I have been getting some comments, most of them with a negative twist, about how we really should embrace an open source approach to the software developed by Asaasco. “Open source is the fair and modern way to develop and distribute/license software”. Well, I disagree for the same reasons that I disagree with Chris Anderson on the free-business-model topic. Open source is not a miracle drug.

In our case the open source model would simply not apply. What would people do with our source code? We offer SaaS/desktop hybrid applications hosted by complex and dedicated servers, how would our clients benefit from an open source approach. I just don’t get it?

The way I see it open source projects are often corrupted by less serious developers and users, poor economic steering and leadership, and reckless handling of intellectual property. What!? You might be thinking right now. But if you look beyond the 1000+ developers projects backed by great capitalistic forces, you’ll find thousands of projects and companies on their way to ruin – only because they embraced the cool, modern open source model.

Securing and defending intellectual property, and keeping source code closed, does not automatically mean that your offer must be expensive and “dirt-capitalistic”. Even if you patent an invention you still have the right to give it away for free. The big difference is that no one else have that right, once you have secured your intellectual property.

In our case it means that we can use our patent pending technology to do good and prevent copycats from doing evil.

Now, don’t get me wrong for heavens sake! This is a WordPress blog and I love it! I just don’t think that the open source model applies to all projects. And because it is so much buzz about it right now – let’s call it miracle propaganda – too many projects end up as compromised open source projects that could instead have been great new companies offering good value for little money (instead of half-ass DIY software for free).

Posted on July 17th, 2008 by Linus
Filed under: Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Internet, Technology