Creating an Open Source Startup with Sheng Liang
08/05/21 • 22 min
There are many potential benefits to adopting the open-source approach to building a start-up and here to discuss some of these and his experience in the field is SUSE's President of Engineering and Innovation, Sheng Liang. In our conversation, we get to share in some of Sheng's wisdom and business know-how, talking about pragmatic solutions to common issues from the world of open-source and start-ups more generally. Sheng explains why he thinks open-source is a smart path for businesses but is not the answer to every question. He gets into why the agility of open-source can also be of benefit to companies in their early phases, and the lessons that he learned during his work at cloud.com, prior to joining Rancher Labs and SUSE. Sheng makes the point that without developing a relationship with your users and creating something that people actually care about, your ideas will never have an impact, and believes that being able to pivot when a great idea does not connect should always be an option. So for all this and more from our inspiring guest, be sure to listen in!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The beginnings of Rancher Labs and Sheng's experience of starting an open-source company.
- How the open-source philosophy figured into the initial plans for Rancher.
- Differentiating an open-source approach from other business models.
- Sheng's perspective on when going the open-source route is smart for business.
- Addressing the problem of the number of non-paying users in the open-source model.
- The two typical communities that open-source markets to: developers and users.
- Balancing innovation and stability at a new start-up; Sheng's best advice to this end.
- Sheng's approach to keeping the start-up spirit alive within Rancher now that it is a part of SUSE.
- The most important considerations when deciding about whether to follow an open-source route.
- Advice from Sheng about software startups and the central question of creating engagement.
- Weighing the feedback your company receives and what to take most notice of.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
There are many potential benefits to adopting the open-source approach to building a start-up and here to discuss some of these and his experience in the field is SUSE's President of Engineering and Innovation, Sheng Liang. In our conversation, we get to share in some of Sheng's wisdom and business know-how, talking about pragmatic solutions to common issues from the world of open-source and start-ups more generally. Sheng explains why he thinks open-source is a smart path for businesses but is not the answer to every question. He gets into why the agility of open-source can also be of benefit to companies in their early phases, and the lessons that he learned during his work at cloud.com, prior to joining Rancher Labs and SUSE. Sheng makes the point that without developing a relationship with your users and creating something that people actually care about, your ideas will never have an impact, and believes that being able to pivot when a great idea does not connect should always be an option. So for all this and more from our inspiring guest, be sure to listen in!
Key Points From This Episode:
- The beginnings of Rancher Labs and Sheng's experience of starting an open-source company.
- How the open-source philosophy figured into the initial plans for Rancher.
- Differentiating an open-source approach from other business models.
- Sheng's perspective on when going the open-source route is smart for business.
- Addressing the problem of the number of non-paying users in the open-source model.
- The two typical communities that open-source markets to: developers and users.
- Balancing innovation and stability at a new start-up; Sheng's best advice to this end.
- Sheng's approach to keeping the start-up spirit alive within Rancher now that it is a part of SUSE.
- The most important considerations when deciding about whether to follow an open-source route.
- Advice from Sheng about software startups and the central question of creating engagement.
- Weighing the feedback your company receives and what to take most notice of.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Previous Episode
Open Source: It’s Everywhere with Chris Aniszczyk
These days, open source has become pervasive across every aspect of our lives. From your refrigerator to your TV to your phone, almost everything you’re using incorporates some aspect of open source software. Today we welcome Chris Aniszczyk to the show. Chris is an open source technologist with a passion for building a better world through open collaboration. He's currently a CTO at the Linux Foundation where he focuses on developer relations and running the Open Container Initiative and the Cloud Native Computing Foundation. He’s also a partner at Capital Factory, where he focuses on mentoring, advising, and investing in open source and infrastructure focused startups. Chris’s CV also includes creating Twitter’s open source program and serving on the Eclipse Foundation Board. Today we discuss how open source became as pervasive as it is today and how it has changed over time. We talk about which types of companies or areas open source has not yet permeated and why, as well as the vast benefits of open source program offices. To hear more about the value of open source and the importance of keeping the ‘open’ in ‘open source’, tune in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
- An introduction to today’s guest Open Source Technologist Chris Aniszczyk.
- Insight into how pervasive open source is in software today.
- How Chris first became interested in open source.
- Thoughts on how the definition of open source has changed over time.
- Why a vendor or a company may choose to not go with open source.
- The example of Netflix and how it uses open source to its benefit.
- Areas that open source hasn’t penetrated and the barriers to them.
- Insight into what an open source program office (OSPO) does.
- The growth of open source programs in companies.
- How OSPOs are making a difference in adoptions and software contributions.
- The role of OSPOs as impactful strategic players in business.
- How we can keep the ‘open’ in ‘open source’.
- How people or corporates could be more involved in or attuned to open source.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Next Episode
The Value of Mentoring in Open Source
Mentoring is part of many organizations and companies, but it can be a controversial practice. In today’s episode, we talk about the value of mentoring in the open source community. Our guests today are Rossella Sblendido, who directs the engineering department SUSE, and Sayali Lunkad, a software developer at SUSE and a self-proclaimed open-source enthusiast. Rossella has been a mentor and Sayali has experience as a mentee. We hear about what makes a good mentor and why it is a role you have to learn to inhabit. Sayali shares what being a mentee was like and the value that comes with being given opportunities to learn. Rossella and Sayali respond to some of the common criticisms around mentoring and suggest how these relationships can be successful. Our conversation also touches on what mentors gain from the relationship, opportunities for mentorship in open source, and advice for either aspiring mentors or mentees.
Key Points From This Episode:
- How mentoring works in the open source world and the purpose it serves.
- Who usually sponsors open source mentoring programs.
- Responses to some of the common criticisms around mentorship programs.
- The primary responsibilities of a mentor, and attributes that make a mentor effective.
- Sayali’s experience as a mentee, and the project that she worked on.
- The attribute Sayali found most helpful during her mentorship program.
- How Sayali came to the OpenStack Outreachy program,
- Why Rossella decided to become a mentor.
- Some of the reasons Sayali would recommend mentorship opportunities for upcoming developers.
- The availability of mentorship programs in open source.
- Advice for aspiring mentors and potential mentees.
- Final words from Rossella about mentoring.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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