Going Hybrid
from the open-source-isn't-all-that dept
The Economist has an interesting article where they point out that the pure open source business model is going nowhere, but suddenly things seem to be flying for hybrid business models that use open source software as just a piece of what they're offering along with proprietary hardware, software, or services. In doing so, the proprietary company helps to commoditize one part of the offering (helping to stave off competitors who don't use open source technology), while making the other parts of their solution more attractive. The article points out that such ideas are sickening to many open source advocates - but may actually lead to much more rapid adoption of open source programs.
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