Developing Commercial Open Source Companies with Joseph Jacks

Joseph Jacks joins me to share his enthusiasm for Open Source and what he calls Commercial Open Source Companies, how the idea of Open Source is changing with new technologies, and what that means for the definition of Open Source.

In this episode, Joseph gets specific about the definition of Open Source and new technologies building on the original concept while sharing his excitement about the developments in and around the Open Source community. We also discuss the pros and cons of building an Open Source company and his philosophy on investing in Open Source Startups.

Highlights:

  • Joseph introduces himself and discusses his background and how he started OSS Capital (0:48)

  • How open source is beneficial and critical to any business (6:12)

  • The origins and definition of open source and how to differentiate new technologies that expand on the concept (7:58)

  • What most people think of when they say "Open Source Company" and Joseph's suggestion for a more accurate name (11:31)

  • Why Commercial Open Source Companies are awesome (13:21)

  • The challenges of building a Commercial Open Source Company (17:21)

  • The importance of differentiating between your users and your customers (19:57)

  • Freemium vs. Open Source (22:04)

Links:

Joseph

Chris Hill