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At Optaros, most retailers are asking us the following question:

“We’ve done product ratings and reviews, what social shopping features should we implement in 2009?”

The 2009 Social E-Commerce Guide answers the question:

• Suggested approach to plan for 2009
• 32 different options to consider with links to example websites
• Options categorized by adoption rate among retailers

Get it here.

Optaros has written a streamlined web client for Alfresco based entirely on REST (web scripts) and ExtJS. It is called DoCASU, which stands for Document Access for Casual Users, and we’re making it freely-available as an open source project on code.optaros.com.

DoCASU 1.0 leverages the understanding gained from corporate user requirements and utilizes Rich Internet Application technologies such as the ExtJS AJAX framework. DoCASU is not intended to replace the already existing Alfresco web user interface, but rather offer an alternative for users who require a limited set of features for them to profit from simplicity and ease of use. Already today thousands of users at NXP, a top 10 semiconductor company founded by Philips, are enjoying the user friendly front end solution.

DoCASU is a showcase of what can be done on top of Alfresco’s Web Script approach with state of the art RIA technologies. Developers can take DoCASU as a start for even more comprehensive (or simplistic) user interfaces, purpose built front ends or just as the base for learning on how to build Alfresco user interfaces and applications leveraging Web Scripts.

It requires Alfresco 2.1.1 or later. The future DoCASU releases will include a drop zone for dragging and dropping files also for desktop interaction, tabbed navigation, configurable skins, usability improvements and more.

Read about the project and download the AMP from code.optaros.com. If you see things that need fixing, create a bug report or fix it yourself and let us know.

Matthew Aslett from the 451 group has a little post on open source adoption, the Euro Cup and Optaros in Switzerland. Find it here.

Tonight is our little anniversary party in Zurich and we just received the delivery of our open source beer. Here are some pictures:

Optaros’ open source beer is not free as in free beer but as in free speech. Tonight it is also free as in free beer. Got it?

Check freebeer.ch for details.

Thank you Martin and the guys from heldenbar.ch to make this happen. Cheers.

Web 2.0 und Online-Trends verändern die Art und Weise, wie Konsumenten und „Corporate Buyers“ Produkte suchen, vergleichen und einkaufen, aber auch wie Beziehungen zu Kunden aufgebaut und gepflegt werden. Entsprechend ändern sich auch Umfeld und Herausforderungen für CRM-Anwendungen. Die veränderten CRM-Architekturen, -Technologien, und –Lösungen, die als serviceorientierte Architekturen zunehmend in Kombination von Web Services, assemblierten Lösungen, Social Networks, etc. auftreten, verleihen CRM eine neue Bedeutung. (more…)

We announced today, that we will provide a comprehensive Event Management System (EMS) for the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA). The innovative EMS will be designed and assembled from open source components, and will fully support MCCA’s core business operations in the event management life cycle.

The MCCA owns and oversees the operation of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC), which was recognized by the 2007 Spotlight Awards as the “Convention Center of the Year”, the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center, The MassMutual Center and the Boston Common Garage. Optaros’ Assembly Methodology (OptAM) will incorporate best-of-breed open source technologies and customized features to allow the MCCA to capitalize on the recent rapid increase in business and react efficiently to increasing demands on internal operations. (more…)

We announced today the design and assembly of a new online shopping concept for Wonderbox, a leading international Internet and retail company that sells the “Wonderbox”, which is a themed gift box containing vouchers for 6000 experiences from which the recipient can choose. We redesigned and re-platformed Wonderbox’s online store, creating a Web 2.0 experience that drives excitement, usability and conversion rates.

Innovation is exploding in e-commerce as the industry reaches the end of its first decade. New online shopping experiences, including Wonderbox’s unique retailing concept, are proving to be successful and making legacy storefronts appear old and tired. Wonderbox sells experiences in a box through a large network of partners and distributors, including Thomas Cook, Virgin and Cultura. Since its launch in 2004, Wonderbox continues to increase its influence in the rapidly growing e-commerce retail industry, boosting its sales.

• Read the full press release on Business Wire.
• Check out our Wonderbox online case study and video walk through on optaros.com.

We’ve engaged in the Web 2.0 discussion from the very early Optaros days and our understanding of how UGC, social and RIA should be leveraged for businesses is today manifested in our Enterprise 2.0 practice. Our website however was not reflecting our expertize properly and in fact we struggled for a while with what the corporate voice should be, what role Marketing should play, how much control should be maintained on the content, what expectations are for navigation and numerous other questions around the next generation corporate website

With the new optaros.com website we have started a living experiment to determine what a corporate website should be for a professional services firm in a Web 2.0 world.

See Marc’s blogpost on What is a Web 2.0 Corporate Website? for the thoughts behind our new drupal site.

Jeff Potts, our ECM Practice lead was chosen Community contributor of the month.

Jeff has been a valuable contributor to the forums and the developer site wiki, and has also reported product issues in the Alfresco JIRA. However, what sets Jeff apart is the educational and insightful material he posts on his personal web site, ecmarchitect.com.

Go check out Jeff’s website. It will allow you to jump-start the learning process of Alfresco. He has lot’s of tutorials on advanced work flows, web scripts, implementing custom behaviors, working with custom content types and developing custom actions. All typical customizations with lots of links to code and supporting resources, all based on real-world examples and leveraging Jeff’s consulting experience.

Are you next to be contributor of the month (or to join Optaros to get the opportunity to)? ;)

Go to http://twitter.com/optaros to hear[read] us twitter. To stay up to date you can just subscribe to the twitter RSS feed.