I used to be big on OSS and free for all (maybe because I'm an incredible cheapskate) but I changed my mind.
Every service provided for free is maintained by someone working for free.
After being on the maintainer side, working my ** off and not getting anything but more work without recognition or even a "thank you", I can't say I'm happy or positive towards OSS or services that can't sustain themselves.
The human cost can't be ignored.
At the same time, working for free is rarely conducive of high quality, even when good engineers are behind it.
Even when the quality is good, you can't expect maintenance.
Most of the OSS I use is either unmaintaned, of questionable quality or fake OSS maintained by business to attract/retain developers.
There are famous exceptions in OSS (eg. Linux) driven by a few exceptional (and well off) individuals, but that's not the majority of the community.
Students doing CV building are another segment of people doing OSS and hoping to get paid in recognition.
If it wasn't for the low level OSS got us used to, it would be easier to have a market of small independent developers selling software and maintaining it.
After being on the maintainer side, working my ** off and not getting anything but more work without recognition or even a "thank you", I can't say I'm happy or positive towards OSS or services that can't sustain themselves. The human cost can't be ignored.
At the same time, working for free is rarely conducive of high quality, even when good engineers are behind it. Even when the quality is good, you can't expect maintenance.
Most of the OSS I use is either unmaintaned, of questionable quality or fake OSS maintained by business to attract/retain developers. There are famous exceptions in OSS (eg. Linux) driven by a few exceptional (and well off) individuals, but that's not the majority of the community. Students doing CV building are another segment of people doing OSS and hoping to get paid in recognition.
If it wasn't for the low level OSS got us used to, it would be easier to have a market of small independent developers selling software and maintaining it.
The same goes for wiki.