Open source software is reaching critical mass with Microsoft, Google, Adobe and other technology giants like IBM muscling their way into the once geeks-only community. In his column today, ZDNet’s Dana Blankenhorn wonders about a phony open source trend in 2010.
Blankenhorn writes that as Microsoft tries to build some open source bona fides – so is everyone else. The result will be even more software that consists of both open and closed licensed components.
The question is how open is open enough and how closed is too much?
“When there’s an open source ‘community’ version and a paid ‘enterprise’ version of the same software,” write Blankenhorn, “what is the difference between writing a check for enterprise support and just buying a closed source license?”
