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GitLab Enterprise Edition (EE) is closed source and we try to be clear about having an open core business model. I amended the blog post to reflect it too https
by sytse 10y ago
GitLab Enterprise Edition (EE) is closed source and we try to be clear about having an open core business model. I amended the blog post to reflect it too https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/www-gitlab-com/commit/e333cc93b17df60ce8f7948896ddf3b714d8ec1d https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/www-gitlab-com/commit/e333cc93...
When I think about our company I do think of it as an open source company. 80% of the work and features are shipped in GitLab Community Edition and the majority of our users are using the open source edition.
If I google 'open source companies' the first hit is http://thevarguy.com/open-source-application-software-companies/top-50-open-source-companies-where-are-they-now http://thevarguy.com/open-source-application-software-compan... I think a number of these have an open core business model.
The first ten blue links also point to http://www.zdnet.com/article/why-microsoft-is-turning-into-an-open-source-company/ http://www.zdnet.com/article/why-microsoft-is-turning-into-a... I don't think about Microsoft as being open source, but I think you can be a open source company and still ship propietary code.
If you want to know more about how try to balance the open source code with the need for a business model and our promises please see https://about.gitlab.com/about/#stewardship https://about.gitlab.com/about/#stewardship
- asimuvPR 10y agoI feel that the company follows an open source belief rather than a model. When you say this: When I think about our company I do think of it as an open source company. It confirms that some of us might share the same feeling.
- sytse 10y agoI do believe that open source is more than a license. It is a way of working. That is why all our issue trackers are public, including the GitLab EE one with customer requests https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ee/issues https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ee/issues and for example our marketing team https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/marketing/issues https://gitlab.com/gitlab-com/marketing/issues We also try to open up as much as we can, including our company handbook https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/ https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/
- asimuvPR 10y agoI share the same belief. It is a powerful motivator. It attracts others into the open source community. But we must be careful when dealing with beliefs and legal matters. I can't call asimuv an open source project because I do not meet the definition. I do support open source projects and have a pipeline full of them. In the end, this is our idealism being mixed in with business. It is a tough place to be in. I'd rather support companies that have an open core rather than those that do not.