GitLab did not become Open Core to solve a sustainability problem that does not exist. It did it to maximize profit, as VC funding requires, and became crippleware over time. Gitea Ltd is following the same route for the same reasons and the shareholders merely try to hide their intent behind the smokescreen of Free Software sustainability. But anyone can see right through it.
Loic’s raises an important point: Sustainability of open source software is often confused with paying off investors. Those are not the same thing.
He says “anyone can see right through it” but I think he’s underestimating the issue: I don’t think it’s that clear to everyone.
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