I tend to view open source like a gardener treats extra produce from their garden or orchard.
You spend some time and energy to grow some delicious fruits and vegetables that you and your family enjoy eating. You have extra so you share some with friends and neighbors. You still have way more than you need and you don't want it to go to waste.
You contemplate opening a stand to sell to passersby. That's a lot of work so you just put out a box with a sign for anyone to take what they want for free.
Some drop by and get what they need and you get an occasional 'thank you' note. Someone leaves a few bucks in a jar for you. It makes you feel good.
But not everyone is so well behaved. Kids come by and tip over the box or throw some peaches at your house.
Some criticize you that some of your free stuff is not the best quality and demand better service.
Then you find out the local grocer is stopping by every day to take it all and sell it in his store.
What started out as a good will gesture, turns into a headache.
Of course the analogy falls apart a bit when you compare a tangible good like food to easily replicatable digital bits, but it still fits in some ways.
You spend some time and energy to grow some delicious fruits and vegetables that you and your family enjoy eating. You have extra so you share some with friends and neighbors. You still have way more than you need and you don't want it to go to waste.
You contemplate opening a stand to sell to passersby. That's a lot of work so you just put out a box with a sign for anyone to take what they want for free.
Some drop by and get what they need and you get an occasional 'thank you' note. Someone leaves a few bucks in a jar for you. It makes you feel good.
But not everyone is so well behaved. Kids come by and tip over the box or throw some peaches at your house.
Some criticize you that some of your free stuff is not the best quality and demand better service.
Then you find out the local grocer is stopping by every day to take it all and sell it in his store.
What started out as a good will gesture, turns into a headache.
Of course the analogy falls apart a bit when you compare a tangible good like food to easily replicatable digital bits, but it still fits in some ways.