profile updated Mar 4, 2008, 10:35 PM
Cognizo is an IT development and staffing firm that has recruiting specialities in open source technologies, especially in php, Linux and Ruby and also develops commercially available software as a sideline.Most unusual is the company's free - yes, we said free - CATS branded ATS.
Like many IT staffing companies, Cognizo first developed CATS for in-house use. In 2006 it released the product publicly as an open source project. A "pro" version is also available at $495 annually per user. Open source software has become popular in recent years with the IT community. However, it hasn't gained the same kind of acceptance, in most cases, in the wider market. Among the reasons is lack of support when something goes wrong and no guarantee of future product upgrades. Cognizo has wisely, if indirectly addressed those concerns by assigning a team to maintain and improve the product and by creating a very active user forum. Customers who chose to pay for the professional version get a fuller featured version, as well as telephone and e-mail support.
The company currently has an HR management system in the testing and refinement stage. There's little information available about its features, though it supposedly will handle ATS functions and payroll.
News & Updates 
Products & Services
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CATS
Free open source ATS (two professional versions are available at modest hosting fees). Works with IE, Firefox, Safari. The company recently released version 0.9.1, which is the 10th revision (many of them minor) since it was first made available in 2006. About the name: Cognizo Applicant Tracking System. Get it? -
Recruiting & Placement Services
IT recruiting for contract or permanent placement. Emphasis on PHP developers and Open Source technologies generally.