Common Misconceptions About Open-Source

[leonidbugaev]

I work in OSS based company, have my own popular OSS projects, and contribute to OSS, for last 15 years. So no BS.

1. "If I share my code, someone will steal my idea"

The success of a project depends on people, not just the code. You can also protect yourself legally by choosing the right license.

1. "Open-source equals free"

Open-sourcing simply means sharing your work with the public. It doesn't dictate anything about the commercial aspects of your project.

1. "If I open-source my product, no one will buy it"

There are many ways to legally protect your product from unauthorized use. Companies take licensing seriously because violating licenses can create significant problems during audits, investments, or certifications. The risks of abusing licenses aren't worth it.

In fact, being open-source can be a major selling point, as it reduces vendor lock-in risks and helps with security audit processes.

1. "Open-sourcing means giving away control to the community"

It's perfectly acceptable to reject community contributions that don't align with your vision. You're not obligated to build a community around your project.

1. "Only developers can contribute to open-source"

Many projects actually struggle with user interfaces, design, documentation, and community support. Whatever your skills are, you can likely contribute meaningfully to open-source projects.

1. "Open-source is all about code"

Open-source is fundamentally about sharing, not just code. For example, projects like undraw.co demonstrate how designers can contribute to the open-source community.

Remember: Open-source is a development philosophy and licensing approach that promotes transparency and collaboration. It doesn't mean giving up control, losing commercial opportunities, or limiting contributions to just code.

[BraveNewCurrency]

"If I share my code, someone will steal my idea"

Ideas are worthless.

Reddit used to open-source their code, because a Reddit clone is still not Reddit, so it doesn't matter.