fbszSep 15, 2023

Bad business model behind open source softwares

https://lemmy.ml/post/4961787

Bad business model behind open source softwares - Lemmy

The principles behind free and open source software has all been ‘knowledge and information should be free and accessible to everyone’, ‘the user should’ve the freedom to study, edit, share’, ‘collaboration’. These principles are nice and the people who admire this principles create free(as in freedom) software, but when we look at the finances behind free softwares, things are messed up. Most services rely on donations, which is not good but when the amount of free services increase, the more there has to be donate. It’s actually problem because the bad business model of the open source has made it’s software fall behind their propreitory alternatives? Here are my few questions and would be nice if you all provide a solution to some questions: 1. What is the philosophy of open source and free software? 2. Why open source softwares are bad at making money? 3. Is there a business model, besides subscription as many people can’t pay? Or am I wrong here? 4. Solutions proposed to solve this problem 5. Some examples of bad and good open source business model and whether it’s good or bad than their mainstream propreitory alternatives?

Show threadgredoSep 15, 2023

There are a few companies making money from FOSS.

The two business models I see the most that seem to work:

  • free software, paid support
  • free software, paid hosting/ “SaaS”
Show threadfbszSep 15, 2023

Great, but the companies aren’t as mainstream as their propreitory alternatives, what could be reason?

What are the mistakes done by those companies that’s resisting them to not as big as their propreitory alternatives?

Show threadPropaGandalfSep 15, 2023
This is simply not true. Just look at server side software like OpenStack, the Linux kernel, various file systems, … These solutions are all free software and they are thriving because big comapnies rely on them. They support these project not only financially but they also contribute code and improve them that way.
Show threadfbszSep 15, 2023
sure, these are examples where open source thrive. It’s great to see it be that way. But there are services which are open source, as good as their propreitory alternative but still didn’t have proper business model, rely on donations which is unstable. Even in the linux community, there are lot of distros that sustain through donations? If they have as much as money as microsoft, they may develop their distros and innovate. So, I’m asking for ideas, business models, solutions to these problems! Correct me, If I’m wrong!
Show threadperegus
That happens for open source as well as for anything else. Why there are not thousand of “Gmail” like services? Or Dropbox, Slack, Trello and so on? Because there’s who’s good in selling his product and raising funds and…who’s not!
Sep 15, 2023 at 3:33pmWeb