[development] Convince Client to Release Code

[Cameron Eagans]

While I am a proponent of contributing back to the community, there are
certain situations where it would not be prudent to do so (from a business
owner's prospective). For example, what if you developed an application like
TSheets.com or FreshBooks.com in Drupal? I'm pretty sure that you would not
want any of your custom code floating around on the internet -- ever. It's
not a matter of morals sometimes -- it's a matter of livelyhood. If your
community contributions can directly help or create competitors, it doesn't
make much sense to contribute your modules/themes/etc.

Likewise, if you developed some application that ran on Linux, would you
want to open-source your app? There are tons of closed-source applications
for Linux, and not much debate over their legality or morals. I liken that
situation to this one.

Just my $0.02.
-----
Cameron Eagans
Owner, Black Storms Studios, LLC
http://www.blackstormsstudios.com/cweagans


On Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 8:37 AM, Joop Sint Jago <j.sintjago at xs4all.nl>wrote:

> 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.
>
>
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