In 2004, Linux creator Linus Torvalds left Silicon Valley to oversee Linux development at the Open Source Development Lab (OSDL) near Portland. His relocation served as a high-profile example of the quality of local talent available and of Portland's growing (and well-deserved) reputation as an incubator of open source software (OSS). Local and national press continue to document new arrivals and noteworthy Portland projects in publications such as USA Today, CNN, Willamette Week, Seattle Times, and on Oregon Public Broadcasting.

In addition to OSDL, the metro Portland area known as the Silicon Forest is also home to top development labs for IBM, Intel, and Tektronix, among others. Software and hardware engineers employed by those companies routinely share their expertise by collaborating on numerous OSS development projects, often with funding from their employers. The long-term momentum of open source in Portland is sustained in part by nationally recognized OSS programs at Portland State University and Oregon State University, both of which have received corporate grants and donations from around the country.

Even Portland's mayor, Tom Potter, has gotten into the scene by loading Linux onto his laptop and running his website on open source software.

Portland has become a magnet for businesses focused on developing and using OSS technologies. The wealth of OSS talent located in Portland sets the conditions for local businesses to exploit the technologies to gain a competitive advantage against slower adopters. The members of POSSE are committed to helping all types of companies and organizations succeed with open source.