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I think one conclusion is that venture capital backed open source companies are a oxymoron. Open source will never be able to give the huge returns that VC fir
by RcouF1uZ4gsC 6y ago
I think one conclusion is that venture capital backed open source companies are a oxymoron.
Open source will never be able to give the huge returns that VC firms expect.
However, open source can provide the basis for what is often derided as a “lifestyle business” that provides a sometimes very good income to a small group of people that are passionate about a project. SQLite comes to mind as an example.
Elastic is definitely bringing enough revenue for the “lifestyle” business without changing their license, however it is not enough for VC.
Be very wary of open source backed by VC.
- vlovich123 6y agoRed Hat got VC money and went public working on open source software. Perhaps the exception that proves the rule of the difficulty, but not an oxymoron.
- zokier 6y agoRed Hat IPOed over 20 years ago in the middle of one of the most spectacular bubbles we've seen. The world is very different now. On top of that, yes I'd argue Red Hat is an outlier and exception whose success is as much result of good luck and timing than anything else.
- vlovich123 6y agoMongoDb then?