December 23, 2004
Dream 1.0 Released
Campware is pleased to announce the release of version 1.0 of Dream, a distribution management system for print publications.
MDLF commissioned Dream based on experience in working with print
publishers in more than 30 countries worldwide, where it provides
support to independent media in the form of financing, training and
technology. In many of these countries, print distribution is one of
the biggest difficulties independent publishers face because it is
tightly controlled. Many countries have print distribution monopolies
or cartels, which are either politically tied to the government,
corrupt or incompetent.
Dream helps publishers by:
-
Providing ways of monitoring distribution
- Ensuring that publications get out to readers in the best possible way
- Optimizing the number of returned copies in an edition
“Independent publishers are in the difficult position of having to
either work with print distribution companies or come up with their own
alternatives,” said Sava Tatić, Managing Director of MDLF’s Center for
Advanced Media Prague, which specializes in providing technical
solutions to independent media organizations. “We wanted to give them a
tool that would give them leverage.”
The concept behind Dream is similar to customer relationship
management, and to Campware’s Cream CRM software in particular. By
tracking relationships with distributors and vendors in the same way
they can track relationships with customers, publishers have more
useful information, and ultimately better results.
Dream is free and open source software, and is built upon other free
and open source tools such as the Linux operating system, Postgres
database server and Tomcat application server. Publishers and system
integrators are free to make any changes in its program code to better
adapt the system to individual needs.
“Because Dream is free and open source, publishers don’t have to pay
for any of the software licenses needed to make it run,” Tatić
explained. “The only expense publishers will have is in the time it
takes to install and set up,” he added.
Dream is the fourth software project released under the Campware
Initiative banner. A companion project, the Cream customer relationship
management (CRM) system, was released last November. Campware also
produces the acclaimed Campsite content management system. All Campware
projects are released under the GNU General Public License, and
software developers are encouraged to contribute their efforts.
The Media Development Loan
Fund is a 501(c)3 public charity registered in New York City. Its home
page is at http://www.mdlf.org.
