John Mark has written on medium two excellent articles about the how open source software is used by large tech companies to concentrate wealth and power and leave the developers out of the equation.

While the first article, Why Open Source Failed describes the problem, the second one, Save Open Source, Save the World offers practical solutions.

Both are excellent reads from an expert in corporate usage of open source.

Here is some food for thought:

  • Will we need to upgrade the GPL to have non-commercial clauses similar to creative commons NC?
  • Will Commons Clause software become the new trend in the free software community?
  • Do other commons approaches like open pents require other regulatory additions, like for example not for military use?
  • Does the Defensive Patent License (DPL) contribute to keeping the originator of a creation paid, or to minimizing the wealth gap?
  • Does licensing and regulation matter at all when rogue or criminal players can steal your open creations without you noticing or being able to legally defend your rights?
  • Is there a wider underlying problem? As an example the regulators prioritizing corporate well-being over individual well-being or that of society as a whole.
  • Must there be a business model at all, or are your goals different from making money? Take as examples: assuring survival, shelter, security, be able to create and innovate independent of the economic model currently en vogue.
Title image by Rakicevic Nenad