| In the Press: Infocom Online Bring Open Source to Welsh Business |
| Thursday, 09 March 2006 | |
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Infocom Online was recently the subject of an article on the Ping Wales website. The article summarises Infocom Online's ambition to bring Open Source into Welsh business. Set up in December last year, Infocom Online is an ambitious online solutions provider which holds a core mission close to its heart: to help Welsh businesses thrive through open source. Based in Cardiff, the company is primarily focused on two areas: intranet systems and website and e-commerce site design. A fervent advocate and user of open source software (OSS), Laurence Cope, managing director of Infocom, wants to drive the benefits of OSS forward among small businesses in Wales. He says: “There are so many products out there. Small businesses are not aware of what OSS is and the benefits you can gain. It can save businesses a lot of time and ultimately saving time means saving money.” According to Cope, the problem is the lack of interest and education. He comments: “People don't really care as yet. They are not looking for OSS; they are looking for a solution. If you can provide a low cost system, that’s when they start getting interested.” Ironically, the intranet solution at the heart of Infocom Online's current offering is not open source. It's a legacy from his time spent working for the now defunct Spear Business Group, Cope says. He's currently researching open source groupware and project management applications that can be offered as an alternative to Infocom Intranet, as well as other open source systems that would help small businesses make their information more mobile. Generating awareness and attracting the interest of small companies is next on Cope's to-do list. Infocom is already punting the benefits of e-learning courses developed with the open source course management system, Moodle. Portfolios of other products, including CRM and invoice billing systems should appear shortly on the company’s website. The fire in Cope's belly comes from a desire to change the Welsh business attitude to new technology. "I think Wales is behind the times. The US always lead the way of course, but businesses here seem so slow to adopt new technology. Perhaps it's because it stays in the techy world for so long and doesn't cross the divide into business. That's where I want to come in, to try to encourage business owners/directors to stay ahead in IT and stay competitive." |