Abstract
This IDC study defines the classification scheme, or taxonomy, used by IDC to research and analyze the business models available to companies that sell products and services associated with open source software.
"The open source software movement is here to stay," says Matt Lawton, program director of Open Source Software Business Strategies at IDC. "This taxonomy lays the foundation for understanding, measuring, developing strategies around, and considering the implications of business models relevant to the distribution of open source software."
Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- IDC Opinion
- In This Study
- Situation Overview
- What Is Open Source Software?
- Open Source Software Ecosystem
- Figure: Open Source Software Ecosystem
- Table: Open Source Software Ecosystem Roles and Defining Characteristics
- Open Source Software Project
- End User
- Project Vendor
- Project Partner
- Vendor Partner
- Project Associate
- Open Source Software Business Models
- Figure: Business Models Available to Open Source Software Project Vendors, Project Partners, and Vendor Partners
- Create an Open Source Software Product
- Sell Commercial Rights
- Develop Closed Source Software Product Enhancement(s)
- Develop a Derivative Closed Source Software Product
- Create a Mixed Open Source Software Plus Closed Source Software Product
- Create a Mixed Open Source Software Plus Closed Source Software Package
- Upgrade to "Same Stack Level" Closed Source Software Product
- Sell "Higher Stack Level" Closed Source Software Product(s)
- Embed Inside a Hardware Product
- Package with a Hardware System
- Sell Attendant Services
- Embed Inside a Content Product
- Package with Content
- Additional Business Dimensions
- Degree of OSS Project Ownership
- Degree of OSS Project Contribution
- Software Market
- Geography
- Customer Vertical Industry
- Customer Size
- Company Size
- Software Platform
- Software Delivery Method
- Partner Segmentation
- Measuring OSS Business Model Activity
- Figure: Scope of IDC' s Reporting of OSS Revenue
- Future Outlook
- Essential Guidance
- Learn More
- Related Research
- Synopsis

