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Open Source is not a Business Model

cra.mr · 1,879 words · saved by 1 readers

So you’re starting a company and you want an Open Source business model, eh? Let’s talk about what that means, and how that statement is both totally valid, and makes no sense at the same time. I was inspired to write this as we recently launched Fair Source - our approach of creating more access to software while also ensuring protections for maintainers. Due to the nature of the goals, a lot of arguments came up from Team Free Software and Team Open Source. That’s totally expected and fine, but my biggest gripe about all of it is the number of assumptions people make about how businesses choose licenses. They will tell you that its some trick to get community contributions, or to garner good will. I’m not saying no ones ever done that, but I will tell you I’ve not met a single founder who wants to open-source their product for those reasons. They are interested in an Open Source model primarily for two key reasons: To increase the market potential of what they’re building - to gain m

Open Source is not a Business Model So you’re starting a company and you want an Open Source business model, eh? Let’s talk about what that means, and how that statement is both totally valid, and makes no sense at the same time. I was inspired to write this as we recently launched Fair Source - our approach of creating more access to software while also ensuring protections for maintainers. Due to the nature of the goals, a lot of arguments came up from Team Free Software and Team Open Source. That’s totally expected and fine, but my biggest gripe about all of it is the number of assumptions

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