The world of open source has created a revolution in the online sphere in all proportions. It is now a prevalent software that is in use not only as applications that are independent but also as invaluable components in non-open source apps.

The commercial use of open source software is emerging with time. Open source software development process modeling is constantly demystifying with time. Today, there is a huge rise in demand for projects in open source. Also, it is found that open source software Development Company is looking to innovate and provide maximum benefits to their clients with cutting edge solutions for business dividends.

There are multiple ISV’s as well as resellers in hardware and OEM’s are using open source modules as well as libraries inside their business model for selling services and products. The customers and clients today are looking to invest on open source technologies on commercial terms that are standard with protection of legal liabilities as well as copyright infringement support.

Also there are provisions of buying it with a comprehensive package in place with support as well as training due to the agile functionality and control that arrives with open source.

The number of projects are constantly increasing with open source models in place. The following graph is an apt illustration of the purpose

The timeframe taken in this project in from January 1995 to December 2006 with monthly details. Y represents the total number projects and X determines the timeframe from 1995 till 2006 in monthly records. It clearly depicts the growth structure of total number of projects in open source with an exponential model in place.

The Key Challenges

Although applications in opens source have been a part of the industry for a pretty long time.

• Yet other than VA Software or Red Hat no other companies in open source have really become a public entity in the stock market community.
• Although commercialization is still a probability, it can be considered to be challenging as well.
• The different ISV’s as well as VAR’s have to find new avenues in promoting technical as well as legal mechanisms to reach the commercial goals as still the derivatives of stipulated work are under an open source license as traditional conventions may not be an applicable force.
• Till date concealing information as well as properties of intellectual context is a need that is challenged by the open source software.
• It usually implies the development of the product in performed in public front that allows similar projects of competing nature to incorporate improvements as soon as the repository of public code is updated.
• Hence, there is a debate around the sustainability of open source as an effective business proposition.

The Right Approaches

Some of notable strategies and approaches in business with legal and commercial tactics in place can be illustrated below

• Licensing on a dual basis: In this process, the software is available both under license of open source as well as a license term that is separate on a proprietary basis. Customers are engaged to a free edition of open source while also be a part of the upsell to a more enterprise edition that is commercial. License of Sleepy Cat as well as MYSQL data base of Oracle can be cited as excellent examples.
• Services in professional selling: Financial returns from an open source software can also be generated with selling of consulting, training as well as support of technical nature that are been used successfully by IBM and RedHat.
• Merchandise selling: Foundations of Mozilla as well as Wikimedia also earn profits by selling merchandise items in t-shirts as well as mugs of coffee that can be used as an additional service.

Apart from the aforesaid approaches, selling of certificates as well as use of trademark and subscriptions of accounts online with software as a service and effective partnerships can be considered to be favorable models of earning business profits.