A plain-language guide to open-source licenses: permissive vs copyleft, what obligations they create, and how to manage open-source compliance.
By the MI Solutions SAM team9 min read2 exhibits
Open-source software is free to use, but it is not free of conditions. Every open-source component comes with a license, and those licenses range from "do almost anything, just keep the copyright notice" to "if you distribute software that includes this, you must share your source code too". For most organizations that use open source internally, obligations are light. For organizations that distribute software to customers, they matter a great deal.
The license spectrum
Exhibit 1
When obligations apply
How you use a component matters as much as which license it carries:
Exhibit 2
01Internal use only
Most licenses impose few obligations.
02Distributing software
To customers, in products or devices, copyleft obligations may require sharing source code.
03Offering software as a service
Network copyleft licenses such as the AGPL can create obligations even without distribution.
A simple open-source policy
Where SAM fits
Open-source compliance usually sits with engineering and legal, but SAM teams help by including open-source components in the software inventory and by tracking commercial support subscriptions for open-source products. Some products also come in an open-source edition and a commercial edition; knowing which one is installed is a SAM question.
How MI One helps
Frequently asked questions
Is open-source software free for business use?
Usually yes, under its license terms. Check the license, especially before distributing software that includes it.
Who should own open-source compliance?
Typically engineering with legal support, using a written policy.
Do we need to track open source used only internally?
Track it lightly: it matters for security updates and for the day an internal tool becomes a customer-facing one.
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