Charles River Media announced Using Open Source Web Software with Windows, a comprehensive guide that teaches how open source software can be used effectively on a Windows system. According to the book's publisher "Open source is changing the software market because of its advantages over commercial tools including cost savings, greater reliability, security, improved performance, and scalability. Although open source is primarily associated with Linux, many people, including IT professionals, don’t realize that open source programs can work on a standard Windows platform. In addition, most open source documentation is Linux/Unix-focused, so instructions and examples are not easily accessible to Windows users."

Using Open Source Web Software with Windows addresses these issues by introducing Windows administrators, programmers, and Web developers to open source server tools such as Perl, MySQL, Apache, and PHP, which are currently used to power more than 65% of Web sites worldwide. Users learn everything they need to implement these tools effectively, including the basics of downloading and installing each of the packages. From there they use the tools and programs in practical combinations to create a self-contained Web server on Windows. After working through the book, Windows users will be able to handle open source database methods, send pages to the Web or Intranets, and make dynamic Web databases. Using open source software will help to reduce licensing costs and improve the reliability, security, and efficiency of their Web tools.

The book's author Eric Hunley (Hampton, VA) is an instructor and Web developer. He has taught and developed over 25 different courses at the University of Arizona Extended University, including many on Macromedia and Web design. He is the author of Web Design with Macromedia Studio MX 2004 and co-author of Professional Web Design: Techniques and Templates, Second Edition.