It used to be there were only a couple of players in town who combed through software code, specifically looking for open source packages and licenses: Black Duck and Palamida. A year ago, we figured there was plenty of room for additional players, but we had no idea how many companies would end up coming to the open source code scanning table.

Some code search and development tools, such as Google Code Search, Koders and Krugle, were among the first to begin crossing over to code scanning. Still others in this category include: Codase, Codefetch and O’Reilly’s Code Search.

We’ve also seen open source stack providers and supporters, such as OpenLogic and SourceLabs, widen to include code scanning, accounting and governance in their work with open source software.

There has also been more code comprehension coming from open source community sites, such as Ohloh and the Enterprise Open Source Directory from Optaros.

Now, we see Hewlett-Packard with others, amid some controversy, putting its own internal open source scanning technology and expertise to work for itself and the community with FOSSology.

One thing we thought was missing from the previous few players was a company that scanned code in some fashion using software thate was itself open source. It seems the options are not only growing, but are also opening up. Code searchers, such as Krugle, have open source versions. Ohloh has opened the code behind its open source community site. Now, despite whipping up a little dust, comes a collaborative, open effort from HP with the FOSSBazaar governance community and FOSSology, which is licensed under the GPL.

It’s likely all of this open code scanning is going to raise awareness and understanding of open source software. In fact, based on discussions with players like Black Duck, Palamida, OpenLogic and others, there are many organizations out there professing not to use or condone open source software. In reality, these enterprise organizations are like most others in their significant reliance on open code. Seems it’s getting harder for them to ignore the open source wake-up call.