GoKawiilEssay argues open source needs mandatory registries to force payment
A widely shared essay contends that open-source software will never be reliably funded because it behaves like the 'dove' strategy in an evolutionary game theory model, always losing ground to proprietary 'hawk' competitors who withhold code for profit. The author, after years of mulling the problem, proposes creating registries that could compel companies benefiting from free software to pay into it, rather than relying on voluntary donations or goodwill.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Maintainer burnout and unpaid infrastructure work underpin much of the modern software stack, and voluntary funding models like sponsorships or donations have repeatedly failed to scale with usage. A mechanism to compel payment could reshape how critical open-source projects sustain themselves, though it also raises questions about enforcement, adoption, and whether companies will resist mandatory contribution schemes.
- The essay applies evolutionary game theory (hawks vs. doves) to explain why open source struggles financially against closed-source competitors.
- It proposes registries as a mechanism to force companies to pay for open-source software they depend on.
- The piece reflects years of frustration over failed voluntary funding models for sustaining open-source maintainers.
Source: seldo.com — More About Laurie, 2026-09-20
Published there as: “Nobody pays for FOSS, we can force them to”
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