'Source available' is not open source (and that's okay)
2 days ago
- #sustainability
- #licensing
- #open-source
- Ruby on Rails creator David Heinemeier Hansson (DHH) released a new kanban tool, Fizzy, under the O'Saasy license, calling it open source despite violating the Open Source Initiative's definition.
- Matt Mullenweg, WordPress founding developer, criticized DHH for ignoring the established definition of open source, comparing it to North Korea calling itself a democracy.
- The debate highlights the tension between open source sustainability and companies profiting from open source software without contributing back.
- DHH's license choice reflects a real issue in open source: companies making money from open source while leaving maintenance to others.
- The sustainability of open source projects like Drupal, WordPress, and Ruby on Rails is a pressing concern that needs addressing beyond definition debates.
- Dries Buytaert suggests focusing on solutions to encourage corporate contributions and sustainability rather than debating terminology.
- Key questions include distinguishing between companies that can't contribute and those that won't, and what drives corporate behavior in open source.