Nov
14
The Big in Japan Source Code Revealed!
Earlier today we announced that we would release the source code to several web applications built and hosted by the company in a post titled, “Opening the Source at Big in Japan.” TechCrunch even picked up on the idea. The source code is being released using the GPL.* Each tool was written using Ruby on Rails. If you review the code you will note that each tool was built at a different time. See if you can guess which tool was first and which was last. As promised:
- elfURL ~ URL Shortner [source code link to svn]
- FeedVault ~ OPML file storage [source code link to svn]
- FrankenFeed ~ RSS feed merger [source code link to svn]
- InstantFeed ~ RSS feeds via email [source code link to svn]
- QwikPing ~ Ping Server [source code link to svn]
- SocialMail ~ RSS via email [source code link to svn]
The repositories can be accessed either by browser or via the svn client. The svn username is “anonymous” and the password is blank.
* To be clear, it is our intent that anyone who modifies the code MUST release those modifications publicly. If you modify the code for use as your own hosted service we require that you release the modified code. Get it? There is some confusion about this point in the open source community. The license explains that you are required to do so if you distribute or publish the code and some argue that a hosted application does not constitute “distribution” or “publishing” of the code and as such you are not required to release the modifications. We understand the confusion, but want to be very clear, for the purposes of our license hosting the source code for other’s use constitutes distribution or publication of the binary code. This is detailed in the source code files as well. Enjoy!
[...] So the question is, where is the business model going, and how will it affect my business? Well the next major trend I think we’ll see is in the SaaS market moving to partial open source. Take a gander over at Biggu’s move to release the source code to a few of their tools. This was a smart move for three reasons: 1. They couldn’t keep up with the hackers trying to break their apps, so they let everyone else deal with it. 2. They weren’t making money from the apps they open sourced, so this lets them reallocate resources to revenue generating projects. 3. It was a major PR tool, it allowed their other revenue generating products (podcall, podserve, etc.) generate some good buzz and ultimately some more exposure. [...]
Pingback by webPL.US — January 29, 2007 @ 11:38 am
[...] So the question is, where is the business model going, and how will it affect my business? Well the next major trend I think we’ll see is in the SaaS market moving to partial open source. Take a gander over at Biggu’s move to release the source code to a few of their tools. This was a smart move for three reasons: 1. They couldn’t keep up with the hackers trying to break their apps, so they let everyone else deal with it. 2. They weren’t making money from the apps they open sourced, so this lets them reallocate resources to revenue generating projects. 3. It was a major PR tool, it allowed their other revenue generating products (podcall, podserve, etc.) generate some good buzz and ultimately some more exposure. [...]
Pingback by webPL.US — January 29, 2007 @ 11:38 am