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Ask HN: Would you build a startup from open source?

• viscanti 15y ago
  The vast majority of (web) startups leverage open source technology. Most use both an open source database as well as programming language(s). Beyond that, many use an open source framework on top of their language of choice. Building around someone else's APIs isn't such a cardinal sin as you're implying. The big questions is what are you building? Owning and controlling your full stack is important if you're building something huge, but you can build something profitable leveraging someone else's APIs. There's a bias here towards building BIG businesses rather than lifestyle businesses, so advice about avoiding third-party APIs would come from that. If it works for the project you're doing, then do it. If not, then don't.
• noeltock 15y ago
  We've built our business (a sort of carbonmade for restaurants) on top of WordPress ( http://www.theme-force.com http://www.theme-force.com ). It's been a very gratifying experience so far, as we're able to develop and deploy various features & functionality very quickly. Definitely makes sense to find open source resources where you're not reinventing the wheel, have good momentum and make sense for your idea.
• mkup 15y ago
  Are there code licenses you seek out or avoid? Avoid Affero GPL (AGPL). Everything else is fine for commercial (closed close) startup based on open source software.
• buro9 15y ago
  Avoid Affero GPL. Consider avoiding GPL if you are going to make modifications, want to redistribute your work, and cannot support a process for releasing that work. Nearly all permissives licenses are good (Apache, MIT, most BSD, etc). Nearly all licenses allow you to make modifications, it's just a question of whether you are re-distributing the work covered by the original license or not. That's when things get interesting and you should check the licenses carefully in advanced. But if you have no plans to redistribute then nearly all permissive licenses are good. BTW: This is a 30-second rule I use... it's not fact, IANAL.
• benwerd 15y ago
  I co-founded an open source startup six years ago (based on a project that I also co-founded), and probably have a book or two in me on the subject. In short, building around a third-party open source project is probably an easier win than building around a project that you founded and maintain. (Forking, on the other hand, is not something I'd recommend.) While not required, it's a really good idea to make friends with the community organizers and, ideally, find some way to contribute both code and funds upstream when you become successful - after all, your business is based on their continued existence. That said, although it's certainly much harder to succeed under these terms, maintaining your own project is a valuable, rewarding experience, and gives you significantly more control over its direction. Just remember that open source code has an accounting value of 0 - so any open source IP you create is not capturing value in the company, and unless you're careful, one-to-one professional services don't either. You'll have to figure out how to make your company valuable with valueless code another way. (Hosted services are a good example.)
• PaulHoule 15y ago
  How about RHT? http://finance.yahoo.com/echarts?s=RHT+Interactive#chart1:symbol=rht;range=5y;indicator=volume;charttype=line;crosshair=on;ohlcvalues=0;logscale=on;source=undefined http://finance.yahoo.com/echarts?s=RHT+Interactive#chart1:sy... That's about as good a 5 year chart as you'll see in today's stock market. They represent one particular business model, and they've done exceptionally well, but they're just one example of a company that's taken open source all the way to the bank.