Hiring developers to maintain a core OSS project that your company depends on is actually a really good idea! Besides securing the future of that OSS, you now

Hiring developers to maintain a core OSS project that your company depends on is actually a really good idea! Besides securing the future of that OSS, you now have a "insider" on your team that knows the ins and outs of that software. Having some performance problems? Sue compiles the code everyday and can take a look. Need a special filesystem hook? Jane knows the code inside and out and can make it happen. Genius!