5 ms·

Docker acquires Kitematic

99 points by alexkappa 12y ago

jamescun 12y ago
For a company who is "not trying to own the ecosystem" - they sure are buying a lot of the ecosystem.
- josephjacks 12y ago
  Docker is trying to be the center of the universe, just as SAP tries to do so beyond core applications with integration, monitoring, BI, systems, etc... Perhaps in the very long run this strategy could pay off, but I believe a lot of valuable companies will be created that focus on the gaps and really nail them in a focused manner.
- jonesetc 12y ago
  Eh, kitematic doesn't really do much in my experience, it's just a GUI over docker. It's just one of those things where they would have eventually made a GUI anyway, why not just try to grab the best one at the moment if they can? It also doesn't feel like owning the ecosystem to me because someone else could (and I'd wager that a handful will) make a new GUI that becomes more popular than kitematic.
  - josephjacks 12y ago
    +1
- imescent 12y ago
  If you read between the lines "not trying to own the ecosystem" is just business talk for "we want ya'll to feel safe about buying into the thing we've built, so at the end of the road when we own the ecosystem, the checks go out to us". There's nothing wrong with that, as long as you understand what they mean. Remember that Docker is a funded business, that has an obligation to its investors.
- pbreit 12y ago
  I'm guessing the thinking was more along the lines of "hey, this is a cool tool that makes using docker easier. the crew who built it really love docker and have great expertise. let's bring them in and give them more resources to make docker even better."
josephjacks 12y ago
Interesting acquisition that proves graphical mgmt of containers is an important part of the UX.
pearjuice 12y ago
I thought Docker wanted to be "just Docker" and not leverage all the tools and stacks which can or cannot be used with Docker? There is absolutely nothing wrong with the fist, but I am pretty sure Docker was pushing itself as "just Docker". All their latest acquisitions don't really reflect the image they want to portray.
- jarin 12y ago
  I don't get the advantage of that image, though. It makes sense for them to acquire things that make it easier to get started with Docker. I wouldn't be surprised if they acquired Panamax too.
moondowner 12y ago
Just checked out the source of Kinematic https://github.com/kitematic/kitematic https://github.com/kitematic/kitematic Nice use of atom-shell and React.
torkalork 12y ago
Definitely some neat features here which will help people who need to use Docker but can't use the command line. For example, when you click the 'Terminal' button on a running container, it automatically starts a docker-exec command in that container for you, which is handy. For people checking it out today, note that it creates its own boot2docker VM, even if you have one on your system already. So Kitematic won't be able to see any of the images or containers you have running through your other boot2docker VM.
delsalk 12y ago
I find it amusing that a application only runnable on OSX needs to drag along node + quite a few deps.
- so0k 12y ago
  agreed, their roadmap aims for a windows port by May/June. I'd rather keep my Powershell + Hyper-V instead of nodejs + VirtualBox
donaldguy 12y ago
Kitematic is pretty cool, though it currently has a rather hard time dealing with any docker things installed on the system the first time it boots. Also its AGPL If under Docker Inc in can fix those couple hurdles to wider adoption, I think it could become a pretty widely used tool.
- mchiang 12y ago
  Kitematic license has been changed to Apache.
joseph4521 12y ago
I never thought you could "buy" an open source project.
- Moto7451 12y ago
  Sure, copyrights are still in effect and can be sold to other parties. One reason holding copyright over open source code is important is license enforcement. The benefits of holding copyright over code is why the FSF wants copyrights assigned to them [1]. [1] https://www.gnu.org/licenses/why-assign.html https://www.gnu.org/licenses/why-assign.html
- moondowner 12y ago
  The code is there for everyone (who respects the license), but you also buy the brand, the name, the guys working on the project (aka talent acquisition)...
joshmn 12y ago
First thing that I said was "nice!!!" Jeff and Michael and Sean are smart, awesome dudes who built a great product.
- nickstinemates 12y ago
  They're really great guys who have already had a very positive impact on the team.
- notduncansmith 12y ago
  I remember when Kitematic first launched, they spent about an hour with me in a Hipchat support room. I hope they have a great time at Docker Inc!
preillyme 12y ago
This was a basic acquihire for talent. They've been working at Docker for many months.
dang 12y ago
Also https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9191919 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9191919.
- X-combinator 12y ago
  From InfoWorld - http://www.infoworld.com/article/2896099/application-virtualization/dockers-new-acquisition-does-containers-on-the-desktop.html http://www.infoworld.com/article/2896099/application-virtual... And earlier... https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9190710 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9190710

99 points by alexkappa 12y ago

jamescun 12y ago

For a company who is "not trying to own the ecosystem" - they sure are buying a lot of the ecosystem.

josephjacks 12y ago
Docker is trying to be the center of the universe, just as SAP tries to do so beyond core applications with integration, monitoring, BI, systems, etc... Perhaps in the very long run this strategy could pay off, but I believe a lot of valuable companies will be created that focus on the gaps and really nail them in a focused manner.
jonesetc 12y ago
Eh, kitematic doesn't really do much in my experience, it's just a GUI over docker. It's just one of those things where they would have eventually made a GUI anyway, why not just try to grab the best one at the moment if they can? It also doesn't feel like owning the ecosystem to me because someone else could (and I'd wager that a handful will) make a new GUI that becomes more popular than kitematic.
- josephjacks 12y ago
  +1
imescent 12y ago
If you read between the lines "not trying to own the ecosystem" is just business talk for "we want ya'll to feel safe about buying into the thing we've built, so at the end of the road when we own the ecosystem, the checks go out to us". There's nothing wrong with that, as long as you understand what they mean. Remember that Docker is a funded business, that has an obligation to its investors.
pbreit 12y ago
I'm guessing the thinking was more along the lines of "hey, this is a cool tool that makes using docker easier. the crew who built it really love docker and have great expertise. let's bring them in and give them more resources to make docker even better."

josephjacks 12y ago

Interesting acquisition that proves graphical mgmt of containers is an important part of the UX.

pearjuice 12y ago

I thought Docker wanted to be "just Docker" and not leverage all the tools and stacks which can or cannot be used with Docker? There is absolutely nothing wrong with the fist, but I am pretty sure Docker was pushing itself as "just Docker". All their latest acquisitions don't really reflect the image they want to portray.

jarin 12y ago
I don't get the advantage of that image, though. It makes sense for them to acquire things that make it easier to get started with Docker. I wouldn't be surprised if they acquired Panamax too.

moondowner 12y ago

Just checked out the source of Kinematic https://github.com/kitematic/kitematic https://github.com/kitematic/kitematic Nice use of atom-shell and React.

torkalork 12y ago

Definitely some neat features here which will help people who need to use Docker but can't use the command line. For example, when you click the 'Terminal' button on a running container, it automatically starts a docker-exec command in that container for you, which is handy. For people checking it out today, note that it creates its own boot2docker VM, even if you have one on your system already. So Kitematic won't be able to see any of the images or containers you have running through your other boot2docker VM.

delsalk 12y ago

I find it amusing that a application only runnable on OSX needs to drag along node + quite a few deps.

so0k 12y ago
agreed, their roadmap aims for a windows port by May/June. I'd rather keep my Powershell + Hyper-V instead of nodejs + VirtualBox

donaldguy 12y ago

Kitematic is pretty cool, though it currently has a rather hard time dealing with any docker things installed on the system the first time it boots. Also its AGPL If under Docker Inc in can fix those couple hurdles to wider adoption, I think it could become a pretty widely used tool.

mchiang 12y ago
Kitematic license has been changed to Apache.

joseph4521 12y ago

I never thought you could "buy" an open source project.

Moto7451 12y ago
Sure, copyrights are still in effect and can be sold to other parties. One reason holding copyright over open source code is important is license enforcement. The benefits of holding copyright over code is why the FSF wants copyrights assigned to them [1]. [1] https://www.gnu.org/licenses/why-assign.html https://www.gnu.org/licenses/why-assign.html
moondowner 12y ago
The code is there for everyone (who respects the license), but you also buy the brand, the name, the guys working on the project (aka talent acquisition)...

joshmn 12y ago

First thing that I said was "nice!!!" Jeff and Michael and Sean are smart, awesome dudes who built a great product.

nickstinemates 12y ago
They're really great guys who have already had a very positive impact on the team.
notduncansmith 12y ago
I remember when Kitematic first launched, they spent about an hour with me in a Hipchat support room. I hope they have a great time at Docker Inc!

preillyme 12y ago

This was a basic acquihire for talent. They've been working at Docker for many months.

dang 12y ago

Also https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9191919 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9191919.

X-combinator 12y ago
From InfoWorld - http://www.infoworld.com/article/2896099/application-virtualization/dockers-new-acquisition-does-containers-on-the-desktop.html http://www.infoworld.com/article/2896099/application-virtual... And earlier... https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9190710 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9190710