BusinessWeek: Getting a Grip on Open Source Software Proliferation

"As open source software penetrates ever deeper in to corporate America, a potential crisis looms. There are all sorts of licenses and therefore all sorts of rules for how different open source packages can be used. As a result, companies not only have to track the many pieces of software floating around in their organizations but also keep all the rules straight. It's relatively easy if they're using one thing—say Linux. But, beyond that, the headaches ensue. The way to head off trouble is to simplify licenses, pare down the number of licenses, and automate the tracking of software. Fortunately for corporations, open source mavens have been hard at work on all three..."

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