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Comment by testdelacc1 | Hacker News Reader

The latter, they controlled it by funding maintainers. But the extent of their power and their lack of restraint in exercising that power only became clear now. DHH and Lutke don’t have the community’s best interests at heart.

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Funding open source work doesn’t confer ownership, but also “they controlled it by funding maintainers” is not true —- many other companies and individuals from the community helped fund the work through Ruby Together and later Ruby Central.

I believe the events of the last few days speak for themselves. Shopify has exerted absolute control over important Ruby infra. Shopify’s CEO? Lutke. And Board member? DHH.

Yes, that is a recent development. And many of Ruby Central’s other sponsors and sustaining members are upset about it.

> Funding open source work doesn’t confer ownership

A true donation wouldn’t confer ownership, but in this case there are actual organizations and legal structures involved that did confer ownership.

Please explain - which organizations and legal structures, and how did they confer ownership? Be specific.

It's explained in the article with a direct link to the merger agreement

https://andre.arko.net/2025/09/25/bundler-belongs-to-the-rub...

You clearly haven't read the article or the merger agreement.

> DHH and Lutke don’t have the community’s best interests at heart.

How does this manifest?

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