Post AYtM1aCpTjdGycrphI by stevel@hachyderm.io
(DIR) More posts by stevel@hachyderm.io
(DIR) Post #AYf6fJnItP9v2YIWlE by webmink@meshed.cloud
2023-08-12T17:48:01Z
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The #HashiCorp license change is just the most recent example of a company that no longer needs to drive adoption with #OpenSource claims. I write about it in 2021 but it's been around for about 20 years. It is not "the end of open source", just a lifecycle stage for a VC funded software startup.https://meshedinsights.com/2021/02/02/rights-ratchet/
(DIR) Post #AYfBL2clWJ1tleWFiy by mrunesson@techhub.social
2023-08-12T18:40:03Z
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@webmink these changes from OSI compliant Open Source to something restricted so called open source license is the reason I recommend people to go with foundation controlled software in front of company controlled.
(DIR) Post #AYfBaA488SfTBrWpxw by webmink@meshed.cloud
2023-08-12T18:41:17Z
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@mrunesson The key is to avoid single-vendor software.
(DIR) Post #AYfC5LzNr21J9CBM4e by sjn@chaos.social
2023-08-12T18:50:22Z
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@webmink Are there any licenses that are less vulnerable to this pattern?
(DIR) Post #AYfCM8PvZFCbygbEps by webmink@meshed.cloud
2023-08-12T18:52:29Z
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@sjn Licenses that are used without a CLA are good, especially if they include copyleft provisions.
(DIR) Post #AYfScoHlGhehjJklYe by fosstian@fosstodon.org
2023-08-12T21:54:32Z
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@webmink @sjn I see the huge risk to contributors with CLAs but how can a project reasonably switch/upgrade its license (e.g. GPL2->AGPL3) at some point in the future without them? Or am I overthinking this?
(DIR) Post #AYfa1wwQvEBjUjiC1Y by vy@sciencemastodon.com
2023-08-12T23:19:03Z
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@webmink Or it may be another company that found there were too many big corporate freeloaders and too few customers - that the open source model does not work except in very specific circumstances and with brilliant marketing.
(DIR) Post #AYfk3NtRCW38undL1M by zeruch@mastodon.social
2023-08-13T01:11:41Z
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@webmink this indeed has been a common, if not all together annoying trait of VC backed firms that felt Foss was a convenience when trying to enter a market but a hindrance when the ratio of greed to interoperability and developer friendliness got lopsided.
(DIR) Post #AYgaVBi3HvGSqwt32G by webmink@meshed.cloud
2023-08-13T10:58:42Z
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@vy That's certainly what they hope you will think. But companies generally make this pivot for other reasons.
(DIR) Post #AYgalDj9YOlLkD2xkm by webmink@meshed.cloud
2023-08-13T11:01:46Z
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@fosstian Modern licenses have upgrade language in the license, and non-reciprocal licenses are readily co-licensable. It's only single company projects using strong copyleft licenses for a scareware strategy that really need the ability to pivot away from unwanted community members like this.@sjn
(DIR) Post #AYgcX2NHAO3GO8B8To by vy@sciencemastodon.com
2023-08-13T11:21:12Z
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@webmink Like what other reasons? Can you name a profitable software development company that has a true open source license? Maybe SQLite, but they are also selling or trying to sell proprietary software. Amazon could have easily paid for Elastic Search, but didn't - a more typical result.
(DIR) Post #AYgkfVORxSEkL4HD96 by webmink@meshed.cloud
2023-08-13T12:53:15Z
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@vy Usually in response to pressure from a VC-appointed stakeholder who is offended by the idea of "freeloaders" using "his" software without adding to the (usually significant) existing profits. Successful open source companies make money with the software rather than from the software.
(DIR) Post #AYgsU3YntowwSqAg9w by vy@sciencemastodon.com
2023-08-13T14:20:53Z
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@webmink got 2 examples?
(DIR) Post #AYgzTUJNeX4woydJWi by webmink@meshed.cloud
2023-08-13T15:39:04Z
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@vy XWiki, Facebook are two examples at opposite ends of the scale but there are plenty of others.
(DIR) Post #AYhJQMUuFNmGnhoLB2 by vy@sciencemastodon.com
2023-08-13T19:22:13Z
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@webmink Facebook mostly profits from using free software developed by other companies for its own operations. XWiki is not a company.
(DIR) Post #AYhdVMUpg2fLKPRDii by webmink@meshed.cloud
2023-08-13T23:07:11Z
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@vy Facebook also creates and maintains significant open source software such as React https://github.com/facebookXWiki SAS is a significant and successful company https://xwiki.com/en/company/who-we-are/
(DIR) Post #AYhme9MMmr3qmOk9om by vy@sciencemastodon.com
2023-08-14T00:49:48Z
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@webmink They dropped out of React, but I agree that giant corporations can make money on open source by using it to sell something else. (they have an actively harmful effect on tech development, but .. )
(DIR) Post #AYt2wiRHXh2LvzapMG by webmink@meshed.cloud
2023-08-19T11:13:58Z
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I also posted a crude metric for investigating whether an #OpenSource project is part of a rights-ratchet strategy. You really can see these things coming...https://meshedinsights.com/2021/03/18/rights-ratchet-score-card/#HashiCorp #License #SoftwareFreedom
(DIR) Post #AYt42Z7DDji0i1Yhea by chaosmonkey@masto.ai
2023-08-19T11:26:50Z
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@webmink Hey there, just read your article. I totally agree on the rights racket being performed by a lot of companies. Not sure I agree with all of your points though.What I missed in your article is an underlying argumentation on why something is good or bad? That would be helpfull in understanding.Any plans on incorporating these rules into a "standard" of sorts?I'm working on a "freedom" scale with rules for open source projects myself. I'll post more on that when "finished".
(DIR) Post #AYt4jlvpRfPyuVpwLg by webmink@meshed.cloud
2023-08-19T11:34:19Z
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@chaosmonkey Yes, it was a rough draft as a great deal of that has been covered in previous articles over the years. Happy to discuss any specific ones. I have tried a few times to initiate a more formal metric...
(DIR) Post #AYtM1aCpTjdGycrphI by stevel@hachyderm.io
2023-08-19T14:47:46Z
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@webmink add "where do the tests live?". that's how Sun blocked OSS java implementations