(2008-11-12) Open Source Sustainability

Matt Asay of Al Fresco (feh, Java) spoke to the Ny Cto Club today about whether the Open Source model is really Sustainable.

Al Fresco

• is an Open Source CMS

• started by people from Documentum

• big Consultant-s use them in big expensive projects, but donate back no money or code

• companies in general tend to pay for support on Open Source systems for a couple years, then keep using it but stop paying

• Does he want money or code?

models:

• hybrid: RedHat Enterprise

• source avail but not free for commercial use: Sugar CRM

• pay to use brand, else White Label

• charge consultants only

• run market for users to bid for features

• start consulting arm

• don't expect to have a company: have 1 sponsored dictator, network of inner circle Free Agent-s

• copy Mutual Insurance model: CoOp equity, future discounts...

Contribution of code

• companies think of every line of their code as Intellectual Property, CTO doesn't need the battle

  • hmm, what if he just doesn't tell anyone?

• way for companies to attract good developers

• developers not treated as Creative Professional-s

  • Pro Bono, Public Service