Providing configurable pricing for execution of software images

A computer-implemented method for managing execution of software images for users of a software image execution service, the method comprising:

• receiving, by one or more configured computing systems affiliated with a software image execution service, information from multiple users of the software image execution service regarding registering multiple shared software images, each of the multiple software images being created by one of the multiple users and being registered so as to be available for execution by at least some other users of the software image execution service, the software image execution service having a plurality of host computing systems for use in executing software images of users;
• receiving, by the one or more configured computing systems, a request from a first user of the software image execution service to execute an indicated one of the multiple software images that was created by a second user distinct from the first user, the indicated software image being a bootable image that includes operating system software and that is executed by loading the indicated software image;
• determining, by the one or more configured computing systems, that the first user is authorized to execute the indicated software image;
• and
• initiating, by the one or more configured computing systems, execution of a copy of the indicated software image by the software image execution service on behalf of the first user, the execution of the indicated software image copy being performed by loading the indicated software image on at least one of the plurality of host computing systems.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium whose contents configure a computing system to manage execution of software images for users of a software image execution service, by performing a method comprising:

• receiving information from a first user of a software image execution service that indicates a software image available for execution by at least some other users of the software image execution service, the indicated software image being a bootable image that is executed by loading the indicated software image, the received information further indicating a usage model configured by the first user for use in determining fees for other users who execute the indicated software image via the software image execution service, such that the fees determined based on the configured usage model for use of the indicated software image differ from usage fees charged by the software image execution service for execution of the indicated software image;
• after receiving a request from a second user distinct from the first user to execute the indicated software image, executing the indicated software image via the software image execution service on behalf of the second user, the executing being performed by at least one of a plurality of computing systems of the software image execution service;
• determining a fee to be paid by the second user for the executing of the indicated software image on behalf of the second user, the determining being based at least in part on the configured usage model and at least in part on use of resources by the executing indicated software image;
• and
• providing an indication of the determined fee.

A computing system configured to manage execution of software programs by users of a software execution service, comprising:

• one or more memories;
• and
• a system manager component that is configured to manage execution of software virtual machine programs for users of a software execution service, the software execution service having a plurality of computing systems for use in executing software programs of users such that one or more of the plurality of computing systems each hosts one or more virtual machines that are each capable of executing at least one software virtual machine program, the managing of the execution of the software virtual machine programs including:
• receiving information from multiple users regarding multiple shared software virtual machine programs created by the multiple users, the multiple software virtual machine programs being available for execution by other users via the software execution service, the received information indicating a usage model configured by one of the multiple users for use in determining fees for other users to execute an indicated one of the multiple software virtual machine programs via the software execution service, such that at least a portion of the fees determined based on the configured usage model are provided to the one user;
• after receiving a request to execute the indicated one software virtual machine program via the software execution service on behalf of a first user who is distinct from the one user, initiating execution of the indicated one software virtual machine program by at least one of the hosted virtual machines of the software execution service on behalf of the first user;
• and
• automatically determining a first fee to be paid by the first user for the executing of the indicated one software virtual machine program on behalf of the first user and automatically determining a second fee to be paid to the one user for the executing of the indicated one software virtual machine program on behalf of the first user, the second fee being at least a portion of the first fee, the determining of the first and second fees being based at least in part on the usage model configured by the one user.