Exclusive Interview with Magnolia CIO Boris Kraft

The Magnolia CMS is a commercial open-source Enterprise Content Management System based on the Java Content Repository standard. It features simple, easy-to-use design and enterprise architecture.

WebKnowHow
Wednesday, August 15, 2007; 09:16 AM

An exclusive interview with Boris Craft, one of the authors of the Magnolia Content Management System and founder of the Magnolia International Ltd., is available at WebKnowhow. In the interview, Kraft talks about open source, Java, content managament, and the Magnolia community.

The Magnolia CMS is a commercial open-source Enterprise Content Management System based on the Java Content Repository standard. It features simple, easy-to-use design and enterprise architecture.

Magnolia Enterprise Edition is licensed as MVSL, a business-friendly license that grants access to the source code and waives certain license requirements attached to the GPL'd Magnolia Community Edtion.  "We did not want to add yet another irrelevant proprietary software to an already overcrowded CMS market," said Kraft. "In fact we wanted – and still want – to build the best content management system in the world. It was clear that this would not be possible alone."

The CMS has already attracted a lively community. In Kraft's words: " [Our community is] very supportive of each other and no-nonsense. To date, more than 10000 messages have been posted to our Magnolia user-list. Some of our contributors write excellent documentation or add functionality that significantly moves Magnolia forward."

Kraft foresees bright future for Java software, and Magnolia in particular, after the open sourcing of key Java implementations. "Magnolia today is not only following but defining what is happening in the 'professional open source' space. It is a space that is interesting for application server providers as well, as can seen by the likes of JBoss or even IBM, who invest a lot into open-source application servers but still manage to turn this investment into a profit."

The software was featured in DevStart's Best of 2006 Awards, in the Content Management Systems category.  The entire text of the interview is available at https://www.webknowhow.net/interviews/interview/070813magnolia.html .