IEEE Software, Vol.15 No.5, Sept-Oct 1998, pp.47-52. Sept-Oct 1998 Issue on Component-Based Software Engineering. Source.
Software components jar well-established software licensing paradigms. In particular, assumptions regarding the size, quality, and flexibility of software components differ from those underlying typical licensing scenarios. Those changed assumptions have important effects on the license grant, payment, ownership, liability, warranty and maintenance, and confidentiality terms of software component licenses. Understanding the quirks of software component licensing will enable developers to make informed judgments about the risks and costs they are willing to assume with software components, rather than blindly embracing the latest trend in software development.