Comment by skeledrew
10 days ago
> shady business tactic
I'd say it's redundant to consider any business tactic as "shady". The purpose of any business is to make a profit, in any way that's legally permissible. Using the "open source" label is just one way to success, if one plays the game well and mitigates any backlash once they "graduate" and change that license. It's up to any given user going in to be aware that a project they depend on may go in any direction, like it or not, and to always be ready to migrate if deemed necessary.
That’s the myopic view of a business, yes. It works quite well at scale; reference Wal-Mart, Microsoft, et al. It isn’t the only way, though.
H-E-B (or just HEB) is a large, privately-held grocery chain in Texas, and they are beloved by Texans across the societal and political spectrum. They gained and keep this loyalty because they are good neighbors. In the aftermath of hurricanes or floods - of which Texas has many - HEB will be there before FEMA, with water tankers, mobile kitchens and pharmacies, power stations, and so on. They donate 5% of their earnings to local charities, food banks, and education.
It’s possible that HEB would make more money if they slashed these programs and raised prices, but I suspect that instead, people would be outraged at the rug pull, publicly shame them, and a competitor would swoop in and build out replacements.
Sounds like they're a good way on the road to being a social enterprise. A very rare thing indeed.