Simon Phipps’ sees 6 OS business models

From the SDForum – The Future of Commercial Open Source Think Tank Summary Report
(the report is licensed under a CC license):

  1. Mixed: Using open source as a cocmponent of a larger work (ex. Websphere)
  2. ISP: using open source to provide infrastructure services. Invisible – Customers don’t see it
  3. Core: Open source is your product (RedHat)
  4. For the Glory: companies that write/contribute to open source to generate publicity which can be converted into revvenue streams
  5. Consultation: using community for the purpose of delivering service (ex. Covalent)
  6. Deployment: using open source to provide and extend online services (ex. Amazon, Google, salesforce.com)