At the Open Source Business Conference, held Tuesday and Wednesday in San Francisco, a mix of startups and established players such
as IBM, HP and EDS grappled with the question of how to make money selling something that started out as free.
as IBM, HP and EDS grappled with the question of how to make money selling something that started out as free.
Many open source vendors are using a combination of free and commercial licenses. They offer some products as free downloads, then charge for
proprietary enhancements. The idea is, once a customer finds the free product useful, it will want more: more functionality, support, customization.
This hybrid, known as the “both source model,” is also seen by many here a way to encourage wider use and help move a company’s technology toward
standardization.
Link: internetnews.com
Category:
- Open Source
