Understand which open source licenses work with distributed software. To go for open or a closed source software distribution method is currently one of the most debated topics in the software industry. He adopted a hybrid proprietaryopen source strategy, com. In terms of software development and licensing, there are broadly two kinds of software. Software, open source, and copyright licensing office of. Changes in free and open source software licenses springerlink. Some open source software licenses have simple requirements, and some have requirements that are more complex, such as source code delivery. What is the best open source license for commercialization. Lately new media rights has been anxiously engaged in tackling various software licensing projects.
Another area in which the open source program team is essential is product strategy. Neither the name of the thai open source software center ltd nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission. Janet hope recommends the classic essay by frank hecker, setting up shop, as the best account of open source. Jennifer buchanan oneill vice president and managing assistant general counsel, product development outbound licensing strategies. Open source integrators scale your business in harmony. Conventional software is usually protected through ip rights, as a strategy to exclude some or all prospective users of the technology. Use of the software is subject to designated license terms. Oss production and licensing strategies of software firms by heli. Below are some sources with helpful definitions of key terms, organizational bodies, and historical landmarks related to open source licensing.
The company has defined three key characteristics to make sure open source software lives up to the label. An open dialog on open source cloud searchcloudcomputing. No easy way forward for commercial open source software. This article, the quick guide to software licensing for the scientistprogrammer, provides a summary of a variety of licenses and discusses their benefits and disadvantages. Ssc not only licenses software in the domestic market but also in the twentyseven countries of the european union.
Understanding open source and free software licensing. The selfenforcing nature of open source and free software licenses 151 the global scope of open source and free software licensing 153 the negative effects of open source and free software licensing 154 community enforcement of open source and free software licenses 158 compatible and incompatible licensing. Why do people care so much about the legal side of open source. Ibms oss initiatives are clearly vested in server strategies. The open source definition written by bruce perens and originally published as the debian free software guidelines is an abstraction from various free software licenses in common use. The open source program office is an essential part of any modern company with a reasonably ambitious plan to influence various sectors of software ecosystems. Open source lights arduino based rc light controller rc. The office of technology commercialization helps ut researchers monetize software and creative content they develop while at the university. How i used open source tools to build a theater lighting system open source software was the star of the show for a local production of les mis. An open source software license is one that conforms to the latest version of the open source definition osd, published on the web site of the open source initiative osi, a nonprofit corporation established in 1998 by a small group of programmers who wanted to promote the wider adoption of open source licenses.
Fear, uncertainty, and doubt are major factors when a company first considers using open source software. The term open source was coined by christine peterson and adopted in 1998 by the founders of the open source initiative. When we thought about the licensing scheme for smartinspect, we naturally decided to license it per developer, as smartinspect is a software development tool. You can integrate these codes into your client program by a few simple changes in a code.
Thus, code forking represents the single greatest tool available for guaranteeing sustainability in open source software. Software and open source licensing mit technology licensing. A summary of the requirements of the osd is that in order for a software license to be open source, licensees. Community enforcement of open source and free software licenses 158 compatible and incompatible licensing.
We live in an era where adaptability is the new competitive advantage. If your legal team understands and is invested in your companys open source strategy, theyll be best able to help rather than hinder your efforts. This chapter provides an introduction to open source software licensing. And along the way we created a community, rich and thriving, that develops not only some of the finest software in the world, but has a lot of fun doing it, too. The ways in which all open source1 licenses are the same are greater than the ways in which they differ but their differences can still be significant. How microsoft became an unlikely open source champion light. May 18, 2012 with true open source, you get licensing mobility, which means everything these days in cloud licensing. Software licenses, open source components, and open. If youre using open source software thats easily accessible, you can implement code and test it without spending any money on licensing. Having released several applications under the gpl license in the past. Understanding open source and free software licensing bridges the gap between the open source vision and the practical implications of its legal underpinnings.
And yet, even as it has become mainstream, open source. Feb 17, 2011 approaches to software development and licensing. Perspectives of the end user and the software developer1 by. In an earlier article, i examined some of the recent dynamics in open source software, specifically around the forownprofit commercialization of some projects by large cloud providers, and how that is driving smaller companies to seek out restrictive license models. A summary of the requirements of the osd is that in order for a software license to be open source, licensees must be free 1 to use the software for any purpose whatsoever. Jun 11, 2019 in an earlier article, i examined some of the recent dynamics in open source software, specifically around the forownprofit commercialization of some projects by large cloud providers, and how. Even if your company doesnt release any open source projects, it uses others open source software. Open source, open standards, and health care information systems. Frequently answered questions open source initiative. Oss production and licensing strategies of software firms. Expand left for open source control in change environments.
An open source license is a type of license for computer software and other products that allows the source code, blueprint or design to be used, modified andor shared under defined terms and conditions. The selfenforcing nature of open source and free software licenses. Phelps emphasizes the role played by large customer demand for interoperability of their linux and windows systems in encouraging the move. All open source licenses grant the right to fork their code, that is to start a new development effort using an existing code as its base. Which open source license is appropriate for my project. It also explains a typology distinguishing community based from corporate based open software models. These objectives are sometimes at odds, increasing the chance that, left to different departments in the same company, open source strategies. Introduction a substantial number of enterprises and independent software vendors are adopting a strategy in which software intensive systems are developed with open source software oss components or components with open. The chapter seeks to demystify the concept of open source so that intellectual property ip owners and managers can decide whether an open source approach is worth pursuing. An opensource license is a type of license for computer software and other products that allows the source code, blueprint or design to be used, modified andor shared under defined terms and conditions. It seems like a bit of a mystery how open source software ever sees the light of day. Open source programs drive efficiency, innovation, and industry influence. Why redis labs made a huge mistake when it changed its.
Key steps to avoid ip and licensing risks open source software has its advantages, but business leaders must be aware of the potential legal pitfalls. Open source software licensing comes with a confusing variety of terms and conditions. Xrite pantone values the importance of the open source community and compliance with the terms of the corresponding open source licenses. At a most basic level of definition the term open source software simply means software for which the source code is open. Difference between freeware and open source software different types of open source licenses.
Based on the unique concept of identitybased licensing, our cloudbased licensing solution provides advanced features in regard to both authentication and licensing. This white paper reduces the fud factor by clarifying the legal issues associated with open source licensing. Licenses differ where in this spectrum they are positioned. Its important to develop a license notice delivery strategy that complies with most open source licenses without confusing or alienating your customers. The tlo will discuss open source licensing strategies with the authors. How i used open source tools to build a theater lighting system. The term free software is older, and is reflected in the name of the free software foundation fsf, an organization founded in 1985 to protect and promote free software. Open source and sustainability open source initiative. Which open source license is best for commercialization. Open lighting project open source lighting control software. The chapter explains the principles of free and open source software licensing and. This document gives an overview of some common issues in open source licensing and license compatibility. These objectives are sometimes at odds, increasing the chance that, left to different departments in the same company, open source strategies also will be at odds. In light of the potential liability, disclaimers of warranties like that in the mit.
Active open source use in development can drive down costs, speed time to market and increase software functionality, all without adding to the bottom line. Open source software is an important part of mainstream software development organizations. Open source licenses are licenses that comply with the open source definition in brief, they allow software to be freely used, modified, and shared. Although open source licensings popularity has skyrocketed in the past two decades, in truth, open source was the original model for software licensing, with proprietary licensing coming later. This study sheds light on the relatively recently emerged new business models employing open source activities in the software industry. Some common issues in open source licensing open tech. Open source erp offers a continuum of opportunities to increase your efficiencies and create synergybecause we understand that accuracy equals profits and time equals money. Free and open source software licensing open source. The available source code collections may contain an aggregate of programs with different license types. In this way we hope our initial version of solidity and mix lay down the foundation for others to build upon and improve in the true free open source software manner. A quick guide to software licensing for the scientistprogrammer. It offers tips on using open source, contributing to open source projects, and releasing your own open source software.
Licensing is a major part of what open source and free software are all about, but its still one of the most complicated areas of law. Under the dual license strategy, a software company offers free use of its software with some limitations, or alternatively offers for a fee. It works pretty well in my opinion so i decided id post it as an open source project. But as we thought about it, we had an idea about an alternative license that now proofs to be quite successful. Youre not alone, so we compiled this handy guide chock full of best. Aug 01, 2008 robb is also general manager of, an open source community of technology and industry leaders who are collaborating to push for adoption of free and open source software in business. A quick guide to software licensing for the scientist. The company has an open source steering committee that has approved many oss initiatives. Creating an open source program the linux foundation. The right to fork open source code is at the core of open source licensing. See also our article on open source software which explains the competitive benefits of using open source software.
Very few companies have made a viable business out of free software with paid support. Described as the travel adaptor for the lighting industry, the open lighting architecture provides a flexible way to interconnect different. Selecting the right license strategy for your software. The creation of the open source initiative osi in 1998 has helped shape the landscape of the open source software licensing today. Licence server is designed to licence your own terminal application. Users can still deploy and run the open source software. Most open source licenses other than the affero gplhave no conditions for software asaservice saas. For most developers, understanding open source licenses and the implications involved with using them can be fairly daunting. Difference between different types of open sources licenses. As explained above, the wide and effectively perpetual grant that is made by free and open source software. Best practices for creating an open source policy need to create an open source policy but unsure of how to get started. Colloquially speaking, the spectrum of software licensing strategies can be divided into three categories. An application released under the gpl licence can be supported by anyone. Much widelyused code is released under copyleft licenses, especially the gpl, but much is also released under noncopyleft licenses.
In general, free and open source software licensing is inconsistent with charging for the licensing of patents embodied in that software. Crossindustry, crossdisciplined, and deeply experienced in all things open source. What if i want to change the license of my project. In fact, the two models for software licensing open source and proprietary trace their origins from a common source. Please support the books author and publisher by buying a print copy. Stromian technologies has been active in this field for four years, working with clients and speaking on free software licensing. Generally, mit recommends either the bsd license or the gplv2 or lgplv2 licenses. Introduction a substantial number of enterprises and independent software vendors are adopting a strategy in which software intensive systems are developed with open source software oss components or components with open apis. The middleware the middleware of ethereum, including the javascriptbased web3. Software licenses, open source components, and open architectures. Once the tlo has approved release of the software via an open source license, you may then post or distribute your software under such open source license. The license adopted by an open source software is associated with its success in. Open source lights arduino based rc light controller ive been disappointed with the rc light controllers available on the market and decided to make my own.
The current environment is certainly an example where what companies do now to prepare for the future could make all the difference. Youll also get access to quickreference tables on the major open source licenses, plus forms and checklists you can use to promote compliance. This book was published by prentice hall in july 2004. Seventeen years after microsofts ceo called open source a cancer, heres what the company learned in its open source turnaround. The ways in which all open source1 licenses are the same are greater than the ways in which. Open innovation and intellectual property rights the two. The open lighting projects goal is to provide high quality, open source lighting control software for the entertainment lighting industry. Proprietary licensing this strategy is familiar from the clickthru agreements that govern commercial software. The idea of a large number of people working for glory and the greater good rather than recompense seems too. The open source community has boostrapped a sustainable, communitydriven software. Otc can help researchers find the optimal license type and distribution strategy for such work, which includes open.
Everything youve ever wondered about the legal side of open source, and a few things you didnt. Open source licensing software freedom and intellectual property law. Software development using open source and free software licenses. You see, we already have wellestablished open source licensing strategies for inhibiting freeriding from the cloud vendors or others. How microsoft became an unlikely open source champion. If a company wants to increase its influence, clarify its open source messaging, maximize the clout of its projects, or increase the efficiency of its product development, a multifaceted approach to open source. In most ways, open source licenses are just like any other license to software. Beas relation to open source licenses is primarily with eclipse and. Introduction to software licensing is a powerpoint presentation that i made up to raise our company\s awareness about the use of proprietary software and the slideshare uses cookies to. Ibm has been very focused on where it applies its open source energies. As this strategic effect becomes known to fsp founders and. No easy way forward for commercial open source software vendors.
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