<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Fred Dixon</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Lessons from an Open Source Business</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Open Source Business Resource</style></secondary-title></titles><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2011</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">05/2011</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://timreview.ca/article/441</style></url></web-urls></urls><publisher><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Talent First Network</style></publisher><pub-location><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Ottawa</style></pub-location><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Creating a successful company is difficult; but creating a successful company, a successful open source project, and a successful ecosystem all at the same time is much more difficult. This article takes a retrospective look at some of the lessons we have learned in building BigBlueButton, an open source web conferencing system for distance education, and in building Blindside Networks, a company following the traditional business model of providing support and services to paying customers. Our main message is that the focus must be on creating a successful open source project first, for without it, no company in the ecosystem can flourish.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">May 2011</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Articles</style></work-type><custom1><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Blindside Networks
Fred Dixon is CEO of Blindside Networks. He is a serial entrepreneur, having been CEO of two previous companies: Databeacon (acquired by Cognos in 2004) and OpenLava software. In 2003, he was selected as one of Ottawa's &quot;Top 40 under 40&quot; executives by the Ottawa Business Journal. In 1992, he earned a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo. He proudly wears his developer hat when communicating with other members in the BigBlueButton community.</style></custom1></record></records></xml>