Creative Destruction and the Future of the Software Industry | eWeek

Creative Destruction and the Future of the Software Industry

Written By
eWEEK EDITORS
eWEEK EDITORS
Jul 23, 2004
1 minute read
eWeek content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More

The way that software is being produced and acquired is changing rapidly. The availability of high quality software, often for no licensing costs and with very user-friendly license terms, is challenging commercial companies producing products in the same software category. This new type of software is called either Free Software or Open Source Software (it will be referred to in this document as Free/Open Source Software) and is being attacked by the incumbent software product vendors as if it were a threat to the free market itself. The software industry is actually going through a well-known free market process that was first identified by the famed economist Joseph A. Schumpeter in 1942. It is called the process of creative destruction.

For the rest of the story, click to NewsForge.

eWeek Logo

eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site's focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.