Google Gears

Online Applications -> Offline

Gears is a plug-in that extends your browser to create a richer platform for web applications. For example, webmasters can use Gears on their websites to let users access information offline or provide you with content based on your geographical location. To install Gears, visithttp://gears.google.com

Gears of War

The new Google product that could augur the death of Microsoft.

"technologies like Gears render the operating system largely irrelevant. "
"If productivity applications migrate to the browser, you could choose whatever OS you pleased—your apps would work anywhere and everywhere."

PROFIT FROM OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE
Then there are companies like Automattic. Automattic is built around WordPress, an open source project that I happen to be quite interested in, since a decent portion of Xavisys’s work is done on WordPress. They run WordPress.com, but have diversified their income, making money from upgrades, VIP hosting, ads, Akismet licensing, and enterprise services.