The Business of Open Source Software: A Primer

This article is meant as a primer for those interested in gaining a basic understanding of the business of open source software. Thus, we cover four main areas: i) what motivates businesses to get involved in open source; ii) common open source licenses and how they relate to community and corporate interests; iii) issues regarding the monetization of an open source program; and iv) open source business models currently employed. This article is particularly suitable for people who want a general understanding of the business of open source software; people who want to understand the significant issues regarding an open source program's potential to generate income; and entrepreneurs who want to create a company around open source code.