Characteristics of Open Source Software Vendors: Results from IDC's 2008 OSS Vendor Survey

Abstract

This IDC study reports the results of IDC' s 2008 Open Source Software Vendor Survey, which covered the experience of vendors selling open source software (OSS) in 2007. "It is still quite early in the evolution of commercial open source software," says Matt Lawton, director of Open Source Software Business Strategies. "This study reveals some trends in how vendors are generating revenue from open source software." Readers should use these survey results to educate themselves about the business characteristics of open source software vendors today, and inform their decisions about the implications of implementing a strategy that includes revenue from open source software in their businesses.