Post

I'm just going to say it, I really don't like the "how do we make OSS sustainable" framing. OSS is already sustainable. The only thing not sustainable is users expecting a free lunch (support, LTS, bug fixes, ...). As a user, you are responsible for your OSS usage. Fork/patch if you need to.

Jeremy Lewi

@jeremy.lewi.us

3 May

I think it would be much better if OSS devs had a way to capture more of the value they created. I think there are two big buckets 1) devs working for free or 2) you work for a corporation with a vested interest /agenda in the projeft

Carl Lerche

@carllerche.com

Most oss devs capture value by using other oss work. Not by getting paid to maintain it. If the default answer from OSS authors was “lol no pay me” businesses can then either fork and pay employees to do the work (way more) or find ways to pay less by pooling resources

3/5/26, 6:29 pm0 reposts1 like

Carl Lerche

@carllerche.com

3 May

The key is to setup incentives such that the businesses that participate are more likely to succeed because of it. If OSS maintainers do work for free and ask for money out of the goodness of the corporate heart, then obviously it doesn’t work.