https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • Analytics
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud
    • Data Centers
    • Desktop
    • IoT
    • Mobility
    • Networking
    • Open Source
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Virtualization
    • Voice/Connectivity
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Best Practices
    • Business Models
    • Channel 101
    • Channel Programs
    • Channel Research
    • Digital Transformation
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Leadership
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Specialty Practices
  • MSSP Insider
    • Back
    • Business of Security
    • Cloud and Edge
    • Endpoint
    • Network
    • People and Careers
    • Training and Policies
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2021 MSP 501 Application
    • 2020 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2020 Hot 101 Rankings
    • 2020 MSP 501 Report
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Our Sponsors
    • From the Industry
    • Content Resources
    • COVID-19 Partner Help
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Reports
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • EMEA
  • Awards
    • Back
    • Excellence in Digital Services
    • 2021 MSP 501
    • Top Gun 51
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Partners Evolution
    • Channel Evolution Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
  • Channel Mentor
    • Back
    • Channel Market Intelligence
    • Channel Educational Series
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • Analytics
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud
    • Data Centers
    • Desktop
    • IoT
    • Mobility
    • Networking
    • Open Source
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Virtualization
    • Voice/Connectivity
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Best Practices
    • Business Models
    • Channel 101
    • Channel Programs
    • Channel Research
    • Digital Transformation
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Leadership
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Specialty Practices
  • MSSP Insider
    • Back
    • Business of Security
    • Cloud and Edge
    • Endpoint
    • Network
    • People and Careers
    • Training and Policies
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2021 MSP 501 Application
    • 2020 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2020 Hot 101 Rankings
    • 2020 MSP 501 Report
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Our Sponsors
    • From the Industry
    • Content Resources
    • COVID-19 Partner Help
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Reports
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • EMEA
  • Awards
    • Back
    • Excellence in Digital Services
    • 2021 MSP 501
    • Top Gun 51
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Partners Evolution
    • Channel Evolution Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
  • Channel Mentor
    • Back
    • Channel Market Intelligence
    • Channel Educational Series
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Digital Service Providers
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • CHANNEL PARTNERS ONLINE
 Channel Futures

Open Source


Mozilla and Linux Foundation Advance New Trends in Open Source Funding

  • Written by Christopher Tozzi
  • May 16, 2016
Who pays for open source development? Increasingly, large organizations like Mozilla and the Linux Foundation. That's the trend highlighted by recent moves like the expansion of the Mozilla Open Source Support (MOSS) project.

Who pays for open source development? Increasingly, large organizations like Mozilla and the Linux Foundation. That’s the trend highlighted by recent moves like the expansion of the Mozilla Open Source Support (MOSS) project.

The Mozilla Foundation has long injected money into the open source ecosystem through partnerships with other projects and grants. But it formalized that mission last year by launching MOSS, which originally focused on supporting open source projects that directly complement or help form the basis for Mozilla’s own products.

On May 11 Mozilla took MOSS a step further by opening the door for “any open source project in the world which is undertaking an activity that meaningfully furthers Mozilla’s mission” to receive support from the Mozilla Foundation. That means a much broader set of open source developers can apply for support.

The MOSS expansion is notable because it comes at a time when the Linux Foundation, along with industry partners, has also been busily creating opportunities for open source projects to gain financial support. Most notable is the Core Infrastructure Initiative (CII), which launched in 2014.

The CII’s original focus was on shoring up security in widely used open source tools like OpenSSL, a relatively tiny project that is massively important because it creates software used to encrypt millions of websites. The CII launch was in part a response to Heartbleed, which was the source of an embarrassing security fiasco for the open source community born of security flaws in OpenSSL. The CII provided financial support for a code audit of OpenSSL aimed at improving security.

Security is still a big focus at the CIA, whose website touts the “world-class team of security experts” whom the initiative has enlisted as collaborators. Since 2014, however, the program has expanded to include other offerings, which do not focus exclusively on security. Most recently, it introduced a “badge” program for certifying the quality of open source code.

The New Source of Open Source Funding

In terms of dollars, the CII is apparently a larger initiative than MOSS. Mozilla says it has set aside “approximately”$1.25M for its 2016 program. There’s not much data available on the CII’s budget, but the Linux Foundation consistently describes it as a “multi-million” dollar effort. And the names of the industry partners backing it, which include the likes of Google, Facebook and Rackspace, suggest that it enjoys deep-pocketed support.

Yet regardless of who’s laying out the most cash, both MOSS and the CII highlight how large, community-based organizations are now playing a greater role in funding open source development. Traditionally, a lot of the money that supported open source coding came from companies that paid employees to write open source code or businesses, like Red Hat, that funded third-party projects to help build their own open source products.

These sources of cash are not going away. But Mozilla and the Linux Foundation are now providing new ways for open source projects, especially smaller ones in which deep-pocketed companies may have no obvious reason to make a direct investment, to gain access to generous amounts of funding.

Of course, these funding opportunities are generally shaped by the agendas of the organizations that offer them. Nobody gets a free lunch, not even open source coders. But initiatives like MOSS and the CII make it possible for open source programmers to seek financial support without having to appeal to a big company or go to work for someone who will let them write free code on the job.

Tags: Cloud Service Providers Digital Service Providers MSPs VARs/SIs Open Source

Related


  • Build a Cloud
    IBM’s Hybrid Cloud Build Team Helps Partners ‘Like Never Before’
    Big Blue is betting big on hybrid cloud. Now it’s helping the channel bring those environments to life, fast.
  • Roll out
    Linux Security Provider Capsule8 Rolls Out First Partner Program
    The program will help Capsule8 build upon its existing market momentum.
  • Channel Chief
    EMC, Cisco Vet Named SoftIron Channel Chief
    SoftIron is a challenger in the data center appliances industry.
  • Cloud security
    Rapid7 Acquires Kubernetes Security Provider Alcide to Increase Cloud Security
    This is Rapid7's second cloud security acquisition in the past nine months.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • AWS Still Chasing JEDI, Blasts Trump Administration Again
  • AWS Partners Flooded with New Capabilities, Opportunities at re:Invent
  • Centreon Partners Get Access to Reinvented Partner Program
  • Commvault Kubernetes Focus Expands with New Metallic Offer for Containers

Galleries

View all

From The Second City: How to Use Improv as a Business Tool

March 3, 2021

Industry Perspectives

View all

5 Ways XDR Can Improve Operational Efficiency for MSPs

March 4, 2021

Multi-Cloud: Strategy or Inevitable Outcome? (or both?)

March 3, 2021

Backup Vulnerability: 4 Targets Hackers Might Utilize to Infiltrate Your Backup Solution

March 2, 2021

Webinars

View all

A Partner’s Perspective on Channel Success in 2021

March 23, 2021

XDR and Why it Matters to MSPs

March 24, 2021

Top Security Trends Impacting Technology Security Providers In 2021

March 25, 2021

White Papers

View all

Why Fortinet for my MSSP?

March 2, 2021

Small and Mid-Size Business Security: 4 Steps to Success

March 2, 2021

How SMBs Can Secure Endpoints and Remote Workers for the Long Haul

March 2, 2021

Upcoming Events

View all

Channel Partners Conference & Expo

November 1, 2021 - November 4, 2021

Videos and Fastchats

View all

FASTCHAT: How SOAR Eliminates Security Challenges and Elevates Service Provider Revenues

January 6, 2021

Happy Holidays from Channel Partners & Channel Futures!

December 21, 2020

FASTCHAT: How Old, Unpatched Technologies Are Creating New Security Threats for MSPs and Their Customers

December 3, 2020

Twitter

ChannelFutures

.@Veeam announces six annual Impact Partner Awards, with @SHI_Intl, @LogicalisUS, more. #cloud… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

March 4, 2021
ChannelFutures

#XDR can improve operational efficiency for #MSPs. @TrendMicro #security #endpoint #AI #threatintelligence… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

March 4, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@IBM adds two senior execs to leadership team at infrastructure IT spinoff, NewCo. @IBMNews @IBMPartners… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

March 4, 2021
ChannelFutures

RT @ChannelEurope: Craving more #EMEA news? Get the latest headlines, insights and commentary in EMEA directly to your inbox. Subscribe to…

March 4, 2021
ChannelFutures

Kelly Leonard of @SecondCity talks to us about how improv can be used as a business tool to improve the company cul… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

March 4, 2021
ChannelFutures

Another amazing day at #CPVirtual. Here's what you missed and what's on tap for Day 3. @Channel_Expo… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

March 4, 2021
ChannelFutures

Learn how @VMWare can help you build and deliver a #multicloud strategy. #hybridcloud #cloud #AWS… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

March 3, 2021
ChannelFutures

Learn about the merging of our media websites; plus, a new #MSP Summit this fall. @Channel_Expo… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

March 3, 2021

MSSP Insider

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Channel Partners Online

Want more? Find more channel news and analysis on our sister site, Channel Partners.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Online
  • Channel Partners Events
  • MSP 501
  • MSSP Insider
  • IoT World Today
  • Webhostingtalk

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2021 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X