[development] Convince Client to Release Code

[Joop Sint Jago]

Regardless of legal status.
How can one "grab" Drupal for free (with all related benefits) and then
refuse to contribute back?


-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van: development-bounces at drupal.org [mailto:development-bounces at drupal.org]
Namens Fred Jones
Verzonden: maandag 13 juli 2009 2:53
Aan: development at drupal.org
Onderwerp: [development] Convince Client to Release Code

We have one client for whom we wrote a set of custom modules. I asked
the client if we could put the modules on d.o and he balked. I tried
to explain that he'll get good testing and also bug fixes and new
features maybe, if others post patches etc.

He feels that he (his organization that is) paid for the work and why
should someone else now benefit? He also has this idea that other
organizations like his will want a site like his and he has plans to
provide a hosted service for them (while this idea may seem
far-fetched, I do think he has some connections which might make this
idea feasible).

So he thinks if we release the code, then they will just grab the code
and use it. I tried to explain that your average layman has no idea
what Drupal is, no way to figure out your site is running Drupal, and
if even he got that far, he has no way of building his site without a
professional to put the pieces together (after they figure what those
pieces are of course), and then they he would do just as well to use
our hosted plan!

But he hasn't accepted this. Are there any good arguments we can use
to persuade him? I feel he has nothing to lose in releasing the code,
but we have to convince him of that.

Thanks.