The process of "open sourcing" proprietary software
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Has anyone gone through the process of open sourcing software that has previously only been released as closed source? Not talking about hacking or reversing anything here, just talking about releasing the source code of software that is no longer properly maintained (with proper permissions of course). There are a significant number of users who still use this product (but don't pay for it). We have one control that we would have to remove/replace before this could happen but other than that, there shouldn't be any licensing issues to sort out (other than deciding what open source licencing model to release it under). I've never been through this process and to my knowledge, noone else at the company has either. What other considerations need to be made? I'm looking to get educated on the unknown unknowns about this process. Anyone have any pointers?
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Has anyone gone through the process of open sourcing software that has previously only been released as closed source? Not talking about hacking or reversing anything here, just talking about releasing the source code of software that is no longer properly maintained (with proper permissions of course). There are a significant number of users who still use this product (but don't pay for it). We have one control that we would have to remove/replace before this could happen but other than that, there shouldn't be any licensing issues to sort out (other than deciding what open source licencing model to release it under). I've never been through this process and to my knowledge, noone else at the company has either. What other considerations need to be made? I'm looking to get educated on the unknown unknowns about this process. Anyone have any pointers?
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kinar wrote:
I'm looking to get educated on the unknown unknowns about this process. Anyone have any pointers
CComPtr<IUnknown> pUnk;
Two heads are better than one.
But that's just the known ones.
Panic, Chaos, Destruction. My work here is done. or "Drink. Get drunk. Fall over." - P O'H
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But that's just the known ones.
Panic, Chaos, Destruction. My work here is done. or "Drink. Get drunk. Fall over." - P O'H
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Has anyone gone through the process of open sourcing software that has previously only been released as closed source? Not talking about hacking or reversing anything here, just talking about releasing the source code of software that is no longer properly maintained (with proper permissions of course). There are a significant number of users who still use this product (but don't pay for it). We have one control that we would have to remove/replace before this could happen but other than that, there shouldn't be any licensing issues to sort out (other than deciding what open source licencing model to release it under). I've never been through this process and to my knowledge, noone else at the company has either. What other considerations need to be made? I'm looking to get educated on the unknown unknowns about this process. Anyone have any pointers?
SourceForge point you towards Producing Open Source Software[^] by Karl Fogel. It is a mine of information about open source projects and although not specifically about making a previously closed project open has plenty of information about the overall process. You can also get a PDF from the home page[^]
Graham Librarians rule, Ook!
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SourceForge point you towards Producing Open Source Software[^] by Karl Fogel. It is a mine of information about open source projects and although not specifically about making a previously closed project open has plenty of information about the overall process. You can also get a PDF from the home page[^]
Graham Librarians rule, Ook!
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Has anyone gone through the process of open sourcing software that has previously only been released as closed source? Not talking about hacking or reversing anything here, just talking about releasing the source code of software that is no longer properly maintained (with proper permissions of course). There are a significant number of users who still use this product (but don't pay for it). We have one control that we would have to remove/replace before this could happen but other than that, there shouldn't be any licensing issues to sort out (other than deciding what open source licencing model to release it under). I've never been through this process and to my knowledge, noone else at the company has either. What other considerations need to be made? I'm looking to get educated on the unknown unknowns about this process. Anyone have any pointers?
I wouldn't bother, sounds like open sourcing it would just be the beginning of death.
Wout