Community and Commercial Strategies in Open Source Software / Gemeinschafts- und kommerzielle Strategien in der Open-Source-Softwarewelt

Anthony I Wasserman

doi:10.1515/itit.2013.1003

Abstract

Summary This paper describes the recent evolution of business strategies used by companies offering products and services based on free and open source software (FOSS). The primary focus is on companies that develop and release products under an open source license. The paper compares their practices with traditional proprietary software companies and with community-based open source projects, and identifies growing overlaps between the different kinds of software companies. Finally, the paper describes the likely impact of recent technology developments in mobile and cloud computing on open source software and related business.

Highlights

Zusammenfassung Dieser Artikel beschreibt die Evolution von Geschäftsstrategien, welche Unternehmen verfolgen, die Softwareprodukte und -Dienstleistungen auf Basis von Open-Source-Software anbieten
The Open Source Initiative (OSI), created in 1998, produced the Open Source Definition [3] and approves software licenses that are compliant with that Definition, including those created by the Free Software Foundation (FSF). Many of these OSIapproved licenses anticipated the use of open source software in commercial products and did not include the restriction on contributing modifications back to the project that is found in the FSF licenses
We see a fundamental distinction between noncommercial and commercial free and open source software (FOSS) projects. Those with technical expertise and those not working on business-critical projects, the non-commercial versions, with their communitybased support, are sufficient and offer high quality software at no charge

Summary

Introduction

Zusammenfassung Dieser Artikel beschreibt die Evolution von Geschäftsstrategien, welche Unternehmen verfolgen, die Softwareprodukte und -Dienstleistungen auf Basis von Open-Source-Software anbieten. Many of these OSIapproved licenses anticipated the use of open source software in commercial products and did not include the restriction on contributing modifications back to the project that is found in the FSF licenses. Those with technical expertise and those not working on business-critical projects, the non-commercial versions, with their communitybased support, are sufficient and offer high quality software at no charge.

Results

Conclusion