open-source

Tech takes a central place in our lives. Banking, and administrative tasks are happening more and more online. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to get through life without a computer or a smartphone. They have become external organs necessary to live our life.

This year again I have been going to FOSDEM for work, but also to record a couple interviews for my funding podcast and to hang out with some old friends.

In the open source industry, creating an American nonprofit to serve and fund a project is not uncommon. These structures can choose a fiscal status depending on their needs within a wide range defined by the IRS. The 501(c)(3) status is widespread in the industry. These structures must follow specific legal and tax requirements, which means that sometimes, their interests can seem misaligned with the project they originate from.

The GNOME Foundation has been operating at a loss for several years and has a dysfunctional relationship with its community. As the Foundation started hitting its reserves, it needed to change course. A five-year Strategic Plan is a useful aspirational document that hints at the priorities, but it’s not an operational plan.

Open-source is popular among software engineers and has been for decades. But far from a silver bullet that automatically makes everything better, open-source is a double-edged sword. It can make wonderful, sustainable projects or break the teams behind them.