I'm here at the Open Source Business Conference in San Francisco this week to participate on a panel entitled “Risks and Rewards: How Enterprises Are Adopting and Managing Open Source.” Like any good conference there’s a ton going on and a lot of industry names present. Here are my top three observations so far.

They're here.

One thing that really caught me off guard this week was the number of lawyers in attendance. Most of them are here for the legal track—that’s right, the legal track—at this year’s conference. The big news isn't that they're here, it's what they're saying. The majority of them are not spouting fud about the legal dangers of open source software. This year the hallway conversations are far more focused on cooperation. I sure hope this spreads through the legal industry. Open source is often a source of fear and doubt rather than an object for cooperation.

Suits now available in new “smart” model.

Used to be, most of the corporate folks I met at conferences like this just didn't get it. This year most of the “suits” seem to get it, and the ones who don't are far more open about their lack of knowledge and experience—a refreshing change. They've all either adopted open source or been forced to at least accept it. Either way, they're participating in a drastically different fashion than years past. I have spoken with several people who’ve done a complete 180 from years past. Taken from the community and placed in roles of responsibility within multinational corporations, this smart, new blood is in a position to make serious changes to the overall industry.

Open source is business, and business is good.

There are numerous start-ups at this year’s OSBC making considerable headway into their markets—without the flare and hype of the 1990’s. These companies are posting solid results and building dynamic business models around open source software. It’s exciting to see these new projects reaching out and engaging established corporations in very relevant dialogues. I've never heard so many people trying to find a way to work together. Boy is it a welcome change to the usual head-butting and posturing.

All in all: solid conference so far. I can't wait for my panel this afternoon. Attendance is good, and I've already been approached with questions about the topic. As usual, I'd love to incorporate your feedback and give you a voice here at the conference. Post your comments and I'll take them to the panel this afternoon.

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