Demand is booming for services to get businesses up and running on the Web, linking their sites to other systems such as customer service and supply-chain management.

FORBES: The service mob

Business applications include Customer Relationship Management, Regulatory Compliance, Contact Centers, Help Desks, Web Self-Service and Business Intelligence.

FORBES: Build Your Own Watson with Open Source Software

Like Salesforce.com , RightNow aimed to sell its customer relationship management (CRM) software as a low-maintenance, Web-based service, not a shrink-wrapped product.

FORBES: Beltway Bet: RightNow Technologies

Future versions will include tools that let people use popular Chinese web services such as Baidu maps, the Taobao shopping service as well as versions of office programs and image management tools, directly from Ubuntu's main screen.

BBC: China to create home-grown operating system