Comments on: Why Did We Open Source Terracotta? http://jonasboner.com/2007/01/05/why-did-we-open-source-terracotta/ Down To The Bone Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:32:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Jonas http://jonasboner.com/2007/01/05/why-did-we-open-source-terracotta/#comment-14390 Wed, 25 Jul 2007 12:57:26 +0000 http://jonasboner.com/2007/01/05/why-did-we-open-source-terracotta/#comment-14390 <p>Spyros: </p> <p>I understand the doubt. But...</p> <p>Actually, now after 8 months of OSS we are doing better than ever, both in terms of revenue, customers and traction in the market. I guess we will write some sort of report after a year or so, since what we are have done (successfully open sourcing a commercial product), no one has done before. </p> <p>Regarding the documentation: it is excellent and the only one we have. E.g. the same docs for both our paying and non-paying customers/users. The support is more around 24/7 or 8/5 etc support deals, hot bug fixes, influence on strategic decisions, extra "enterprise" features etc. </p> <p>Try it out and get your own point of view.</p> Spyros:

I understand the doubt. But…

Actually, now after 8 months of OSS we are doing better than ever, both in terms of revenue, customers and traction in the market. I guess we will write some sort of report after a year or so, since what we are have done (successfully open sourcing a commercial product), no one has done before.

Regarding the documentation: it is excellent and the only one we have. E.g. the same docs for both our paying and non-paying customers/users. The support is more around 24/7 or 8/5 etc support deals, hot bug fixes, influence on strategic decisions, extra “enterprise” features etc.

Try it out and get your own point of view.

]]> by: spyros D http://jonasboner.com/2007/01/05/why-did-we-open-source-terracotta/#comment-14388 Wed, 25 Jul 2007 11:18:58 +0000 http://jonasboner.com/2007/01/05/why-did-we-open-source-terracotta/#comment-14388 <p>I must agree that going Open, indicates that the company had some troubles... Probably not because of the product (as far as I have read the product seems cool) but for marketing reasons. The only thing that problems me is that by selling support for TC might mean that the documentation in order to use it without support is not so good (otherwise why sell support???).</p> I must agree that going Open, indicates that the company had some troubles… Probably not because of the product (as far as I have read the product seems cool) but for marketing reasons. The only thing that problems me is that by selling support for TC might mean that the documentation in order to use it without support is not so good (otherwise why sell support???).

]]> by: Jonas http://jonasboner.com/2007/01/05/why-did-we-open-source-terracotta/#comment-5159 Sat, 06 Jan 2007 19:34:30 +0000 http://jonasboner.com/2007/01/05/why-did-we-open-source-terracotta/#comment-5159 <p>We are a young company that just launched product in May at J1 and have significant resources in our coffers. It is absurd for anyone to claim that we are on the brink of failure. As it is our download and conversion rate before going OSS was higher than most companies considered to be on a good trajectory. Going OSS helps us focus on innovation and do away with expensive marketing.</p> <p>Attacks on our strategy are baffling because at the end of the day what we have done should be a win-win for us and our users.</p> We are a young company that just launched product in May at J1 and have significant resources in our coffers. It is absurd for anyone to claim that we are on the brink of failure. As it is our download and conversion rate before going OSS was higher than most companies considered to be on a good trajectory. Going OSS helps us focus on innovation and do away with expensive marketing.

Attacks on our strategy are baffling because at the end of the day what we have done should be a win-win for us and our users.

]]> by: x http://jonasboner.com/2007/01/05/why-did-we-open-source-terracotta/#comment-5149 Fri, 05 Jan 2007 16:38:56 +0000 http://jonasboner.com/2007/01/05/why-did-we-open-source-terracotta/#comment-5149 <p>Jonas,</p> <p>No matter how you or your CEO spins it, you won't change the fact that nobody has ever open sourced a successful commercial software.</p> <p>Open sourcing commercial software is usually the first step toward the business closing down, but I'm sure you already know that and you're just not in a position to acknowledge it publicly.</p> Jonas,

No matter how you or your CEO spins it, you won’t change the fact that nobody has ever open sourced a successful commercial software.

Open sourcing commercial software is usually the first step toward the business closing down, but I’m sure you already know that and you’re just not in a position to acknowledge it publicly.

]]> by: Hani Suleiman http://jonasboner.com/2007/01/05/why-did-we-open-source-terracotta/#comment-5148 Fri, 05 Jan 2007 12:37:31 +0000 http://jonasboner.com/2007/01/05/why-did-we-open-source-terracotta/#comment-5148 <p>The article, though positive and sensible, doesn't actually discuss the flip side, which is that TC is not a success, and is not catching on (was not, pre OSS). Else there'd be no reason to switch ;)</p> <p>The squid story Amit mentions in fact (if it is as good a parallel as he claims it is) bolsters my argument.</p> <p>It's nice to see a serious argument instead of the idiotic (we did it for YOU, because we love OSS!!!) standard response.</p> <p>Anyway, I can buy that argument, and hopefully this will mean an end to the ludicrous marketing gimmicks you guys wasted so much money on, and you can get back to being taken seriously as developers, which is what you do best!</p> The article, though positive and sensible, doesn’t actually discuss the flip side, which is that TC is not a success, and is not catching on (was not, pre OSS). Else there’d be no reason to switch ;)

The squid story Amit mentions in fact (if it is as good a parallel as he claims it is) bolsters my argument.

It’s nice to see a serious argument instead of the idiotic (we did it for YOU, because we love OSS!!!) standard response.

Anyway, I can buy that argument, and hopefully this will mean an end to the ludicrous marketing gimmicks you guys wasted so much money on, and you can get back to being taken seriously as developers, which is what you do best!

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