Linux Foundation to Build New Linux.com Community

Linux Foundation to Build New Linux.com Community

SourceForge and Linux Foundation partner to facilitate online community collaboration

SAN FRANCISCO and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., March 3, 2009 – The Linux Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating the growth of Linux, and SourceForge, a leader in community-driven media and e-commerce, (NASDAQ: LNUX) today announced that the Linux Foundation will be the new host for Linux.com, taking over the editorial and community stewardship for the site. The two companies will collaborate to create a vibrant and long-lasting community destination for Linux users and developers.

Effective today, the Linux.com domain, which saw 21% growth in traffic in 2008, will be transferred to the Linux Foundation. SourceForge will support the Linux Foundation by continuing to sell the advertising for Linux.com.

The new Linux.com site will transform in the months ahead from solely being a news source to a collaborative site that will be “for the community, by the community.” Much like Linux itself, Linux.com will rely on the community to create and drive the content and conversation. While the Linux Foundation will host the collaboration forum, the site will feature the real Linux experts – users and developers – and give them the tools needed to connect with each other and with Linux. Linux.com will also extend the Linux Foundation’s existing content and community programs available on www.linuxfoundation.org. Linux.com will provide crucial content, tools and community services to galvanize the power of this group. It will also showcase information for business users of Linux.

“We are thrilled to add Linux.com to our list of programs in service to the Linux community,” said Jim Zemlin, executive director of the Linux Foundation. “SourceForge is demonstrating its commitment to the Linux and open source community with this arrangement. We look forward to showcasing the power of collaboration through Linux.com and our on-going alliance with SourceForge. We intend for Linux.com to be the central forum for Linux information, community and collaboration.”

“For SourceForge, this is both an opportunity to continue serving the Linux community and to represent the Linux Foundation with our company’s media expertise, said Jon Sobel, group president, media at SourceForge. “We appreciate that, on the modern web, doing both things well is a hallmark of good companies, and we look forward to jointly supporting a successful effort for the community.”

Linux Foundation Solicits Community Input for Site
The Linux Foundation is currently working on a new beta version of the site that it will release in a few months. Starting today, it is launching an “IdeaForge” designed to gather opinions and ideas from the Linux user community on the future direction of the site. Users can give feedback today at Linux.com by logging into IdeaForge. Existing forums and content will be made available so as not to disturb existing users of the site.

About SourceForge
SourceForge’s media and e-commerce web sites connect millions of influential technology professionals and enthusiasts each day. Combining user-developed content, online marketplaces and e-commerce, SourceForge is the global technology community’s nexus for information exchange, goods for geeks, and open source software distribution and services. SourceForge’s network of web sites serves 35 million unique visitors each month* and includes: SourceForge.net, Slashdot, ThinkGeek, and freshmeat.net. For more information or to view the media kit online, visit www.sourceforge.com. (*Source: Google Analytics and Omniture, January 2009.)
SourceForge, SourceForge.net, Slashdot, freshmeat, and ThinkGeek are registered trademarks of SourceForge, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks or product names are the property of their respective owners.

About the Linux Foundation
The Linux Foundation is a nonprofit consortium dedicated to fostering the growth of Linux. Founded in 2007, the Linux Foundation sponsors the work of Linux creator Linus Torvalds and is supported by leading Linux and open source companies and developers from around the world. The Linux Foundation promotes, protects and standardizes Linux by providing unified resources and services needed for open source to successfully compete with closed platforms. For more information, please visit www.linuxfoundation.org.

Trademarks: The Linux Foundation and Linux Standard Base are trademarks of The Linux Foundation. Linux is a trademark of Linus Torvalds. Third party marks and brands are the property of their respective holders.