4 ms·
Why not open source all the code? What does Google have to gain from closed sourcing even part of Google glass?
by brador 14y ago
Why not open source all the code? What does Google have to gain from closed sourcing even part of Google glass?
- Someone 14y agoMoney. Also, the Ars Technica article does not discuss what I suspect is the most interesting part of Google Glass: the code they run on their servers. There, it's more or less the same story: they release commodity lower layers, but keep the more interesting upper layers to themselves, for the same reason: money.
- betterunix 14y agoThere are three possibilities: 1. Google wants to monetize the novel features of Glass 2. Google is bound by licenses for the technology, and is unable to open source certain bits 3. They will open source everything eventually, but decided to rush this bit for publicity reasons
- jacquesm 14y agoThere are lots more possibilities, but the one that I think makes the most chance is: 4. Google is required to release the kernel code under the GPL No such requirement exists for the other code. The big pay-off for google is that to use glass you need to use google. If the devices were 'open' then you would not need google to use glass and they'd be in a cue-cat situation.
- lurker14 14y agocue-cat didn't retail for $1500
- jacquesm 14y agoThe absolute price is not important. What is important is whether or not it is subsidized at the current price.
- KaoruAoiShiho 14y agoI sadly agree with this. I love Google and their open web attitude, however you cannot look at Apple's success over the past 5 years and not go green with envy. I fear that Google is going to want to try to copy Apple's business model. Of course it's the obvious thing to do but it's sad from a consumer's standpoint.
- soperj 14y agoOr they're trying to not help the amazon's of the world that just fork their product and remove the monetizing bits of it, and replace it with their own monetizing bits.
- deleted 14y ago[deleted]
- ritonlajoie 14y agoMaybe to protect this product from the competition ? Why releasing the source code if they provide some good API ? I understand that open sourcing is better for us, the consumers, but Google is still planning to make money out of these glasses.