Laguna added that OX will not be competing with its partners. "These customers use OX to create services they sell to their customers. OX is not selling SAAS to end customers directly. We feel that [our partners] need software that enables them to sell higher-level services to their customers at better margins than the current commodity services. Ultimately [this is so that they will] be able to compete with Google [and] Microsoft, but also companies like [Research in Motion] and Apple that may be taking away their business slice by slice.

"At the same time OX still offers its software for on-premises installations through system integrators and directly through our Web Shop." OX also, as an open-source company, offers its groupware application, in a community edition, Open-Xchange Community Edition, without any support, he said.

As for the software itself, Laguna said, "We released Open-Xchange Hosting Edition SP3 in December 2007 that provides the fastest AJAX [Asynchronous JavaScript and XML] front end for mail and groupware available in the market. With the integration of Funambol's [a company and open-source project devoted to mobile messaging] mobile device integration, we can now deliver push e-mail, calendaring and address book-to-mobile devices."

Looking ahead, Laguna said, "In early Q2 2008, we will ship what we call the 'PimpMyGUI' version that will make more use of the AJAX capabilities, provide a much enhanced portal and include widget support [OWA, Netvibes open widget platform]. Customers will benefit from the SAAS delivery model not only by a much lower TCO [total cost of ownership], but also by getting all these and yet unplanned new functions much quicker than with the on-premises model, as these can be rolled out incrementally at any time and as often as required.

"Also in 2008, we will provide the successor product to Open-Xchange Server 5, the enterprise-class product that is already used in more than 3,500 enterprises. This version will provide all the functionalities from OX Hosting Edition plus some features that enterprises require, like flexible open directory integration," said Laguna.

-Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols