Open Source Research
Who really benefits from open source — and at whose expense?
Open source powers the modern internet. Nearly every company depends on it. Yet the economics are lopsided: a handful of maintainers carry projects used by millions, corporate contributors optimise for their own roadmaps, and "community" often means unpaid labour wrapped in idealism.
This project is a running commentary on the forces shaping open source today — the business models, the governance experiments, the licensing battles, and the quiet question of whether any of it is sustainable long-term.
Thinking of adopting an open approach? Talk to me first — you may avoid a big mistake. The Open Source Evaluation Workshop is a structured 2-hour conversation that will surface the assumptions you're making about sustainability before they cost you.
About this project — what this is, why it exists, and who it's for.
Docs — reference documents developing key arguments in depth.
Workshop — stress-test whether your open source project has the conditions for sustainability.
Follow the log — new commentaries, observations, and open questions as they're published.