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VA Linux to Sell Proprietary Version of Sourceforge
Cassivs writes: "There's an article claiming that VA Linux is planning on selling a proprietary, closed-source version of SourceForge, SourceForge Enterprise Edition. See the letter to SourceForge members assuring them that VA Linux will continue to provide free hosting/etc. at SourceForge. They will also continue to maintain a GPL version of the code, SourceForge Open Edition." VA is Slashdot's corporate parent.
This really isn't a big deal. Linux/dot-com company sells new product. Where's the story? The only reason this got posted is because hundreds of readers would have moaned and griped if it didn't, saying "slashdot is censorware!"...
As a side note, does anybody know of any companies that are actually using sourceforge enterprise for interenal development?
Juiced? Or Not?
There is nothing wrong with selling value added extensions, as long as they aren't violating the lisence on the original body of code.
The idea has always been pay for people not software.
Custom modifications and services are the only way Open Source will survive.
Free as in Freedom not Beer. Get it.
In my opinion, this is a good sign for companies in the future. I mean, we have a company demonstratably commited to open source able to or trying to make some money from their open source. I hope they succeed.
/.
To me it shows that they've understood how to make a living out of the free software fad, and are showing others how to make dollars out of the service industry. Good for them, and I truely thank them for what they've given me in the past, in the form of sourceforge.net and sites like
Alas gallinaceas de urbe bovis volo
I can't see why a company may want to deploy sourceforge on site
There's no way I could get my PHB to use an open off-site SourceForge. The corporate mentality just can't cope with it - they really would rather we shared nothing and we lost half our changes.
After all, putting any of our product source into SourceForge means that it instantly becomes contaminated with the Cancer of Open Source (tm), and we would have to offer RMS a seat on the board. It must be true, he read it in Pointy Haired Weekly.
If I have a copy of SourceForge that I can spend proper money on, and I then get to label a box in the machine room as "Our SourceForge machine", then I might get to use it.
Oh, and VA Linux have to get some revenue from somewhere!
A leading "Open-Source" company is taking the work of the "community", repackaging it into a closed-source product and selling it corporations and government as a proprietary product.
It is news because it highlights the death of the "Free Software" large-scale business model.
Conformity is the jailer of freedom and enemy of growth. -JFK
That is one of the things I really agreed with as a business model that gives back.
Make the most current version closed source and binary only, then each time a new version is out, put the last one into an open source license.
Everybody wins. Sorta like how patents were SUPPOSED to work.
DanH
Cav Pilot's Reference Page
UNIX - Not just for Vestal Virgins anymore
as long as the base is free and open (I.E. the main program and all the protocols and file formats) then the programs built on top of that base can be either open or closed, it does not matter. what is the one reason that MS is hated?
because they place a barrior to entry to compete with their products. if windows, the protocols, and the file formats were all open and under the GPL and they sold word and office as a proprietary tool, I would have no issues with them, however, the barrior to entry is huge because they don't let anyone see anything.
that is why Linux is so great, everything you need to compete equaly is available free and open. the sam priciple applies to sourceforge, the base system is open and free, this allows anyone to compete in this arena, VA is adding extentions to the system that are proprietary, to add value that is exclusive to VA, another company can come along and take the base code and add proprietay extentions on it to make its sourceforge have features that are exclusive to that companies product. nothing wrong with that, just let the market sort them out.
I am the Alpha and the Omega-3
While its admirable for a company to strike out for new business, its probably time for the VA execs to fess up to the reality of it - the negative momentum on earnings is too much for the stock to bear. Once LNUX inevitably goes under $1, the dilution of the stock will bring the market cap to ridiculously low levels. Once the market cap gets under $80 million, the assets of the company are valued more than its valuation as a publically traded company (I believe VA has $83 million cash and securities).
Why not just sell off the assets and simply redistribute the funds to shareholders? Really, this isn't a slag on the company or its employees - the math is simply against them. Morningstar has given them five more quarters and then they predict it is all over for them.
I can't figure out why companies insist on spending every last dollar when its obvious that it isn't going to happen.
I understand that you were not saying there is a conflict with the GPL.
I just don't see the slap in the face. The GPL built a robust code base that will be adequate for 95% of the people that use the software.
We don't know what the nature of these custom modifications are. They may be something so specific that they would not have generated enough interest to be included in the main body of work.
They may also be interfaces to proprietary systems (like SAP) that couldn't be developed without a change in the license.
Now if the modifications turn out to be something that the general user base could have used and they end up being kept proprietary, then it will be a loss.
I think we have to see how some of these mixed mode projects pan out before we will know for sure. But if companies don't try and discover some profitable synergy between GPL software and other lisences, then we may see a plunge in the availability of new software under such a lisence.
I am going to reserve judgement and see how they handle this situation.
Have a nice day.
The people controlling the site are the people who hold the pursestrings.
People are free to change their mind of course, but it does not help your credibility when you turn away from a license or a philosophy that is espoused as the only righteous and moral path by the "community".
What is hypocritical is that employees of VA Linux, namely the editors of this site, constantly and consistantly challenge the validity of copyright & patents as it pertains to "bad" organizations.
Will those feelings change when VA feels the need to defend it's intellectual property? How about when Slash become a proprietary product? You better believe it.
Feel free to moderate down to -1 Troll. I don't agree with the hivemind, sorry.
Conformity is the jailer of freedom and enemy of growth. -JFK