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May 29, 2006 | Comments: (0)
How much code should be open?
Some friends of the Open Sources blog are asking for advice on how they should consider options relating to the open-sourcing of their project. All feedback is welcome and the person providing the best advice gets to have lunch with Matt and I at OSCON where we will bore you with talk of Soccer and Heavy Metal.
We are developing a very sophisticated Ajax Development Platform primarily for Java developers. To enable developers to easily access the product, try it out, understand how it works, and provide feedback, we think it would be best to have some type of 'free' version.We are wondering if there are any strong feelings among developers regarding how much, if any, of the source we make available. For example, should we just make a freeware/community version of the product available or is Open Source really critical for people to feel comfortable with it? Also, if we do go Open Source, is it best to be 100% Open Source or is some lesser amount, like 80/20, considered to be 'ok'?
Please don't be obnoxious. These are guys new to the market who support OSS and need help understanding. It could be you someday :>
Posted by Dave Rosenberg on May 29, 2006 01:58 PM
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There are a couple things to note here.
First, Java and Ajax are atractive theese days, there will be other Open Source frameworks available soon, that's for sure. If one wants to create a proprietary product she/he needs to make sure to have some distinguishing features and advantages.
Second the developers might consider the possibility of getting other Open Source developers to contribute on a project.
They could also release the code as Open Source, but hold back any documentation and provide it for paying customers only.
DG
I have an article on this subject in the current issue of EOSJ. http://www.eosj.com/index.cfm?section=issue&page=issuelist&showall
To be sure, how and whether you go the open source route will largely be dictated by your revenue model. Determining your OSS revenue model is not trivial and is often the subject of much OSS debate.
Posted by: Ken Mulcahy at May 31, 2006 05:06 AM
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