April 24, 2008 10:01 PM PDT

Netvibes to open-source its widget platform

Posted by Dan Farber

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Tariq Krim

Netvibes, a developer of customizable start pages, plans to make its widget platform, application programming interfaces, and iPhone version open source, according to CEO Tariq Krim.

"We want to compete with Google widgets," Krim said. "Our container supports Google widgets and every other platform. If we release our code, people will leverage it and grow the reach of our platform."

Krim hopes that supporting a broad range of platforms, including Windows Vista and Windows Live, Mac OS X, Opera, Yahoo, and Google, will inspire the developer community to adopt and innovate on the Netvibes platform.

Netvibes will make money with sponsored widgets, Netvibe Universes, and business services. Opening up the code to developers will enable them to compete on more equal footing with Netvibes as well.

Dan Farber is editor in chief of CNET News. He has more than 25 years of experience as an editor and journalist covering technology. E-mail Dan.

Topics:: Open source,; Web 2.0

Tags:: Netvibes,; open source,; widgets,; Web 2.0 Expo 2008

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About Outside the Lines

Dan Farber is the editor in chief of CNET News. He has covered technology for more than two decades, and he previously served as editor in chief of ZDNet, PC Week and MacWeek. Outside the Lines explores the intersection of business and technology.

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