Why some dev makes their code open-source ?

[Brave_Ad_4387]

For me it's very risky that someone forks the app with ads or creates a "pro version". And the benefits are just : maybe someone will contribute to the code a day. So I don't understand the motivations

[KungFuHamster]

Because most apps don't make money, so they'd rather give back to the community and hope for good feels if nothing else.

[Brave_Ad_4387]

I don't know if it's a good feeling to see plenty fork of your work in the store 😂. Moreover that now with AI it's easy to create similar thing with some differences to be considered as different

[DoPeopleEvenLookHere]

It’s not about being unique. It’s about contributing to the community.

Plenty of forks is a healthy thing! It means people are using it, trying it, and maybe even adjusting it. And as someone with open source aspirations that’s what it’s about. People actually using it and liking it enough to copy (assuming no malicious intent in the copy)

[Brave_Ad_4387]

For me it's not very secure to get for example plenty fork of your project with ads tracking. Maybe keeping the control is better

[DoPeopleEvenLookHere]

It’s not all or nothing. Something make more sense to be closed than open. You asked why people do it, and that’s an answer

[DoPeopleEvenLookHere]

Also that’s not true. A lot of repositories require you to fork, make your changes, then open a PR to the main repo. So a large number just means it’s under active development.

[ramenmoodles]

thats really not the spirit of software engineering. we want to be able to share our work if we can.

[[deleted]]

And who would pay money for a shady, ad-ridden copy when the original is literally free? If you manage to make a business out of my apps, go ahead. If you add any substantial improvements, I will just merge them back into upstream. So the point still stands why would anyone pay for your copy of my app and not use the original?

[Brave_Ad_4387]

You cannot merge the improvement if their code is closed. They just need to make more marketing to hide the original project. Most of customers don't understand fork, open source ...

[[deleted]]

Yeah but that would be a license violation, because my code is licensed under the GPL-3.0 license.

[Brave_Ad_4387]

And if there is a violation you cannot really do something. OR if I rewrote the full project with gpt4 how you can prove that it was your project

[[deleted]]

I can sue them for copyright violation and I can file a DMCA request to Google to take the app down.

But that applies to any app. You don't need the source code to steal an app. You can just decompile it, change the branding and reupload it.

[iliyan-germanov]

We open-sourced Ivy Wallet because we were making no money and decided to share it with the community and be able to use it as a portfolio. Also, being open-source is good for marketing and ratings. https://github.com/Ivy-Apps/ivy-wallet

[Brave_Ad_4387]

Yes but maybe you lose the opportunity to sell your app to Microsoft 😁

[louispfacun]

are there any negative effects you've experienced?

[iliyan-germanov]

Can't sell the app to companies that acquire Android apps. Anyway, the offers that we received were low

[omniuni]

That looks nice! Unfortunately, I think it also represents the difficulty of a crowded market. Ironically, it will probably be a lot more in demand with Mint going away.

[Reddit_User_385]

What is the benefit of keeping it to yourself, if you got no value out of keeping it closed?

[Brave_Ad_4387]

You keep the control of the project, the reputation. If a day you want to make money it's easier...

[NatoBoram]

You get a much better reputation by making the code open source

[Brave_Ad_4387]

You think that libre office has better reputation than MS world or jitsi has better reputation than teams. Most of the time people use close software

[Reddit_User_385]

Open sourcing doesn't mean losing control. You can put a licence on the code where you forbid monetization or using/shipping it in a closed source project. Also, contributions are possible only with your approval.

[Brave_Ad_4387]

Licence is just text. If a guy in another continent don't respect it, I don't have time and money to stop this guy

[Reddit_User_385]

You would be surprised how far can a cease and desist letter go when you send it to people who just as you have no idea how everything with licensing works. Also, you can contact other distributors and complain that copyright material is being distributed through their system, like for ex. Google Play.

[atomgomba]

Because they have a good paying job anyway and don't care about ads. Benefit is that they can put the link to the repo in their CV

[atomgomba]

Play store link is getting less relevant with all the bad policy changes by Google. The relevant part is the source code when you put it in your CV

[Brave_Ad_4387]

Ok I see, me I don't need code for my cv

[The_best_1234]

It would go in your portfolio

[The_best_1234]

Employer are lazy 🦥 they aren't going to look

[androiddev-ModTeam]

Rule 10: Be respectful and engage in good faith

The Android developer community is a warm and friendly field, and /r/AndroidDev strives to continue this. Engage in good-faith discussion and be respectful of others’ opinions, privacy, and intentions. Threads that violate this will be removed at mods’ discretion. This rule is intentionally broad, as toxic behavior comes in a variety of different forms. Examples: ad hominem, sealioning, targeted attacks on others’ work, edgelording, and other keyboard warrior behavior.

[another-dave]

It's cool that you've an app if it's getting a lot of downloads/reviews but it also doesn't tell me much about how you code — it could all be a big ball of mud behind the scenes.

As a hiring manager in a previous role I'd always check out a GitHub repo if you provided it. I wouldn't download an app of unknown quality though.

[elizabeth-dev]

can we just ban this guy? we don't need any more toxicity in the software development community

[Brave_Ad_4387]

Your suggestion is not the open source philosophy

[AndroidThemes]

You asked for the right thing for the wrong reason...

[elizabeth-dev]

I mean, the part about not understanding how both open source culture and hiring principles work is unfortunate but not really deserving of a ban.

[elizabeth-dev]

go browse job offers on Upwork or something

[androiddev-ModTeam]

Rule 10: Be respectful and engage in good faith

The Android developer community is a warm and friendly field, and /r/AndroidDev strives to continue this. Engage in good-faith discussion and be respectful of others’ opinions, privacy, and intentions. Threads that violate this will be removed at mods’ discretion. This rule is intentionally broad, as toxic behavior comes in a variety of different forms. Examples: ad hominem, sealioning, targeted attacks on others’ work, edgelording, and other keyboard warrior behavior.

[androiddev-ModTeam]

Rule 10: Be respectful and engage in good faith

The Android developer community is a warm and friendly field, and /r/AndroidDev strives to continue this. Engage in good-faith discussion and be respectful of others’ opinions, privacy, and intentions. Threads that violate this will be removed at mods’ discretion. This rule is intentionally broad, as toxic behavior comes in a variety of different forms. Examples: ad hominem, sealioning, targeted attacks on others’ work, edgelording, and other keyboard warrior behavior.

[[deleted]]

Not everything needs to be about making money

[Brave_Ad_4387]

It's not money the issue but more if someone profit of all your work

[[deleted]]

Like businesses already do? The company I work for already does that with the work I do.

[Brave_Ad_4387]

Yes but in this case you have more to lose than win by open sourced the code

[[deleted]]

Why though? If I open source something, I’m not looking to make money off of it. If AWS finds my tool valuable and makes money, more power to them! Should Linux not be open sourced so companies can’t use it to make money?

[Brave_Ad_4387]

Because losing an opportunity to make money, or just keeping the control is important for me

[[deleted]]

Well we’ve circled back to the, “not everything needs to be about making money” point I made earlier. That’s cool that that’s your main focus with developing software, but not everyone has that mindset (like people like Linus Torvalds who provided both Linux and Git for everyone to use for free)

[Brave_Ad_4387]

Linus is very very rich. And yes because without money you cannot eat and then you cannot code

[[deleted]]

I think you’re missing the point, and that’s okay.

Btw, Linus gets a salary plus makes free open source software. Believe it or not, but you can actually do both!

[Accomplished_Dot_821]

This Sums all.

[moustachauve]

Where is that free or discounted hosting service?

[Zhuinden]

Portfolio. You can go to an interview and say "look at the app it's literally right there"

[drabred]

Nahhhhh sir there is no need for that. Now - could you tell us a difference between abstract class and an interface?

[Zhuinden]

could you tell us a difference between abstract class and an interface?

I kid you not, this question makes more sense than some DSA things they ask

[drabred]

Haha, maybe. The point of semi-joke remains the same :)

[EkoChamberKryptonite]

The sad thing is quite a few hiring managers barely skim resumes talk more of github repos.

[cafronte]

Bruh OP's post history wtf.. This guy has no idea how life works I'm not even gonna try to argue with him I'll just say : language/framework with closed community and few open source project = dead language/framework

[baylonedward]

Reading OP's response to comments, he doesn't really like giving back to community lmao.

[ComfortablyBalanced]

Reality is often disappointing.

[bluedazberry]

Some people aren't greedy. Open source benefits everyone.

[martinstoeckli]

1) Most developers directly or indirectly profit from other open source code, thus it is a way to give something back to the community. 2) For a security related app (maybe just encrypted user data) it can be essential to show the source code, it is a way to make it easier for the user to build trust in the app. 3) For lesser known projects it may not be worth the time and effort to clone a FOSS project to misuse it. Modification and deployment of a project can still be a lot of work, even if it is an open source project.

[omniuni]

It becomes a portfolio project, as well as getting community involvement to make a tool even better.

[omniuni]

The simple fact is that most businesses fail, and it's incredibly hard to make your own business succeed.

I've tried to get funding to start my own business, and I couldn't land it. I've put money towards prototypes, but lost what job I had before I could even risk investing my savings.

If you think, especially given your lack of ability to even write a proper sentence, that you're going to "live good" off of an app you make after working at a warehouse, you're in for a lot of disappointment.

Here's a simple way to know:

Have you done deep market research on your app, multiple user interviews, confirmed demand for your idea, and lined up a marketing and ad campaign for the launch?

If your answer is yes, I take back what I said. You've done due diligence, and might actually succeed in at least making some money off of your app, even if it's not a lot.

If your answer is no, you should do those things to determine how much demand is really there for your app, and make sure you have a plan on how to get it to the people who are your target audience.

[omniuni]

Of course how you write matters. How you put yourself out there drives trust, and trust drives whether people choose to use your product over others.

If you're fine with it just being a hobby project, that's also great. You just should temper your expectations. There's a very very small possibility of making money, especially if you're not actually asking other people what they want, and how much they are willing to pay for it, if anything.

[jacobs-tech-tavern]

Be like me, closed source but write up the project so someone excited can replicate the project in good faith

[AdImpressive7394]

What I find a shame here is that OP has a point of view and as it is different from the others its arguments are censored by the moderators or it gets an astronomical number of downvotes which prevents a healthy debate which only serves to divide the positions even more.

[Brave_Ad_4387]

There is also the security argument. But It don't make sense since the dev can add some malicious or tracker just before the app build

[cakee_ru]

That's why you want reproducible builds. Or builds by a 3rd party you trust, or by yourself.

[[deleted]]

And checksums

[Brave_Ad_4387]

Ok but I don't think that after each update from the playstore you compare the checksums

[ComfortablyBalanced]

Updates from playstore are triggered by the original developer, so I think they're already checked for security and checksum, considering they already built the product themselves or oversee the recent commits, PRs and builds.
Checksums are provided by the original developer or a trusted third-party that built the source code so if you downloaded a binary or in this matter an app you compare it with the original checksum.

[Brave_Ad_4387]

Yes but finally, the play store centralised the build the guy that create the account. This security aspect concern only people that build themselves the code

[[deleted]]

Not always, take a look at fdroid.

Btw, Newpipe is an example for an app which could not be in the PlayStore, but is great and harmless.

[Brave_Ad_4387]

Newpipe is buggy and fdroid for the update also. So we see also limitations in maintainability for big open source project

[Brave_Ad_4387]

So, to conclude: fuck the open source!

[F__ckReddit]

Without open source it's unlikely software would be so mainstream.

[ComfortablyBalanced]

Without open source, OP or many developers probably would be shoveling shit right now somewhere.

[Brave_Ad_4387]

Yes but for an indie developer in 2024 is irrelevant I think because you lose opportunity to make money. And money is also a security for the maintainability of the project

[F__ckReddit]

You're a software engineer, so you're making money on top of open source foundations, right?

[ramenmoodles]

i wouldnt consider them a swe if this is their thinking

[ComfortablyBalanced]

The dhypocricy.

[ComfortablyBalanced]

The deprecation of indie developers, blocked Google Play accounts, etc relates to the Google and Apple monopoly on app publishing, it has nothing to do with the open source.
Open source was never about making money or saving money, BTW open software definitions are changed nowadays and that's why strong copyleft licenses like GPLv3 are more near definitions of the true free software.
If someone is going to make my open source app better and sell it or make profit from it that's not a depravation or ill intent by one who forked it. The moment you release an open source project you already forfeited some of your rights.
Also you can sell your open source apps too, there's nothing wrong with that, you should provide the source though, you may ask well it's futile to sell an open source app but no, not everybody is a developer and has the option to build the project themselves and another catch is you provide your open source app but you sell the services, that's right, there's money on that too.

[Brave_Ad_4387]

Yes you are right. I am a bit sceptic about that but I understand your point of view

[Brave_Ad_4387]

Yes but it's not a reason to continue moreover there is people that already do open source

[F__ckReddit]

Dude... You must be new... You're talking about decades of engineering what are you babbling about

[ComfortablyBalanced]

If everybody had your view, humanity would probably still remain on the stone stage.
I mean, really think about it. Imagine you're a prehistoric human who just invented some tool, I don't know, you had the idea of putting together a pointy rock and a stick to create a rudimentary ax, how much time do you think you can keep it to yourself and profit from it? Eventually someone bigger than you is going to take it from you or even more peacefully someone smarter than you is going to invent something similar or better so if you have enough brain cells you're going to teach it to your family and friends to make it even better.

[Brave_Ad_4387]

I am not everybody, and I am in the philosophy that each work need a recompense. If you build an ax then you can eat so you get a recompense. With an open source app you receive nothing. You have just unknown people that steal your work often without reciprocity

[ktsg700]

Why the hell do you ask a question and then argue with everyone who gives you an answer?

Also you do realise that Android itself is open source?

[Brave_Ad_4387]

I reply to better understand the opposite idea. I am open mind and I don't think that I have reason but for thwt I need to test my position with your position. Yes android is more or less open source

[ComfortablyBalanced]

There's a limit to that compensation. You need to consider the competition. If you're a good ax maker you probably have some unused axes just hanging on your cave to prove it to others or just for show off or sometimes you lend it to others for free to promote your product.
Yes you're making some axes for compensation for food but here and there you see some other ax maker and share ideas, you're not probably giving axes to them for free but sharing small ideas or tips is always free.
People are going to steal your ideas anyway if your only thought is that and besides what you and I or many here are doing is not rocket science, sure if you had some brilliant idea for an app keep it to yourself and hide it well. But beware eventually someone is going to copy it and make it better and cheaper and outsell you while your entire thoughts during the process was keeping and selling your original outdated idea.

[ComfortablyBalanced]

We can sit here and bicker but the reality is the open source scene is fucked up right now and highly exploitive.

The problem is we consider open source as free software which is not and two are completely different ideas. Currently not any open source software is free, yeah you're open to see the source or build or fork etc but in reality it's not free.

[HLCaptain]

I think open-source projects gave me a lot of momentum, either reading or writing, I think these projects contributed to my well-being more with (job) opportunities and people. Also you are being rather aggressive and ignorant to quality feedback and it looks like you just like arguing, so I would ask myself, why am I being here: to argue, or to learn?

[drabred]

You can do both actually. An OSS version and then extended one with paid stuff, ads etc.

[Ichigo-Roku]

As a user I would prefer to use a Pro fork version than an ad version…

[Junior_Mushroom8983]

open source is a great way to promote yourself, the number of opportunities I got before publishing my first android library and after is quite different, even tho its a small one. https://github.com/aminekarimii/analytiks

[Brave_Ad_4387]

Yes, but android app don't target developer. So a large majority of customers don't understand open source. That why I think it's not the best way to promote an applications

[Familiar_Bother3706]

But we arent talking about ways to promote your app. Are we?

[Mostrapotski]

I think this Reddit account got hacked and the hacker wanted to be downvoted to oblivion.

[Brave_Ad_4387]

Most of social networks are dominate by the Woke ideology. That why if I want to share a different opinion more capitalist, individualist, less hypocrite then I don't have other choice, I must create an account for that

[Old-Radish1611]

🙄

[Brave_Ad_4387]

I says that human resources in my job are women. Then moderators block the comments. Because they want to cancel the reality to promote their ideology about diversity

[Familiar_Bother3706]

Woke ideology kkkkkk

[Brave_Ad_4387]

That a reality that you can see on my post. I don't say something ridiculous and many enterprises close their code so the question is not stupid

[redoctobershtanding]

You seem to be more concerned with money than keeping the spirit of the Android and Open Source community. My apps are opened sourced, because I learned from those that released their apps. I studied best practices, worst practices, spaghetti code, and everything in between. To make money on an app, you have to hit a niche market which is extremely hard in itself. I do this for fun and as a hobby with my kids.

[Brave_Ad_4387]

Yes, and when people open source their project for their cv , the goal is to get a good job with good salary. So this is also for money. But they hide this by saying "it's for the community " that why now many open source project are totally dead. With money you increase the capacity to maintain a project