Re:Ask HN: Should I make my project open source to get users?
by jimmyvalmer on Thursday March 19, 2020 @09:12AM
(#22627114)
Your claim is dubious. People don't balk because of closed-source. They balk
because they don't know whether your SaaS is worth relinquishing their
personal data.
Until we know what it is your SaaS does, it's impossible to advise on open
sourcing. Generally, however, unless you've patented an algo, always open
source. For the last 15 years, code is cheap commodity, and getting cheaper.
The only companies capable of sustaining a proprietary model are big and old, which is
not you. You will need to feed yourself from high-touch service level agreements.
Until we know what it is your SaaS does, it's impossible to advise on open sourcing. Generally, however, unless you've patented an algo, always open source. For the last 15 years, code is cheap commodity, and getting cheaper. The only companies capable of sustaining a proprietary model are big and old, which is not you. You will need to feed yourself from high-touch service level agreements.