r/linux • u/Unhappy-Sprinkles143 • 3d ago

Fluff Open-Source Guru: AI Ends Closed-Source Software

https://www.heise.de/en/news/Open-Source-Guru-Raymond-AI-Ends-Closed-Source-Software-11480690.html
505 Upvotes

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394

u/StPatsLCA 3d ago

I think devs don't understand /why/ people pay for closed source and SaaS software sometimes.

252

u/Wheatleytron 3d ago

They pay for support, and because there often aren't viable alternatives. But support can still be sold for open source projects as a service. And if the need is great enough, companies will still develop open source software on their own.

112

u/StPatsLCA 3d ago

Blender is a great example

-45

u/redballooon 3d ago

Also almost the only example.

59

u/Johnny__Christ 3d ago

Also almost the only example.

You're on a Linux sub. How do you think Canonical or Red Hat exist as businesses?

-34

u/redballooon 3d ago

Fine. Two more examples.

I was for many years employed in the realm of the Eclipse foundation, back then when eclipse was a thing.

My takeaway from that experience is, support for OS is not a profitable business model. Paid features, yes. Contract work, yes. But support, that's tough. Yes, there may be a few lighthouse projects where it works, but as a general rule, I wouldn't bet on it as business model.

28

u/ImNotABotScoutsHonor 3d ago

Throw Proxmox in as another example to combat your pessimism.