The “Break it Down” Blog

Another big company that is learning how effective controlling open source can be when backed by a big commercial entity. I wonder mention the other glowing example of this, but feel free to guess

For the folks that don’t understand the last comment or disagree with it, consider how open source typically works. Now imagine a successful project (Linux kernel? Mozilla? etc.). Now try and think of a way to control it… how can you? It’s open source right? Right… but it’s also a project big enough that it isn’t likely going to get branched, and if you (as a company) either hire the lead developers on the project and buy up the rights to the project (along with the hosting and other infrastructural elements of it) you stand in an amazing position to control that project anyway you see fit.

Remember when Google hired the Mozilla guys? A few years later we see Firefox 3 getting features to run web applications offline in a sandboxed web environment with seamless synchronization with the online app when Firefox goes back online. Does anyone remember that enhancement from the community getting filed in Bugzilla anywhere? No… but is anyone surprised this is becoming part of Firefox after finding out FF 3 will be the core of the gPhone? Suddenly the picture gets real clear:

• Firefox 3 + Offline Web App Support
• Google Phone
• Google Applications
  • YouTube

Now all the sudden the Google Phone is an insanely complex/flexible device that has entire infrastructure support from one of the richest companies on the planet. Guess who is making the next iPhone? Google!

There are other companies doing this, buying up all the supporting structures behind open source companies and they all have the same end result. The open source work in question gets steered in exactly the direction the company needs it to go, and even in some cases crippled so as not to steal steam away from commercial offerings.

Get ready for shit-town, cause Open Source is the new corporate development model with the fancy/friendly buzz word behind it.