Alfresco is pleased to announce the availability of the Community Version 2.0 of its Open Source Enterprise Content Management System and JSR-170-based repository. This version is now available under the GPL license with a FLOSS exception which allows any open source software using an OSI-approved license to embed the Alfresco repository or applications without change of license or attribution. Download the Alfresco 2.0 CMS here. Learn more about Implementing Document Management using Alfresco. Version 2.0 has combined the core Alfresco repository with the new web content management system and records management system. The web content management system was designed and implemented by the original engineers from Interwoven who joined Alfresco at the beginning of 2006. The WCM system provides: - Simple import of existing web sites - Simple Xforms-based entry of XML data based upon the open source Chiba project with AJAX extensions - Templating of XML and HTML based upon XSLT and Freemarker - Virtual sandboxes for staging of web sites without copying files - Timeline snapshot of web sites with zero effort - Standard web production workflows extending the JBoss jBPM engine with group and queue support Version 2.0 has added new federated search by implementing the OpenSearch protocol supported by hundreds of search engines. OpenSearch is a naturally federable search protocol combining searches from multiple search engines. Alfresco acts as both an OpenSearch server participating in a federated search from a web browser or portlet and an OpenSearch client as the Alfresco web client supports searching against multiple Alfresco repositories as well as multiple internet search engines. In addition, Alfresco Version 2.0 has further simplified the extension of the core repository without updating the Alfresco server using the new Alfresco Modular Packaging (AMP) packs. The Alfresco Records is now provided as an optional AMP pack download. AMP packs extend existing repositories and can include folder structures, content templates, JavaScript and templating scripts, web site structures or Spring-based Java plug-ins in a standard zip file. Alfresco has also added new AJAX controls for browsing and navigating the repository to the web client. The Alfresco repository has added a new relationships and metadata to support the translation process and multiple language variants of the same content. This capability was developed for use by multi-national corporations and government agencies.

Is it just me, or did their open source license just become more restrictive for commercial users? Their old license was MPL, and I'm not so familiar MPL, so maybe the MPL is just as restrictive as the GPL?

Yeah, GPL is more restrictive than the MPL (which is similar to the LGPL in concept). Alfresco's particular license muddles the issue by having an attribution requirement in their MPL license. Which causes all kinds of headaches in terms of license conflicts, headless enviroments, and pre-existing guis. Between GPL & MPL + Attribution, I'd rather see GPL. It seems a bit more upfront, and has logical ways to avoid the copyleft from affecting every program in the organization (access through web services, etc) -- which wasn't as clear with the attribution requirement.

Congratulations on a great release. Keep up the great work! - Michael

I took a look at Alfresco some months ago and these guys were very focused on Enterprise document management features. Since the idea of having a nice Open-Source front-UI to JSR-170 appeals to me (while not minimizing the importance of the Alfresco feature set), I would like to ask: Is someone using Alfresco for Web Content management or Digital Asset management? Thanks, Yuval.