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"FOSS Business Model Broken" — Former OSDL CEO
liraz writes "Stuart Cohen, former CEO of Open Source Development Labs, has written an op-ed on BusinessWeek claiming that the traditional open source business model, which relies solely on support and service revenue streams, is failing to meet the expectations of investors. He discusses the 'great paradox' of the FOSS business model, saying: 'For anyone who hasn't been paying attention to the software industry lately, I have some bad news. The open source business model is broken. Open source code is generally great code, not requiring much support. So open source companies that rely on support and service alone are not long for this world.' Cohen goes on to outline the beginnings of a business model that can work for FOSS going forward."
Except that would be a pretty blatant violation of the GPL. You can't sell the code, access to the code or impede the access of the licensed code. What you're suggesting would have been tried a long time ago if it were even marginally legit.
You have to allow distribution of the code in all cases except for code modified for internal use. And yes that does indeed preclude selling access to the code.
At anyrate as soon as somebody downloaded the code there'd be nothing that person could legally do to stop them from doing it.
...until you need to do something besides browse the web, write email, or program. People whose jobs require Lightwave, Office, or any one of a million other pieces of software simply cannot use Linux.
I love Linux, and use it every single day, but as far as the desktop goes it's purely hobbyist territory.
Cellulite -- large quantities in highly visible locations moving around on its own long after the attached person has stopped moving.
Every mans' island needs an ocean; choose your ocean carefully.