Sustainable Software versus Open Source Software

Differences between various categories of software license

The underlying matrix defines what you can/can't do with the source code of a program according to the 10 criteria defined by OSI (www.opensource.org).

Please note that there is nothing related here to the commercial strategy of the editor. You may BUY a distribution of an open source software (e.g. for a linux distribution) and you may use for FREE a proprietary software (e.g. a freeware).

Criteria	Open Source	Sustainable software	Developer Source	Proprietary
1. Free redistribution of source code and free use	Yes	Free use but limited to certain types of use	Limited	No
2. Full Source Code Access	Yes	Yes	Yes under certain restrictions	No
3. Possible Derived Works	Yes	Yes but with a viral effect on royalties	May be limited	No
4. Integrity of The Author's Source Code	Yes	Yes	May be limited	No
5. No Discrimination Against Persons or Groups	Yes	Yes	May be limited	No
6. No Discrimination Against Fields of Endeavor	Yes	Yes	May be limited	No
7. Distribution of License	Yes	Yes but with a viral effect on royalties	May be limited	No
8. License Must Not Be Specific to a Product	Yes	Yes	May be limited	No
9. License Must Not Restrict Other Software	Yes	Yes	May be limited	No
10. License Must Be Technology-Neutral	Yes	Yes	May be limited	No

In résumé we may say:

- Open source and free software is good to:

o Standardize a technology (e.g. create a de facto standard for a library)

o Gain fast adoption rate and commoditize a technology

Generally open source software is great for infrastructure based software (OS; developer frameworks or libraries,...) where every actor has a similar mutual interest to work together and share their bug fixes and enhancements for free.

- Sustainable Software is good for:

o Finished and ready to use software that mainly integrates and repackages existing technologies

o Small and mid sized software editors that can not afford to leverage the cost of open source software development through the sales of others products or services, and who need direct revenue streams on their program

- Developer source software is good for:

o Software programs that have certain creative or patentable technologies that may require some limited and restricted access to the source code (e.g. under a NDA)

- Proprietary software is good for:

o All the other software editors who do not believe that opening their code base may bring more value and quality to their software on a long term basis than keeping it proprietary.