SOFIns allows open source project to generate new revenue by selling installation and configuration procedures that transform source code into appliance-type solutions.

The majority of users seek a technical solution, not a do-it-yourself Linux project. These types of users hire IT administrators or systems integrators to convert open source projects into business solutions. The open source project developer does not capture any revenue from these transactions, yet the developer knows how best to install and configure their own projects.

SOFIns provides open source projects with a sales channel to end users. Open source developers use SOFIns to specify how their systems are installed, configured and maintained. SOFIns will:

• Initialize and connect a remote, unformatted computer
• Obtain site-specific details from the user
• Complete the installation, configuration and maintenance instructions by combining these commands with the user's site-specific data
• Issue commands to the remote computer to do such tasks as partition the disk, install Linux, install applications, configure the applications with the user's email addresses, accounts, passwords and other settings

Using the SOFIns approach, the user obtains a fully configured appliance in a reproducible and automated manner. The user provides his own hardware and uses the SOFIns "insert boot disk and apply power" method to convert that hardware into an appliance-type solution.

The expert earns revenue by selling IT know-how without ever getting involved with the user's hardware or needing to know the user's site-specific, confidential data.