Gartner Research

Maverick* Research: It’s Time to Fire Software Vendors With Complex Licensing!

Published: 22 July 2022

Summary

Composability matters to CIOs, yet restrictive, complex licensing models embody an existential barrier. CIOs must insist software vendors adapt to make licensing compatible with composability, or seek alternatives, potentially risking short-term continuity to attain long-term agility and efficiency.

Included in Full Research

Overview

Specific Maverick Caution

This Maverick research contradicts the prevailing wisdom that CIOs have little influence or prospect of altering increasingly complex licensing practices of software vendors. This research proposes that CIOs can drive software vendors to adapt, progressively retiring complicated licensing contracts, metrics and terms, underpinning value through fit-for-purpose models that enable composability of commercial applications. This research contradicts prevailing wisdom, its findings and advice should therefore be treated with caution.

Maverick Findings
  • CIOs continue to maintain relationships with major software vendors, despite complex use rights, metrics and monetization models that limit the CIO’s ability to innovate and adapt.

  • Restrictive software contracts are

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