A growing number of open-source developers are speaking out about their struggles to make ends meet while contributing to popular projects like WordPress and Drupal. The issue has sparked a heated debate over fairness, funding, and the role of commercial entities in supporting these ecosystems.
Matt Mullenweg, founder of WordPress, recently accused WP Engine, a hosting provider for WordPress-built websites, of violating WordPress trademarks. The dispute highlights the “maker-taker problem” – creators of open-source software who profit from their work without contributing back to the community.
Experts like Chad Whitacre, head of open-source at Sentry, argue that open-source licenses are meant to facilitate sharing and collaboration, but also create challenges for maintainers who struggle to make a living. Whitacre suggests three key levers to address this crisis: commercialization, taxation, and social validation.
Commercialization involves finding business models to subsidize open-source projects, while taxation can provide economic support through programs like Germany’s Sovereign Tech Fund. Social validation comes from recognizing and incentivizing contributors through credits or other benefits.
To combat burnout among maintainers, companies can pledge to help out by joining the Open Source Pledge, which requires annual payments of at least $2,000 per full-time developer. The aim is to expand this initiative to larger enterprises and promote a broader commitment from the industry.
Source: https://spectrum.ieee.org/open-source-crisis