SCAI’s Dual Licensing Model for NetWorkSpaces

NetWorkSpaces™ is the latest addition to SCAI’s family of software products for high-performance parallel and distributed computing. NetWorkSpaces is a powerful, new software package that makes it easy to use multi-core laptops, personal computers, workstations, SMPs, clusters, and grids from within scripting languages such as R, Matlab, and Python.

SCAI distributes NetWorkSpaces using a “Dual Licensing Model:”

• An open source version of NetWorkSpaces is available under the GPL-General Public License. This license requires that users who develop software using NetWorkSpaces redistribute the newly developed software free of charge and permit anyone using the newly developed software to have access to complete source code.
• NetWorkSpaces Pro, a commercial version of NetWorkSpaces, is also available form SCAI under a separate NetWorkSpaces Pro License Agreement. This license permits customers to develop, use, and distribute their applications under their own commercial licenses. NetWorkSpaces Pro is commercially supported by SCAI and includes features not available in the open source version of the software.

The dual licensing model permits open source projects to use the software at no cost. This encourages widespread use and testing of the software and the growth of an engaged user community. In addition, the dual licensing model frees commercial developers from the requirement of open source distribution.

For SCAI, the dual licensing model provides a means of ensuring the quality and robustness of its software. At the same time, it permits the company to generate the revenue it needs to support continued first-rate software development efforts.

SCAI also offers consulting services for users of NetWorkSpaces, including assistance with software integration and development issues. For more information on consulting services, contact info@lindaspaces.com.