How do you charge for an open source solution? The UltraCoin solution is hybrid (open and closed source), but if it was all open sourced, then JP Morgan can come behind and co-opt the entire solution. There are limits to open sourcing when it comes to competitive business. Even Red Hat, the open source enterprise champion relies on closed source business models, ex. restrictions through subscriptions and refusal to publish its service best practices, methodologies and solutions. This is a good thing for Red Hat investors, and ultimately a good thing for Red Hat clients, for Red Hat needs a defensible revenue stream in order to consistently provide reliable and dependable quality service.
Remember, Red Has is a closed source service company that uses open source software as a marketing and sales conduit. The same with Android, a closed source set of highly functionable apps bundled into an open source OS. If Google were to open source everything it will lose the ability to directly charge for its product. Does this model work?
Well, who has the best, most intuitive and tightly integrated apps in the mobile market? Who sells the most?
Respectfully,
Perhaps an open source solution would be better than patenting??
Free2play combined with charging for a premium service?
L