This popped up on my OSBC Google alert this morning. (Yes, I criticize them, but I still use them. :-) I had no idea, but am flattered that OSBC has become a destination resort of sorts. Here's the scoop:
Realm Systems is giving away $50,000 and a free trip to the Open Source Business Conference in February (14-15, 2006). What do you have to do to get it? (And which is the bigger prize, the money or the insight you'll glean at OSBC? OK, I agree. It's the money.)
From the press release:
Realm Systems announces the start of Project BlackDog, a skills contest offering prizes in five categories, including a $50,000 grand prize for the best application created or ported to run on BlackDog(TM). The contest started October 15 and ends January 15, 2006. Prizes will also be awarded for the most bugs reported that are determined to be critical to BlackDog functionality. Hundreds of developers have already received their units in anticipation of creating the grand-prize winning application and being recognized at a key industry conference [That would be OSBC].
For those of you unfamiliar with Realm Systems (and BlackDog), Realm is a very cool technology company that has a mobile enterprise platform. What does this mean? I don't know. What it meant the last time I was debriefed by them was that they had created a super-cool mobile personal server that effectively allows you to run your apps (Windows-based, Linux-based, MacOS-based) on any other system. Just plug the little thumb-drive-like device to the USB port and away it goes - no performance degradation, and highly secure. Very cool.
Realm has since expanded its product line, and is looking for help from the open source community, bounty-style. It sounds like Project BlackDog relates to this MPS product:
BlackDog represents a new breed of device that redefines mobile computing. BlackDog is a pocket-sized, fully self-contained Linux server with a built-in biometric reader and Debian-based Linux operating system. Unlike any other mobile computing device, BlackDog contains its own processor, memory and storage, and is completely powered by the USB port of a host computer -- no external power adapter required.It also sounds like the company has scaled back its ambition (slightly) to only allow Linux-based apps to run on other operating systems. Still, that's pretty cool (no WINE required). Take a look, earn some money, and join us at OSBC San Francisco. (Along with Mitch Kapor, Peter Thiel (Founder, PayPal), Kim Polese, Nick Carr (Does IT Matter?), John Roberts (SugarCRM), John Powell (Alfresco), Marten Mickos, and others.)
Posted by Matt Asay on October 28, 2005 08:45 AM
