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How VMware's Debt-Fueled Acquisition Is Killing Open Source

11 days ago
https://fastcode.io/2025/08/30/the-69-billion-domino-effect-how-vmwares-debt-fueled-acquisition-is-killing-open-source-one-repository-at-a-time/
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  • #Open-Source
  • #Broadcom
  • #Bitnami
  • Bitnami is ending its free tier, transitioning to a premium service starting at $72,000 per year.
  • Broadcom's CEO Hock Tan has a history of acquiring companies, cutting costs, raising prices, and focusing on enterprise customers.
  • The VMware acquisition by Broadcom led to significant price hikes, with some customers facing increases of up to 1,250%.
  • Bitnami's changes follow Broadcom's strategy, with planned 'brownouts' to disrupt services and push users towards paid plans.
  • Developers and organizations are outraged but face limited alternatives due to the deep integration of Bitnami images in their infrastructure.
  • The broader trend shows open-source projects increasingly moving away from free tiers, impacting the developer ecosystem.
  • Broadcom's financial success comes at the cost of layoffs, disrupted communities, and priced-out small businesses.
  • The Bitnami situation highlights the clash between open-source ideals and corporate profit motives.
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