CollabNet is releasing a new offering aimed at small developer teams that adapts the small workgroup features of the acquired SourceForge Enterprise with the SaaS-based on demand deployment of its own software project collaboration tools.

The new product, CollabNet OnDemand, is described by marketing VP Isabelle Dumont as a “Salesforce.com for developers.” Admittedly, that’s a moniker that could be more literally claimed by agile planning tool Rally Software, which actually has a deal with Salesforce. But the new CollabNet offering has features that are designed to get small teams rapidly started. 

They include pre-configured project workspaces, so you don't have to set something up from scratch. Beneath the software project collaboration front end is its well-known Subversion software configuration management (SCM) system for checking in and out of source code; a file release system that can be managed by group or role; and a task manager.

Although CollabNet has been associated with its web-based, relatively lightweight subversion source code management tool, in practice, its offering has traditionally been associated with very large horizontal rollouts. By contrast, CollabNet OnDemand is targeted at teams of up to 50 people, with the company offering the ability to get teams up and running within 24 hours. The pricing, at $50 per month, per user, is roughly half of what SourceForge Enterprise (which was locally installed software) cost.

Having been through a soft rollout over the past few weeks, CollabNet is officially making it generally available now.

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