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I'm aware that I will sound condescending but... that's exactly why people "invented" opensource (and/or free software if you prefer). I'm sorry for your proble

I'm aware that I will sound condescending but... that's exactly why people "invented" opensource (and/or free software if you prefer). I'm sorry for your problem nonetheless.

jacquesm 6y ago
App stores and SaaS do an end run around open source.
- tonyedgecombe 6y ago
  And to be frank, a lot of it at the application level is mediocre.
- moring 6y ago
  Isn't that a false dichotomy? The package repos from Linux distros are basically open-source app stores (in the full sense, only those that support payment are). With regards to SaaS, nothing prevents open source SaaS software that can be set up for multiple small to middle-sized-user bases. One could argue that things like phpBB is exactly that. They might even connect to each other to form a larger network... I'm still hoping for a major breakthrough in this area.
- pitay 6y ago
  SaaS does an end run around GPL in particular. Unless it is Affero GPL.
- hvis 6y ago
  Yes and no. At least in this case the OP could have installed a different version of the app (older or customized), and kept the 20 years of data usable.
- sumtechguy 6y ago
  You may be right. You can not even usually go back to an older version of an application if you want undo some bad decision by the developer. Source code is spotty if you can get at it. Your data is locked in by them on some server you do not control. In some cases they do not even really control it. I would add the other anti pattern companies use is opensource vendor lock in. They take what would basically be a 'meh' product and put good stuff ontop of it. But to get that 'good stuff' you have to buy their service contract. Sure you are using some open source. But the key bits are still proprietary.
GoblinSlayer 6y ago
You mean opensource has the same problem with updates, but you can always fork (which helps indeed).
- crpatino 6y ago
  We are talking orthogonal problems here. Closed Source software prevents users from having an "out" if the product they used to rely on stops serving their best interests. Automatic Updates do push potentially detrimental changes into critical infrastructure of your customers with no notice. No amount of open source can fix that, because the "no notice" part of it precludes you from forking the project in any time frame that would allow you to respond to the crisis... No cancel that, and aggressive upgrade policy from any critical piece of open source software should incentivize rational agents to preemptively fork the project in order to address the upgrade risk. The fact that you do not see this happening every day talks of the percentage of rational agents in the environment.
- darkwater 6y ago
  Or stick to the same old version. Or know how your data is written and read and create a parser for it to migrate it to another program, even if the original author dies.
grishka 6y ago
Except on iOS devices, you can't really install anything you built without Apple having a say. And I'm not quite sure jailbreak is still a thing.

I'm aware that I will sound condescending but... that's exactly why people "invented" opensource (and/or free software if you prefer). I'm sorry for your problem nonetheless.

jacquesm 6y ago

App stores and SaaS do an end run around open source.

tonyedgecombe 6y ago
And to be frank, a lot of it at the application level is mediocre.
moring 6y ago
Isn't that a false dichotomy? The package repos from Linux distros are basically open-source app stores (in the full sense, only those that support payment are). With regards to SaaS, nothing prevents open source SaaS software that can be set up for multiple small to middle-sized-user bases. One could argue that things like phpBB is exactly that. They might even connect to each other to form a larger network... I'm still hoping for a major breakthrough in this area.
pitay 6y ago
SaaS does an end run around GPL in particular. Unless it is Affero GPL.
hvis 6y ago
Yes and no. At least in this case the OP could have installed a different version of the app (older or customized), and kept the 20 years of data usable.
sumtechguy 6y ago
You may be right. You can not even usually go back to an older version of an application if you want undo some bad decision by the developer. Source code is spotty if you can get at it. Your data is locked in by them on some server you do not control. In some cases they do not even really control it. I would add the other anti pattern companies use is opensource vendor lock in. They take what would basically be a 'meh' product and put good stuff ontop of it. But to get that 'good stuff' you have to buy their service contract. Sure you are using some open source. But the key bits are still proprietary.

GoblinSlayer 6y ago

You mean opensource has the same problem with updates, but you can always fork (which helps indeed).

crpatino 6y ago
We are talking orthogonal problems here. Closed Source software prevents users from having an "out" if the product they used to rely on stops serving their best interests. Automatic Updates do push potentially detrimental changes into critical infrastructure of your customers with no notice. No amount of open source can fix that, because the "no notice" part of it precludes you from forking the project in any time frame that would allow you to respond to the crisis... No cancel that, and aggressive upgrade policy from any critical piece of open source software should incentivize rational agents to preemptively fork the project in order to address the upgrade risk. The fact that you do not see this happening every day talks of the percentage of rational agents in the environment.
darkwater 6y ago
Or stick to the same old version. Or know how your data is written and read and create a parser for it to migrate it to another program, even if the original author dies.

grishka 6y ago

Except on iOS devices, you can't really install anything you built without Apple having a say. And I'm not quite sure jailbreak is still a thing.