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AWS gives open source the middle finger?

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Re: AWS gives open source the middle finger?

#51
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Problem is, you could potentially encroach on a big company's interests without knowing so, i.e. they're working in [insert space] in secret, or create an ethical issue for the company. Truth is, excepting maybe Netflix, the rest of FAANG requires you to get approvals.

That is entirely possible, but not at all a problem. If something is being done in secret, so that the employee doesn't know that the other division is working on it, then there are no trade secrets that would be divulged by working on something similar. That companies require you to get approval to work on something on your own time is fundamentally absurd. If I were a carpenter, I would not need permission to make…

People outside a company will not believe that employees of the company keep secrets from each other, at least when it suits them to believe otherwise.

So like it or not, if it looks like there're a conflict of interest (even if there isn't), people will blame it on the company.

So I don't really think it's so bad that they want to know what you're working on, provided that approval is usually granted.

Re: AWS gives open source the middle finger?

#52
post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm aware of Amazon's policies. Most companies have similar clauses.

I disagree. My research suggested that Amazon's policies about open source and game development were stricter. (For example, I must be willing to disclose any sales data to Amazon. I must use Amazon products when possible. I must make my project available on the Amazon store if possible.) Most companies also have a process to keep copyright if you need/want to. Yes, most companies have approval processes. They might…

Most companies being who exactly? All the people disagreeing with me clearly have not read their terms of employment.

Re: AWS gives open source the middle finger?

#54

> "To be fair, AWS has become more active in open source lately" What are they referring to? From my perspective, Amazon rarely open sources their work. It's one of the reasons I would never want to work at Amazon. It's very clear they have no love for technology outside of making a business out of it.

Firecracker? That was a big one to me.

Correto too.

Re: AWS gives open source the middle finger?

#55
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Amazon reserved the right to take ownership of my project and all related IP at any time (including after leaving the company.) I was also forbidden from working with anyone outside of my org on the projects. There were no exceptions allowed. It was considerably more restrictive than any company I've worked at elsewhere.

I'm aware of Amazon's policies. Most companies have similar clauses.

The last 4 places I've been, three encouraged us to participate in FOSS. Only one was neutral, but disallowed paid side gigs (open source was ok). It's anecdata, but totally opposite of your experience.

Re: AWS gives open source the middle finger?

#56
post #29

Amazon was using MongoDB without paying for it. MongoDB found that objectionable, and changed the license such that Amazon would either have to pay, or stop using it. Amazon stopped using it, and started using its own in-house implementation instead (presumably because it was cheaper to develop it than to pay MongoDB). So, MongoDB got exactly what they asked for. It's just that, when they forced Amazon to make a choi…

Yeah, I don't understand it either. There is a company which puts 300 M$ effort into developing something and then another company is using the first company's brand recognition to get a competitive edge while offering zero added value (And no, hosting mongodb in AWS not a new thing, only uninformed people would assume so. When I look around I find services like Scalegrid or MDB Atlas itself which is exactly the thing that AWS is claiming to justify their decision). So yeah, you are right, I can't see how could that be wrong either.

Re: AWS gives open source the middle finger?

#57

mongodb announced the Server Side Public License change less than 12 weeks ago. When you account for end of year and holidays, building a new product line and rolling it out in such a short period of time seems unlikely. I would guess this has been in the works for a while (although admittedly I could be overestimating engineering effort and underestimating amazon engineering talent).

Reverse engineering the MongoDB API, getting it to work on Aurora storage engine, verifying existing CLI/drivers work and having it all scaleable and supportable.

At least a few months work there. Even for Amazon.

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