유사 오픈소스 라이선스와 라이선스 양립성 검사

Abstract

Open Source Software (OSS) has been a crucial foundation driving innovation in the software industry by providing clear guidelines for source code disclosure, modification, and redistribution through traditional licenses. However, the recent rapid rise of cloud computing and Microservices Architecture (MSA) has brought significant changes to OSS-based businesses. Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) have begun incorporating OSS into their managed services or hosting and commercially utilizing it without separate contributions, presenting existing OSS development companies with challenges in maintaining sustainable business structures, securing fair compensation, and ensuring contributions to the ecosystem. As one solution to these challenges, “Psuedo Open Source Software licenses” models, such as Shared Source Licenses and Source-Available Licenses, have emerged, redefined to suit the cloud era. These licenses do not fully comply with the traditional definition of OSS but aim to restore the business balance between CSPs and OSS development companies by imposing restrictions on service delivery methods and business models. However, the emergence of these new licenses necessitates the collection and analysis of additional information beyond mere source code-level license compatibility. This includes aspects such as distribution methods, operational environments, inter-service integration approaches, and commercial usage patterns. This paper examines the impact of similar open source licenses on the software development ecosystem and proposes methods for information collection and examination to assess license compatibility issues arising in cloud-based and MSA environments.