Open source companies release preview of cloud-based document collaboration suite
Public administrations that value openness and accountability of their cloud-based document data, should try out Collabora Cloudsuite, a combination of LibreOffice and OwnCloud, recommends Michael Meeks, General Manager Collabora Productivity. “This cloudsuite will enable complete transparency and control of cloud-based document data."
The combination of two well-known open source components, the file server hosting solution Owncloud and Collabora’s version of the office productivity suite LibreOffice should attract public administrations worried about IT vendor lock-in and its adverse effect on autonomy and accountability of their administrative decision-making processes.
The two companies announced their partnership last week, making available an initial development release of Collabora Online Development Edition (CODE). Interested developers can run the virtual machine, which offers a pre-configured demo server.
The two expect the solution to be commercially available in 2016.
Controlled environment
Combining OwnCloud and LibreOffice offers IT managers to manage access to documents in controlled environment, explains Meeks. In October, Collabora signed a support contract with the UK government, making it possible for all UK public administrations to get support for using LibreOffice. The CODE combination is part of that agreement.
In January 2014, the European Commission stated it too is considering to transition to cloud-based service delivery of collaboration services.
More information:
OwnCloud announcement
Collabora announcement
CIO news item
Inquirer Net news item
Golem news item (in German)
MuyLinux news item (in Spanish)
PC Week news item (in Russian)
Tux Journal news item (in Italian)
Tweakers news item (in Dutch)
OSOR news item
OSOR library document
OSOR news item