Talking with Bruce Kaskey, OrecX

By: Richard “Zippy” Grigonis

Bruce Kaskey is Co-Founder of OrecX (www.orecx.com), makers of Oreka TR and other Oreka products, a line of modular, open source, cross-platform systems for the recording and retrieval of audio streams from SIP-based VoIP, TDM and sound devices. Kaskey has over 25 years of experience in technology product management, sales and marketing. Prior to OrecX, Kaskey worked was COO at Stevens Communications and a Senior Product Manager at Eastman Kodak (News - Alert). He graduated from Ithaca College and has an MBA from University of Pittsburgh, Katz School of Business.

RG: What are the advantages of making Oreka voice recording software an open source project?

BK: The major reason for making Oreka an open source project on SourceForge is allowing other developers the opportunity to work on the software and develop different applications that ultimately everyone can use. We have had 31,000 downloads of our open source version. We believe that the more people that see the code and play with the software the better the software will be in the long run. We also have a GPL license which does give us protection against a company taking our software and duplicating it for commercial use.

RG: Is the development cycle faster or slower than software developed in-house?

BK: The development cycle is faster using the open source model because we get many more people using the software and tinkering with it than you would in house. Also because the code is open for all developers we also find out new ways and applications that if “in house” would not be developed. Thirdly the hardest part of development is hiring the right people and to do that it takes time and effort, which in the open source business model is not necessary.

Cost is the major factor. We can develop software faster and with less full-time people, which in turn allows us to sell the commercial version Oreka TR at a significantly lower price then the traditional proprietary vendors.

RG: How do you see the future of open source?

BK: Open Source projects are the future of software development. Bugs can be worked out faster, development time is faster, costto- market is less expensive and ultimately it gives customers more choice on how they want to use software.

RG: Does your software interface with commercial call center software suites or other software?

BK: Our software is open, so in that sense we can integrate and interface with any software. Since our software is agnostic to the operating system, we can sit on any server with any type of operating system — this gives us even more flexibility when interfacing with call center software or CRM packages that call centers use. We passively record network traffic so we do not need to spend much effort in trying to integrate with other types of software that a call center would use. For example — if a customer wanted to record phone conversations and attach those calls to the CRM package they are using it would be very easy to develop a hook that did just that.

RG: Do you think you could have been as successful as a typical commercial software vendor? Or was that not a concern?

BK: We believe that one day all businesses will be able to afford voice recording. Due to our low operating costs, and the fact that we can enhance our products’ capabilities through the talent of programmers across the world without spending money on marketing or sales, we can deliver software at a low cost. We want to make voice recording so easy to buy and use that it becomes a business tool that anyone can utilize.

So to answer your question we do not want to be a typical commercial software vendor; we want to be different by allowing our clients and developers choices when they choose our software. IT

Open Source News

www.tmcnet.com/2217.1
Canadian Web Site Intros Open Source Browsing Tool for iPhone (News - Alert)
411.ca announced that it’s launched a new iPhone browsing tool in conjunction with Apple’s iPhone 3G launch in Canada. The tool will allow iPhone and iPod Touch users to access local search functions on-the-go, according to 411.ca, a Canadian online search Web site. The company says it has more than 1.3 million businesses and has thousands of advertisers. Every month, 411. ca says, it helps around 2 million site visitors find content, detailed and accurate information about businesses and people across town or across the country quickly. Users can do the following on 411.ca with their iPhone: visit the company profile page; call the business directly without having to type in the number; visit the company’s Web site; view a map and directions for the business.
www.411.ca

www.tmcnet.com/2324.1
Open-Source Mobile App Helps iPhone Users Run Popular Sites
CellSpin (News - Alert), a company whose free mobile applications help users create and publish music, videos and photos announced that its mobile blogging software platform is being added to Apple (News - Alert)’s iPhone 2.0. Officials from CellSpin say they’re the first to provide a secure, GUI-based mobile application for the iPhone that’ll allow users to access their favorite networking, blogging or auction sites — such as MySpace, Facebook (News - Alert), Twitter, Pownce, Blogger, Picasa, Flickr, Live Journal, Live Spaces, TypePad and eBay — at the same time. The free application can be found at http://www.cellspin.net, and at Apple App Stores under Social Networking. The software supports more than 300 handset models, including the Symbian (News - Alert), Palm OS and Blackberry operating systems, according to the company.
www.cellspin.net

www.tmcnet.com/2323.1
Launchpad 2.0 Developers’ Tool to Spur Open Source Project Collaboration
Seeking to improve the flexibility and integration of the developer collaboration nexus, Canonical Inc. announced the release of Launchpad. With the tool, company officials say, users can integrate their standalone project infrastructure. As vibrant communities have sprung up around translation, quality assurance, development collaboration and user support, more than 7,000 projects have already surfaced on Launchpad. Launchpad helps to bring communities together as it is a hosting platform for free software. As it looks to make it as simple to collaborate within a project as it is to collaborate with other projects, it is distinguished from other project hosting facilities. For example, distributions can coordinate their bug work efficiently with upstream projects, company officials say. With Launchpad 2.0, this can be done irrespective of whether the project uses Launchpad or its own standalone bug tracker.
www.canonical.com

www.tmcnet.com/2325.1
OrecX Launches Open Source VoIP Recording
OrecX LLC, a purveyor of open source voice recording solutions, formally announced its Oreka Total Recording (TR) software solution. The solution takes advantage of open source to enable more efficient contact center deployments. According to the company, “Oreka TR allows organizations to comply with regulatory requirements and improve customer service by recording and retrieving phone calls without disrupting operations, exhausting annual budgets, or paying for extra implementation services that never get used.” The Oreka solution offers several levels of recording capability including the ability to record all calls, or initiate on-demand or selective recording. Contact center managers have the option of listening in to live calls for the purposes of monitoring employees for training and the like.
www.orecx.com

www.tmcnet.com/2326.1
Openmoko Signs Koolu to Distribute FreeRunner Open Source Mobile Phone
Openmoko, a creator of the open mobile computing platform, has announced an agreement with Koolu to distribute the FreeRunner Open Source mobile phone in all of the Americas, the United Kingdom and the European Union with plans to expand globally through local partners. Earlier, Openmoko opened the online store for purchase of the Openmoko Neo FreeRunner. The Openmoko Neo FreeRunner utilizes GNU/Linux and comes with core software for dialing, SMS and recording contacts. “We have moved beyond the early adopter stage and are now ready to release the next generation Neo FreeRunner to markets where we are seeing early traction,” said Steve Mosher, vice president of marketing at Openmoko.
www.openmoko.com

www.tmcnet.com/2327.1
Sangoma Designs Developer Network for Open Source Community
Sangoma Technologies (News - Alert) announced its new Developer Network for the open source community by offering VoIP developers the opportunity to interact with the people and companies who are interested in their services. Company officials said their company’s Developer Network will serve as a platform for open source developers. In addition, the network is expected to provide the opportunity for developers to showcase their talents and skill sets among potential clients and employers. Also, with the help of the network, developers can share success stories about their applications and solutions. For enabling developers to create their profile, officials pointed out that each developer will have their own “unique” URL, and they can update their information quarterly. Moreover, developers will be able to access their information as needed to make updates, conduct searches, and showcase work, according to officials.
www.sangoma.com

www.tmcnet.com/2328.1
Movial (News - Alert) Joins Open Source Community for Mobile Devices
Finland-based Movial says that it’s joined a group of mobile businesses working on a Linux-based, open source handset software platform. Officials from the company say they’re joining the LiMo Foundation (News - Alert), a consortium of more than 30 companies, because the pair share goals in developing open source technology. According to Tomi Rauste, president of creative technologies at Movial, the company is eager to contribute to the Linux mobile community’s growth. “The goals of LiMo and those of Movial are in lock step,” Rauste said, “to reduce complexity, development costs and fragmentation in the market while providing a richer mobile ecosystem through the contributions of leading industry partners.”
www.movial.com
www.limofoundation.org

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