Pricing of Software Product Lines

This paper examines possibilities and consequences of introducing variability with respect to pricing, accounting, and way of payment into software product lines for developers, vendors, and customers. The global goal is the derivation of an extensible conceptual framework for vendors of SPLs which adds relevant economic variability to the SPL. The capability of economic methods for pricing and accounting for SPLs to provide the desired variability model for setting prices and a variability model for licensing is examined and adjusted. Furthermore, an analysis of possible or existing interdependencies between different methods of pricing, accounting and the way of payment is provided. Nevertheless, a comprehensive validation of this framework is required which will only be marginally discussed in this paper. The proposed framework is not a fixed roadmap but rather a white-box framework which a vendor has to tailor according to his strategic and economical goals. In order to achieve this additional guidance is provided.