Comment by nirui
1 year ago
Many open source developers has misread the room and thinking the environment is still like it was 15~20 years ago where open source software were the works of hobbyists who has a well-paid day job and only here for street credit.
You know who read the room correctly? GitLab. They've found a balanced way to offer their product under an open source scheme while keeping their lights on. They've earned trust as well as income, that's a job well done.
If one wants to live off of their open source work, then they need to run it as a business and perform appropriate business tricks. Otherwise their own effort may one day become their own rip-off. Not saying anything sinister, but fairness is a balancing game, if you hard work don't treat you well, then it's unfair too.
GitLab has collected a few severe CVEs. I would choose "v4 final final actually final" folders as a versioning scheme before I used them. It is surprising to me that they have any users at all.
What does that have to do with whether it's a successful business?
GitLab isn't profitable yet, at least on a GAAP basis. They're definitely moving in that direction, and I hope they'll get there, but IMO it's a bit early to put them on a pedestal.