A scheme to certify exactly how open certain open source software solutions really are has been launched by the non-profit bodies Open Forum Europe and the Free Software Foundation Europe.

There is an online self-certification process dubbed 'Certified Open' which has been designed to test technical and commercial aspects of software interoperability and awards gold, silver or bronze certificates to applicants.

The website aims to help different types of organisations avoid proprietary software lock-in. The list does not yet include Non-Profit, but will hopefully do so shortly....

An initial free trial period runs to the end of January 2008.