I imagine it's tricky (or at least unstable) to earn ones living working only for entirely open source companies, but maybe there are more opportunities out there than I'd realized.
I am personally responsible for at least 3-4 startups never making/releasing anything but open source stuff. I advocate for the basic idea of software freedom in all contexts.
Usually “business guys” try to interfere, but it’s almost always from the misguided idea that the code is somehow valuable. People get this weird idea that their source is worth money (it never is). Most companies are valuable because of their ability to execute, not their code (which is rarely reusable outside their org anyway, and even if it is, not in their market).
Think about it: if your code were valuable, how is it that a few people were able to make it from scratch in a few months? It’s obviously your staff who are valuable, not the code (which someone else could also make from scratch for low cost if they needed to, just like you did).
It’s the same misguided emotion that makes people think startup ideas are inherently valuable. It’s the ability to execute, not your so-called “intellectual property” that is where the value is.
I don't agree with you on that code isn't valuable – it varies by product complexity, essentiality of the software as part of the business, etc. – but in of itself is the distillation of solved problems, which generally takes years (not months) to work out.
Still, I appreciate you taking the time to break it down, and it's something I'll think about.
I’m currently looking for a new SWE position and I prefer places that have active open source projects.
I’d take less pay to work at somewhere that maintains and releases free software.