A new open source-focused VC firm called Simula labs, whose CEO Winston Damarillo helped found GlueCode (which was recently acquired by IBM), will announce it's launch on monday. Its mission, to "to identify, nurture and launch successful Open Source Software companies.

The company will have 10-15 million in funding from two other VC firms, with which it intends to create Gluecode-like business models around popular open source projects. It's first project will be creating a company called LogicBlaze, who will have James Strachan as Chief Architect. LogicBlaze will offer "subscriptions, training, and full Lifecycle Technical Support and Service" around the ActiveMQ project.

JBoss, Gluecode, and others, are continuing to validate the open source business model. What's next?

Isn't this what Protique was doing? I thought that James and company were doing this support model and developing Active* under the Protique company banner?

I thought that James and company were doing this support model and developing Active* under the Protique company banner?

Yeah, what a sellout! Mr. Fancy-Pants Damrillo comes along and flashes a paltry 10-15 million... if James is willing to move into HIS new company, LogicBlaze! So James gets one little whiff of the cash and he dumps Protique, and leaves her there with two kids, a mortgage payment, and a body that isn't getting any younger, let me assure you!

James.. you've changed, man! You used to be about the open source distributed topic algorithms!

I thought that James and company were doing this support model and developing Active* under the Protique company banner?

Yeah, what a sellout! Mr. Fancy-Pants Damrillo comes along and flashes a paltry 10-15 million... if James is willing to move into HIS new company, LogicBlaze! So James gets one little whiff of the cash and he dumps Protique, and leaves her there with two kids, a mortgage payment, and a body that isn't getting any younger, let me assure you!
James.. you've changed, man! You used to be about the open source distributed topic algorithms!

LOL! :)

With the name change and full-time backing for the boring operations bits, as an open source company we can now get more focussed on developing those open source distributed topic algorithms ;) and leave the business tasks to the Simula people, especially as they've made a successful go of this already.

We're all doing the same, just more of it! :)

James

Hi James,

  congrats!! I hope that this works out for you.

  Also, hope there will be better documentation.

Sometime back, you said that a C++ version of AMQ is being worked on by the finance/banking industry. Is the new company gonna be involved in that too ? When will we see the C++ AMQ ?

Thank you,

BR,
~A

Sometime back, you said that a C++ version of AMQ is being worked on by the finance/banking industry. Is the new company gonna be involved in that too ?

Yes

When will we see the C++ AMQ ?

Due to NDA I cannot reveal when the C/C++ AMQ project will be released publically - as soon as the NDA is lifted I'll happilly spill all the beans though :)

James

Isn't this what Protique was doing? I thought that James and company were doing this support model and developing Active* under the Protique company banner?

All the Protique folks building ActiveMQ, are now part of LogicBlaze which means we now have a bigger, better team and more resources behind us.

James

Does this mean James will now be able to delegate documention for his code?

First, congratulations!

Second, please hire a professional doc writer, or at least a dedicated resource for documentation.

ActiveMQ has so many cool technologies and features, but its docs are a tad erratic. Spring-level documentation would be a huge boon.

--peter

First, congratulations!

Second, please hire a professional doc writer, or at least a dedicated resource for documentation.

ActiveMQ has so many cool technologies and features, but its docs are a tad erratic. Spring-level documentation would be a huge boon.

Thanks Peter and I definitely agree - documentation, FAQs and knowledge bases are very high on our priorities right now.

James

Congratulations James. I hope this works out well and enables you to take the software to the next level!

Rgds
Rod

Congratulations James. I hope this works out well and enables you to take the software to the next level!

Thanks Rod, me too :). I'm also hoping that LogicBlaze and Interface21 can increasingly work closer together to the mutual benefit of our customers.

James

James

Thanks Rod, me too :). I'm also hoping that LogicBlaze and Interface21 can increasingly work closer together to the mutual benefit of our customers.

Yes, I'm sure we can. I think it's an encouraging trend that we seem to be seeing a lot more cooperation between open source companies--and indeed with commercial companies--these days. Cooperation is most often in the best interests of customers and the community.

Rod Johnson
Interface21 - Spring from the Source

James

Thanks Rod, me too :). I'm also hoping that LogicBlaze and Interface21 can increasingly work closer together to the mutual benefit of our customers.

Yes, I'm sure we can. I think it's an encouraging trend that we seem to be seeing a lot more cooperation between open source companies--and indeed with commercial companies--these days. Cooperation is most often in the best interests of customers and the community.Rod JohnsonInterface21 - Spring from the Source

There's one open source Java company that's conspicuous by its absence in these cooperation efforts.

There's one open source Java company that's conspicuous by its absence in these cooperation efforts.

Amen :-D

James,

It seems that the Apache Agila project (a BPM engine) is not supported by GlueCode anymore.

Based on the (good) news here and in the fact that the domain name for LogicBlaze is agilasoft.com, may I conclude that LogicBlaze will provide support for Agila, or is this just a coincidence?

Regards,
Bender

It seems that the Apache Agila project (a BPM engine) is not supported by GlueCode anymore.

Based on the (good) news here and in the fact that the domain name for LogicBlaze is agilasoft.com, may I conclude that LogicBlaze will provide support for Agila, or is this just a coincidence?

We've not yet made a definitive decision on that one yet. (BTW our domain name is now http://www.logicblaze.com).

Incidentally we've a patched version of Agila with JMS, Spring, Hibernate and Tapestry support that we've been using with some of our customers which will hopefully merge back with the main Apache branch at some point in the future.

James

This is very interesting news to me. We currently, in our company, are seeking enterprise messaging service with C++/Java interoperability. Could you please point me out some links where I can read more about AMQ C++ support? Will it be open sourced? Will it be free?

Artur

This is very interesting news to me. We currently, in our company, are seeking enterprise messaging service with C++/Java interoperability. Could you please point me out some links where I can read more about AMQ C++ support? Will it be open sourced? Will it be free?Artur

Incidentally the forthcoming ActiveMQ 3.1 release includes support for Jabber; so you can send/receive messages to ActiveMQ using any Jabber client - such as one of the C Jabber client libraries.

Though I can't discuss JPMorganChase's AMQ project in public due to NDA; but if you send me an email (to jstrachan at logicblaze dot com) I can maybe give you some vague hints on what may happen.

James

This is very interesting news to me. We currently, in our company, are seeking enterprise messaging service with C++/Java interoperability. Could you please point me out some links where I can read more about AMQ C++ support? Will it be open sourced? Will it be free?Artur

BTW the previous leak on AMQ did say it was gonna be free and open source.

James

Though I can't discuss JPMorganChase's AMQ project in public due to NDA; but if you send me an email (to jstrachan at logicblaze dot com) I can maybe give you some vague hints on what may happen.

BTW the previous leak on AMQ did say it was gonna be free and open source.James

Vague hints? Pointing out previous leaks? Hmm, I am starting to put two and two together.. ;)

No, jokes aside, congratulations and good luck!
But remember, getting funding is just the beginning for you guys, making it in a competitive marketplace is the next step.

Though I can't discuss JPMorganChase's AMQ project in public due to NDA; but if you send me an email (to jstrachan at logicblaze dot com) I can maybe give you some vague hints on what may happen.

BTW the previous leak on AMQ did say it was gonna be free and open source.James

Vague hints? Pointing out previous leaks? Hmm, I am starting to put two and two together.. ;)No, jokes aside, congratulations and good luck!But remember, getting funding is just the beginning for you guys, making it in a competitive marketplace is the next step.

To try and head off growing confusion:

JPMorgan's AMQ stands for "Advanced Message Queuing", it just happens to share the same initials as James' product. That's all it shares today.

The press coverage was unintentional and contains some significant inaccuracies.

AMQ is not just code, it is an effort to precipitate the emergence of an open wire-level protocol for middleware. Achieving this takes time and discretion.

This is very interesting news to me. We currently, in our company, are seeking enterprise messaging service with C++/Java interoperability. Could you please point me out some links where I can read more about AMQ C++ support? Will it be open sourced? Will it be free? Artur

BTW the previous leak on AMQ did say it was gonna be free and open source.

James

I love how large corporations intentionally leak stuff to the public. Congrats on getting funding.

peter

James-
Congratulations! I do not have time to read all the related links, but could you (or someone from Simula) clarify if ACTIVEMQ will remain free for commercial use (Apache or LGPL licenses) such as JBoss, for example.

Thanks
Hristo

Congratulations! I do not have time to read all the related links, but could you (or someone from Simula) clarify if ACTIVEMQ will remain free for commercial use (Apache or LGPL licenses) such as JBoss, for example.

Absolutely! All LogicBlaze software is Apache 2.0 licenced and will remain so. We are 100% committed to enterprise open source software.

James

Interesting news, well done. Spare some of the cash for your old SpiritSoft buddy Steve Ross-Talbot with his open source WS-CDL.

The world doesn't realise it needs it yet but it well. :-)

-John-

Congratulations to James and the ActiveMQ team. I'm very happy with ActiveMQ (in concert with Hermes) and look forward to the final 3.1 release.

Well well well James,

finally you raised some money. Congratulations.

I wish you luck in your endeavours and perhaps we shall indeed work together in some capacity.

I would appreciate the bio being updated on LogicBlaze to credit the other founders of Spiritsoft. I seem to remember there were 5 of us including you.

Bets of luck

Steve T