the previous version (minus some
proprietary modules) of our core content management engine. But we
also sell a commercial product that comes with added functionality
for enterprise-level sites, including training and support.”