I hope this does not sound cynical. When we release a new open source project, we are not sure what the project will turn into. We put it out, hoping to get some reaction from the world. If there is no reaction, we will only invest a bare minimum for our own use. When there is some reaction, the community might find its sweet spot. When there is huge enthusiasm, which is the least likely, we might decide to seek ways to invest more and get our returns.

Keep in mind that for projects like that, even if they are open source, the vast majority of contributions come from the primary investor. And other contributors can always fork.

It is not anything special about open source. For any product, early adopters are almost expected to get hurt or lose interest as the product matures. It's a part of the product's life cycle that's in any startup book. Crossing the chasm is hard not only for the business but also for the original user base. Yet, successful businesses are destined to do it. I am sorry for the ones that become dissappointed, but they too get something out of it along the ride.