Submission + - Open 'Commericalized' Source v Free Software
GotCode writes: "Ok so we have seen how the big guns are commercializing the open source model and now users have the fix it your self approach or pay for commercial support and/or additional features. With money coming into open source projects is this changing the direction of how open source projects can evolve ?
For those users paying for commercial support of an open source product what really is the benefit of an open source product ? With larger commercial interests in open source are we going to loose control of our creativity just because someone or an organization can stump up the cash to push development into a particular direction, i.e development by cash influence rather than by community direction and values.
In this light is open source just becoming a buzz word to get you noticed ? Is there really any difference between this and giving away a closed software product and just charging for support and or consulting services. From a customer point of view if they get what they want for free but pay for the support and services and can influence the feature set with cash where is the benefit of open source to an end consumer of it ?
Is it time for Free Software, Software leasing or Pay as you go type of software to become more prevalent? Or is there another business model that could be used for this ?"
For those users paying for commercial support of an open source product what really is the benefit of an open source product ? With larger commercial interests in open source are we going to loose control of our creativity just because someone or an organization can stump up the cash to push development into a particular direction, i.e development by cash influence rather than by community direction and values.
In this light is open source just becoming a buzz word to get you noticed ? Is there really any difference between this and giving away a closed software product and just charging for support and or consulting services. From a customer point of view if they get what they want for free but pay for the support and services and can influence the feature set with cash where is the benefit of open source to an end consumer of it ?
Is it time for Free Software, Software leasing or Pay as you go type of software to become more prevalent? Or is there another business model that could be used for this ?"