Musings on business models for open source software

[spot]

Note: I use "open source" here, but I really mean "the amalgamation of open source and free software as defined by the Open Source Definition and the Free Software Foundation, respectively". It was the shortest thing to type.

I have been thinking a lot about open source from a business perspective lately. While the statement that “open source is

Comments

[zaitcev]

Hmm, I heard about Tidelift before, but didn't realize they were doing anything good.

[calicabbage]

Great article.

After all, if your customers are locked in, it is easy to reach a point where you have no real business case for improving the software, either via new features, improved usability, or bug fixing. Customers get wedged in a painful state where it is even more painful to abandon the software, trapped in a poor experience and growing to despise their vendors.

Shout-out to this part. It hit me personally because it describes something I would like to change in a certain sector in my vicinity.

[spot]

Thanks! I feel like these sort of situations are prime opportunities for FOSS opportunities, on the community level and the business level.