The Slow Death of Open Source (Unless We Stop It)

YouTube Video

Summary

DJ Wear’s “Cyber Gizmo” episode delves into the history of open source, its current state, and the challenges it faces, particularly from corporate influence. He begins with a personal anecdote about his early experiences with public domain software on the Plato system in the 1970s, highlighting its pioneering features like chat, multiplayer games, message boards, interactive learning, and even early speech-to-text experiments. Funded by taxpayer money through agencies like ARPA, NSF, and the Department of Education, Plato software was initially considered public domain, freely accessible for study, modification, and contribution. However, as funding shifted and the University of Illinois sought alternative financial support, Control Data Corporation (CDC) stepped in, rebranding Plato as private property in exchange for funding. This personal experience serves as a parallel to the broader trend of open source being “taken from us” by corporate interests.

The video then transitions to the formalization of open source, tracing its roots back to Richard Stallman and the GNU project’s “free software” movement in the mid-1980s. DJ Wear outlines Stallman’s four essential freedoms: to run, study, redistribute, and modify software. He emphasizes that “free software” was about freedom, transparency, and choice, not just price. However, the term “free” was often misinterpreted by corporations as signifying low quality.

This misunderstanding led to the rebranding effort in 1998, spearheaded by the Open Source Initiative (OSI) and figures like Eric S. Raymond and Brian Behlendorf, who coined the term “open source.” While Stallman preferred “Free and Open Source Software” (FOSS) to retain the ethical dimension, the shift to “open source” was largely motivated by a desire to gain corporate acceptance. DJ Wear acknowledges this trade-off, questioning what might have been lost in prioritizing corporate adoption over the original ethical and moral foundation.

The core issue, according to DJ Wear, is the inherent conflict between the fiduciary responsibility of corporations to their shareholders and the principles of open source. He explains how corporations, seeing open source as a “free resource,” have adopted the “open core model.” This model involves maintaining a community version of open-source software, often feature-limited and under-maintained, while developing a proprietary, paywalled version with advanced features and ongoing support. This strategy leverages the open-source community for initial development and talent while ultimately locking core innovations behind a subscription model. DJ Wear points out the unsustainability of community editions in this model, often leading to their eventual deprecation due to lack of corporate investment and developer burnout.

He directly refutes the claim that open source merely copies closed-source software, asserting that open source has consistently been at the forefront of innovation. He cites Plato, Linux, Apache, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Kubernetes, and Docker as examples of open-source projects that have driven significant technological advancements, even underpinning the infrastructure of major corporations and the internet itself. He highlights that even commercial software often relies heavily on open-source libraries.

DJ Wear argues that open source is facing a similar capture to what happened with Plato. While corporations fund certain open-source projects, this funding often comes with strings attached, leading to business-driven roadmaps, neglected community editions, and developer burnout. He criticizes the shift towards more permissive licenses like MIT, BSD, and Apache, which, while not inherently bad, facilitate the creation of proprietary software based on open-source foundations. He further condemns “open washing” licenses like SSPL, BSL, and Elastic License, which falsely claim to be open source while restricting user freedoms.

He also notes the controversial removals of Richard Stallman and Eric S. Raymond from the organizations they founded, suggesting this as a deliberate effort to rewrite the narrative of open source and diminish its original ethical focus. He emphasizes the importance of remembering the history and principles of open source to prevent its erosion.

DJ Wear concludes with a call to action, stating that open source is not just a development model but a “promise” of shared knowledge and collaborative building. He urges the audience to learn the history of open source, support developers directly, challenge corporate capture, and fund open-source tools from within the community. He stresses that freedom in software, like any freedom, requires active defense and cannot be taken for granted. He ends by prompting viewers to reflect on the open-source projects that matter most to them and to share their perspectives on the direction of open source in the comments.

Accuracy

The transcript is largely accurate in its historical overview and analysis of the open-source landscape. Here’s a breakdown of the accuracy of specific points:

• Plato System: The description of Plato’s features and its pioneering nature is accurate. Plato was indeed a groundbreaking system with many features ahead of its time, including precursors to online communities, multiplayer gaming, and educational tools. The claim about speech-to-text experiments in the 1970s on Plato is also generally accurate, though it was more experimental and less sophisticated than modern speech recognition. Brian Dear’s book “The Friendly Orange Glow” is indeed a well-regarded source on the history of Plato and the events described regarding the university and software rights. The funding sources mentioned (ARPA, NSF, Department of Education) are also correct.
• Public Domain Software & Universities: The characterization of software developed in universities with taxpayer funding often being considered public domain in the early days is generally accurate. The culture of sharing and open access was prevalent in academic environments.
• CDC and Plato: The account of CDC’s involvement and the university’s attempt to claim software rights before selling to CDC aligns with historical accounts. The rebranding of Plato as proprietary software is also accurate.
• Richard Stallman and GNU/FSF: The description of Richard Stallman, the GNU Project, and the Free Software Foundation, along with the four freedoms, is accurate and reflects the foundational principles of the free software movement.
• “Free Software” vs. “Open Source”: The explanation of the rebranding from “free software” to “open source” in 1998, the role of Eric S. Raymond and the OSI, and the reasons behind this shift (corporate adoption) are all historically accurate. The distinction between the ethical focus of “free software” and the more pragmatic focus of “open source” is a well-documented and important aspect of the history.
• Open Core Model: The description of the open core model and how corporations utilize it is a very accurate and widely recognized critique of current corporate engagement with open source. The concerns about feature-limited community editions and the prioritization of paywalled versions are valid and reflect common industry practices.
• Open Source Innovation: The claim that open source has been a significant driver of innovation is strongly supported by evidence. The examples provided (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Kubernetes, Docker) are all prominent and highly influential open-source technologies that have shaped modern computing.
• Linux Foundation Funding: The critique of the Linux Foundation’s funding allocation, with a small percentage going directly to kernel development and more to other activities, is a recurring point of discussion and concern within the Linux community. While the exact percentages might vary depending on the year and interpretation, the general point about kernel developers being under-resourced despite large corporate contributions to the foundation is a valid concern.
• Permissive vs. “Open Washing” Licenses: The distinction between truly open-source licenses (like MIT, BSD, Apache) and more restrictive “open washing” licenses (like SSPL, BSL, Elastic License) is accurate. The video correctly points out that licenses like SSPL and BSL, while sometimes presented as open source, impose significant restrictions that deviate from the generally accepted definition of open source, especially in terms of commercial use and modifications.
• Removal of Stallman and Raymond: The mention of the removal of Richard Stallman and Eric S. Raymond from their respective organizations around the same time is factual. Both events were controversial and led to discussions about the direction of the free and open-source movements. The interpretation that these removals allowed for a reshaping of the narrative is a plausible perspective, although it is also a matter of ongoing debate and different interpretations exist.

Minor Nuances and Potential for Debate:

• Simplification: While largely accurate, the video simplifies some complex historical and philosophical debates within the open-source and free software movements for the sake of clarity and brevity in a YouTube format.
• Perspective: The video presents a particular perspective, critical of corporate influence and the “open core” model. While this is a valid and widely held perspective, it’s not the only way to view corporate involvement in open source. Some argue that corporate funding, even with its limitations, is essential for the sustainability of many open-source projects.
• “Open Washing” Licenses: The term “open washing” is somewhat subjective. While licenses like SSPL and BSL are indeed more restrictive than traditional open-source licenses, the companies behind them often argue they are necessary to prevent cloud providers from profiting from the software without contributing back. This is a complex debate with valid arguments on both sides.

Overall Accuracy: The transcript is highly accurate in its main points and provides a valuable and insightful overview of the history and current challenges of open source. The speaker’s personal experiences and historical references are generally well-supported by established knowledge.

Resources

Here are 5 relevant resources to learn more about the subjects presented in the transcript:

1. “The Cathedral and the Bazaar” by Eric S. Raymond (Book/Online Essay): This seminal essay, written by one of the figures mentioned in the transcript, explores the contrasting development models of closed-source (“cathedral”) and open-source (“bazaar”) software. It provides valuable insights into the philosophy and practicalities of open-source development from a key advocate’s perspective. It is freely available online and also published in book form.

   • Relevance: Directly addresses the development model of open source, contrasting it with traditional models. Offers a foundational text from a key figure in the open-source movement, providing context for the historical shift discussed in the video.

2. “Free Software, Free Society: Selected Essays of Richard M. Stallman” Edited by Joshua Gay (Book/Online): A collection of essays by Richard Stallman, the founder of the Free Software Foundation and the GNU project. This book delves into the ethical and philosophical foundations of free software, explaining the four freedoms and the importance of software freedom for individual liberty and social progress. Available online under a free license as well as in print.

   • Relevance: Provides a deep understanding of the “free software” philosophy that preceded and is contrasted with “open source” in the video. Essential for understanding the ethical dimension that DJ Wear argues is being lost.

3. The Open Source Initiative (OSI) Website (Website): The official website of the Open Source Initiative, the organization founded to promote and define open source. It contains the Open Source Definition, information on various open-source licenses, news, and resources related to open source.

   • Relevance: Provides authoritative information on the formal definition of open source, different license types, and the ongoing evolution of the open-source movement. Crucial for understanding the “open source” side of the “free software vs. open source” discussion.

4. “Producing Open Source Software: How to Run a Successful Free Software Project” by Karl Fogel (Book/Online): A practical guide to the nuts and bolts of developing and managing open-source projects. This book covers topics like community building, licensing, infrastructure, and project management. It’s a highly regarded resource for anyone involved in or interested in contributing to open-source projects. Available freely online.

   • Relevance: Provides insights into the practical challenges of maintaining open-source projects, including funding, community management, and sustainability, which are key issues raised in the video concerning corporate capture and developer burnout.

5. “Working in Public: The Making and Maintenance of Open Source Software” by Nadia Eghbal (Book): A more contemporary analysis of the open-source ecosystem, focusing on the labor, funding models, and sustainability challenges faced by open-source maintainers in the modern internet era. It examines the social and economic dynamics of open source in the context of platforms and corporate influence.

   • Relevance: Addresses the current state of open source, including the impact of corporate funding and the challenges of maintaining projects in a sustainable way, directly relating to the “corporate capture” and “developer burnout” concerns raised in the video. Provides a more recent perspective on the issues discussed.