For years, the “Open Source” deal was simple: you got great software, and in return, you provided the testing, the feedback, and occasionally the code. But recently, that deal has started to feel one-sided.
We’ve all seen it. A project gains massive adoption, gets acquired by a commercial entity, and suddenly the “open” part becomes a footnote. Licensing changes, “open core” models, and gated repositories turn your infrastructure into a hostage situation. For a senior sysadmin, this isn’t just a budget issue; it’s a threat to the sovereignty of your estate.
At Tiger Computing, we believe the only way to protect the tools we all rely on is through active stewardship.
Beyond the “Vampire” Model
Many IT providers are “open source vampires.” They extract value from the community, wrap it in a proprietary support contract, and contribute nothing back. When the upstream project hits a crisis or a licensing change, these providers are as helpless as their clients.
We take a different view. We don’t just use tools like OpenVox; we sponsor them.
By providing financial support and developer time to projects like Vox Pupuli, we aren’t just being “nice.” We are ensuring that the alternative to proprietary automation remains stable, secure, and – most importantly – under community governance. When we contribute, we are voting for a future where you aren’t locked into a single vendor’s roadmap.
The “Mars Rover” Standard of Robustness
Stewardship isn’t just about money; it’s about the quality of the code we defend.
One of our team members famously contributed code that ended up on the Mars Rover. While your servers might not be sitting on the Martian surface, that “mission-critical” mindset is baked into how we handle Linux. Whether we are contributing to the Linux Kernel, maintaining Claws Mail, or refining OpenVox manifests, we apply the same rigor required for systems where a “reboot” isn’t an option.
We do this because we know that your Linux estate is the foundation of your business. It deserves more than “best effort” support; it deserves code that has been vetted at the highest level.
Why Stewardship Matters to You
When you partner with a team that actively contributes to the ecosystem, you gain three things that a standard “MSP” can’t provide:
- Continuity: Because we help maintain the tools, we can keep them running long after a commercial vendor has declared them “End of Life.”
- Influence: Being active in the community means we have a voice in the direction of the software. We understand the “why” behind changes before they land in your package manager.
- Stability: We aren’t just reacting to the market; we are helping build the safety net.
If you are tired of watching your favourite tools disappear behind paywalls, it might be time to work with a team that actually puts skin in the game.
We don’t want to replace your expertise. We want to complement it by providing the “upstream” depth that keeps your infrastructure sovereign. We’re the people you call when you want to ensure your automation isn’t just working today, but is still open and manageable ten years from now.
Is your infrastructure truly “Open”?
If you want to ensure your Linux estate remains stable, open, and under your control, or if you just want to talk shop with people who know the difference between a patch and a work-around – let’s connect.
