So you want to compete with or replace open source
Quoting: So you want to compete with or replace open source —
This is quite different from how most open source projects have found their wins. If Linux can be said to belong to anyone, it belongs to everyone. It is for this reason that it is in everyone’s interests to collaborate on the project. If it belonged to someone or some entity alone, especially if that sense of ownership is rooted in justifying that entity’s sole right to effectively capitalize on the software, the dynamic breaks down and the incentive for the “third-party” class to participate is gone. It doesn’t work.
That said, clearly the proponents of these new source-available movements feel otherwise. And, to be clear, I wish them well. I respect the right for authors of software to distribute it under whatever terms they wish.2 And, for my part, I do believe that source-available is a clear improvement over proprietary software, even though these models fall short of what I perceive as the advantages of open source. However, for these movements to have a shot at success, they need to deeply understand these dynamics and the philosophical and practical underpinnings of the free and open source movements.
However, it is very important to me that we do not muddy the landscape of open source by trying to reform, redefine, or expand our understanding of open source to include movements which contradict this philosophy. My well-wishes are contingent on any movements which aim to compete with open source stopping short of calling themselves open source. This is something I appreciate about the fair source and post-open movements – both movements explicitly disavow the label of open source. If you want to build something new, be clear that it is something new – this is the ground rule.