OStatic

Last week, we covered the news of a new $6 million round of venture capital funding for Boxee which is behind the very popular Boxee open source media center application. Open source applications for managing videos, music, television content, movies and the like have been maturing, and the VC community is definitely waking up to Boxee's potential. The company's latest round of funding was led by Boston-based General Catalyst with participation by prior investors Spark Capital and Union Square Ventures. Now VideoNuze has a very interesting interview with Boxee investors Bijan Sabet and Neil Sequeira.?

I've discovered that open source software is bursting at the seams with dedicated and innovative people. On the one hand, it's wonderful to be working with so many who fit this description -- on the other hand, it's sometimes hard to follow and zero in on open source endeavors that deserve a shout out, simply because so many do.

This is why I was thrilled when I heard about The Linux Box. Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, The Linux Box offers a variety of open source software services. But there are a few things that set The Linux Box apart -- and are decidedly positive signs for open source software's future.

The Linux Box, established ten years ago, has seen its staff grow 12% over the past year, and, given the current demand, believes it could increase to 25% in the coming year. There's also a unique approach to giving back at The Linux Box. Not only are staff developers given time to contribute to open source projects, customers requesting customized code are encouraged to give these modifications back to the projects. It's no wonder I jumped at the chance to talk to Elizabeth Ziph, CEO and co-founder of The Linux Box.