The Benefits of Open Source and the Risks of Open Core

The Benefits of Open Source and the Risks of Open Core

by Danese Cooper, Andy Oram
Released April 2022
Publisher(s): O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ISBN: 9781098117467

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Book description

While open source continues to dominate software development, many companies have been offering a mixture of free open source and closed proprietary software--a combination known as open core. These companies hope to cement revenue sources while promoting their status in open source communities. But how does open core compare to open source?

This report from open source advocates Danese Cooper and Andy Oram provides an overview of these two software models. You'll learn the critical differences between them and what makes each one attractive. While open source has proven its value, open core poses some risks to vendors and customers. Once you read this report, you can judge for yourself.

You'll examine:

  • Why building a company on open source is harder than it looks
  • How open core's combination of proprietary and open source code creates risks for customers and vendors
  • Why open core's corporate and community practices might seem confusingly similar
  • How open source is taking over software infrastructure
  • Why some companies present themselves as open source but behave very differently
  • How to sustain your company while supporting open source

Table of contents

  1. Preface
  2. 1. What Is Open Source and Why Is It Popular?
    1. How Open Source Changed the Software Industry
    2. Where Is Open Source Dominant?
    3. Why Users Ask for Open Source
      1. Avoiding Lock-In
      2. Accelerated Ramp-Up
      3. Staff Availability
      4. Freedom from Licensing Tangles
      5. Adaptability
      6. Having a Say
      7. Compatibility
    4. Sustainability and Health in Open Source Projects
  3. 2. Why Companies Find Open Source Daunting
    1. They Are Working from Old Revenue Models
    2. They Don’t Want to Lose Control over the Direction of the Software
    3. They Don’t Want a Competitor to Take Advantage of Their Work
    4. They Don’t Know How to Manage a Community
    5. Their Pace of Development Makes Community Participation Hard
    6. They Need to Keep People Coming to Their Site to Develop Volume
    7. They Lack Confidence in Their Code
    8. They Want to Hide Something They’re Doing
    9. Their Developers Are Egotistical about Their Skills
  4. 3. What Is Open Core?
    1. Risks of Open Core for Customers and Vendors
    2. How Open Core Undermines True Open Source
  5. 4. Distinguishing Open Core from Other Trends
    1. Red Hat
    2. MySQL
    3. Corporate Funding
    4. Closed Core
    5. Dual Licensing
    6. InnerSource
    7. Source Available
  6. 5. Why Open Source Is Better Than Open Core
    1. Open Source Mitigates Vendor Lock-in
    2. Open Source Nurtures a Healthy Community That Drives Better Innovation
    3. Open Source Increases Code Quality Through External Code Inspections
  7. 6. Is Your Vendor Doing True Open Source?
    1. Is 100% of the Code Licensed Under an Unmodified, OSI-Approved License?
    2. Is There a Diverse and Healthy Community Around the Code?
    3. Is the Open Source Project Managed by an Independent Body?
    4. How Does the Vendor Make Money?
    5. Is There a Published Roadmap for the Project?
  8. 7. How to Sustain a Company While Supporting Open Source
    1. Closed Core
    2. Cloud Offerings
    3. Service and Custom Development
    4. Nonprofit Status
    5. Conclusion
  9. About the Authors

Product information

  • Title: The Benefits of Open Source and the Risks of Open Core
  • Author(s): Danese Cooper, Andy Oram
  • Release date: April 2022
  • Publisher(s): O'Reilly Media, Inc.
  • ISBN: 9781098117467