Cenatic earlier this month began inviting organisations and people involved in open source to participate in the study. Participants can register on a website introducing the research aims. Already more than fifty open source experts from around the globe have registered to participate. “We are sure that number will increase.”

“There already are a number of interesting open source software initiatives in Spain”, comments Anabel Labarta, analyst at Penteo, a research company contracted by Cenatic. “However, Cenatic wants to increase Spanish participation in international projects. That will help ensure that the Spanish open source software industry remains at the forefront.”

In its announcement, Cenatic writes it will consider social and economic impacts of open source, by studying technological, political and legislative trends. The researchers also want to find out if there are regional differences that influence open source communities and what the impact is of open source software on education.

Labarta says the report will provide an overview as well as separate profiles on countries where open source adoption is advanced. The group hopes this will help find out how to best develop open source communities. “We want to determine the role and influence of universities, public administrations and open source software companies. The report should give us a new perspective on open source trends, and provide us with the insight in how open source communities develop around public and private initiatives.”