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Launch HN: Serra (YC S23) – Open-core, Python-based dbt alternative

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Re: Launch HN: Serra (YC S23) – Open-core, Python-based dbt alternative

#11

Post by rovr138 »

wolframhempel wrote: post #9
ssddanbrown wrote: post #5

Another YC launch advertising as open source while using a non-osd-adhering license (ELv2 in this case). I respect your right to choose a license that protects your efforts, but calling this open source will be misleading to many.

It is open source in the sense that the source is open, you can go and look at it. It's even free open source in the sense that you can take it and use in your own, commercial project without the need to compensate its authors. The only limit is, that the project you're building with it can't be a hosted service version of the software itself - which is, what I assume, Serra's business model will be. I don't think th…

https://opensource.org/osd/

> Introduction

> Open source doesn’t just mean access to the source code. The distribution terms of open-source software must comply with the following criteria

There’s a definition. This isn’t open source.

Re: Launch HN: Serra (YC S23) – Open-core, Python-based dbt alternative

#12

Post by whoknowswhat11 »

A quick note that the "open source" license they use requires activation and license keys that block feature activations in the "open source" software be preserved.

This license was popular w folks like apollo who arguably hijacked nearly 700 contributors efforts w a license like this. Because they are using it from start at least that won't be as bad

Re: Launch HN: Serra (YC S23) – Open-core, Python-based dbt alternative

#13

Post by vladsanchez »

khaledh wrote: post #8

The pattern of reading from data sources to a Pandas DataFrame first defeats the whole point of using Spark[1]. Maybe it's ok for small tables, but you'll probably run out of memory on large tables. [1] https://github.com/Serra-Technologies/serra/blob/a7a80c77af5...

That's a smell. I thought they basically packaged the ETL portion of DBT as open source, not the data connector implementation. I'd like it be connector agnostic so that you can choose the most suitable for your needs.

Good intentions, but perhaps wrong execution. We'll see!

Re: Launch HN: Serra (YC S23) – Open-core, Python-based dbt alternative

#14

Post by mrwnmonm »

> Serra is a low-code, object-oriented ETL framework that allows developers to write PySpark jobs easily—think end-to-end dbt with the benefits of object-oriented Spark.

Could you please explain this as if I am three years old? (also, I don't know dbt)

Re: Launch HN: Serra (YC S23) – Open-core, Python-based dbt alternative

#15

Post by riwsky »

Were your Disney+ fires using dbt? The comparison in your demo doesn’t resemble normal dbt usage: it forces the SQL to inline the state abbreviation instead of using a dbt seed file, while the initial serra version uses one; it initially shows the serra code-folded, to make the SQL seem more verbose; and the SQL makes no use of CTEs or dbt models, either of which would make the transform steps clear.

Re: Launch HN: Serra (YC S23) – Open-core, Python-based dbt alternative

#17

Post by dang »

ssddanbrown wrote: post #5

Another YC launch advertising as open source while using a non-osd-adhering license (ELv2 in this case). I respect your right to choose a license that protects your efforts, but calling this open source will be misleading to many.

I put the word "open source" in the title, and am happy to change it if someone has a better term. (I'm not up on license subtleties.)

Re: Launch HN: Serra (YC S23) – Open-core, Python-based dbt alternative

#18

Post by ssddanbrown »

dang wrote: post #17
ssddanbrown wrote: post #5

Another YC launch advertising as open source while using a non-osd-adhering license (ELv2 in this case). I respect your right to choose a license that protects your efforts, but calling this open source will be misleading to many.

I put the word "open source" in the title, and am happy to change it if someone has a better term. (I'm not up on license subtleties.)

Thanks dang, "source available" is pretty common for licenses like the ELv2 used here.

Re: Launch HN: Serra (YC S23) – Open-core, Python-based dbt alternative

#19

Post by wolframhempel »

rovr138 wrote: post #11
wolframhempel wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is open source in the sense that the source is open, you can go and look at it. It's even free open source in the sense that you can take it and use in your own, commercial project without the need to compensate its authors. The only limit is, that the project you're building with it can't be a hosted service version of the software itself - which is, what I assume, Serra's business model will be. I don't think th…

https://opensource.org/osd/ > Introduction > Open source doesn’t just mean access to the source code. The distribution terms of open-source software must comply with the following criteria There’s a definition. This isn’t open source.

And how does the OSI derive it's legitimacy as the steward for all things open source? As far as I am concerned, it is just one body with its own private viewpoint, not a universal lawmaker for all open source devs.

In general, while I appreciate the work of the OSI, I believe that they are too idealistic in their viewpoint, derived from the world of Linux and early OS.

In my view, if we want to maintain a healthy and growing open source ecosystem, we must allow the makers of great OSS to be sustainable and monetize their creation. I don't believe that that's an inherent conflict with the spirit of OSS.

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