OS Communities

I’ve been implementing LDP section in our portal for the past two weeks or so. We have finally got it usable enough and devices are pouring out! You can check out more details about LDP from meegonetwork.fi pages. I have written also a few blog entries about and around the topics related to LDP (one here and second here).

I asked people in July Tampere MeeGo Network meetup about whether devices should be loaned to projects being open source only or should so called closed source projects be included too. I gave a thought to things that came up, but still I can’t see very strong arguments why open source community (which MNFI and TMN) should loan devices for free for developers who wish to keep part of the results (such as source code) for them selves. I might sometimes be considered somewhat hostile towards business interests inside open source community. Nevertheless, question that must be asked is: “If you are loaning a device for free and aim to use it to create business with it (create closed source app and sell it), what are you contributing back to community?” Why should we support your pure personal money-making interests?

Of course you can say that you will demonstrate your app at meetup and show how it is done. That is great! But that is the least you should do anyway! What really prevents you to show your code too? Does your code suck? If yes, then showing it to the world might give you a chance to learn how to write better code. That is possible, if one of the fundamental values of Open source is applied. That value is incremental development. That is made possible mostly by sharing code. Keeping your  app (apparently written in low quality code) in your own hands and forbidding access to code for others is a sure way to boost your own ego and push skilled people away.

Both allowed - open source preferred

One possible solution that Attila suggested sounded pretty valid. Both kind are allowed: open and closed source projects. But there is a trick. Solution prefers open source over closed source. If open source project needs a device that is not available, but is used by closed source project, the latter must return device and hand it over to open source project. I’d suggest that device must be returned in a week. That is reasonable time to finish immediate actions and return the device. Reasoning is simple. Community can benefit/learn more from open source solutions. Yet it is better to loan devices, than let them be in storage.

There are plenty of better organizations for doing business apps. If your intention is to deny access to source code and make money out of the app (ie develop money-making apps with open source community devices!), you might better look around and find another organization.

As one of the LDP managers, I’m not saying that I will reject or neglect any of the closed source apps, but I will prefer ANY open source project over closed source approach.