Following the announcement that was made about DNN corp's acquisition of Open-DocumentLibrary and Open-SearchEngine, we have received a lot of feedback, both through direct email as well as through community posts.

In this post I would like to give some background about what motivated the sale.

When DnnCorp announced the launch of the professional edition, we thought that it would be great to be able to commercialize some of our modules as part of the professional package. We actively sought DNN's attention, by submitting a prototype of an administrative module that we had developed a few years back. Here is a thread that goes into the details of the original module we proposed, that was not related to either O-DL nor O-SE: http://forums.asp.net/p/985459/1269898.aspx

 
The truth is that our "indispensable" module did not seem to have cought anybody's attention at DNN. Six months after the initial email we sent DNNCorp, Navin contacted me to know more about the company and our plans.  We did not talk about any module, simply about our goals and outlook. Some time after that first conversation, we were asked if we would be interested in selling the IP of Open-DocumentLibrary.  The module was to be integrated within the DNN professional version.  The answer was an immediate yes, for various reasons:

 

1. We had pursued a closer relation with DNN and this was a great opportunity to make it a reality
2. DNNCorp was also interested in our development skills, and maintaining a long term relationship as consultants  
3. Stability in the form of a steady income, that would allow us to grow, and dedicate even more resources to DNN module development

 
If I have to describe the feeling that was common during the process, it was one of satisfaction and responsibility, at having been recognized as an important contributor, and having the opportunity to demonstrate our worth in a continued relationship.

 
There is also a sense of responsibility towards our customers that is shared by both Navin and I.  Both companies agree that our customers need to be supported so as to justify their purchase, that in many cases is equivalent to an investments of time, effort and reputation.

As Navin will confirm, we are looking for the best way to provide this support. The possibilities being discussed are:

 
 

•  making compatibility patches available for our existing customers, so as to guarantee the correct functioning of the module in future DNN versions.
•  Making the source code available at a discounted price
•  Provide upgrades to the PE at a discounted price
•  A combination of all of the above.

 
The details are still being discussed, but an announcement should be made as quickly as a decision is reached.

 
Now that the hardest part has been completed, we are looking at the future and what the agreement means to our daily activities. Going forward we expect to be able to work closely with DNNCorp on new development and to be able to contribute some of the expertise that we gained as module vendors.  If this contribution can in a small percentage improve the DNN framework it will certainly be a source of pride for the whole team.

 
As independent developers we will continue to develp our own modules and provide the same dedication that we have in the past.

 

Andreas Di Palma
Xepient Solutions