Why Proprietary Tooling Hurts Your FOSS Project (WHY2025)

You’ve released your code under a free license, but your project runs on proprietary platforms like Slack, GitHub, Notion, or Zoom. What’s the harm? In this talk, we’ll explore how relying on closed tools contradicts open source values, excludes contributors, locks your community into corporate ecosystems, and drives away idealistic contributors who care deeply about freedom. We’ll also tackle common justifications, like convenience or popularity, and show how they often mask deeper trade-offs. My goal with this talk is to spark reflection and conversation about the tools we use to build open source projects, not just the code we write. I hope it encourages both new and experienced maintainers to think critically about how proprietary tools may be limiting their communities and values, even unintentionally. The audience will leave with a better understanding of the trade-offs involved, practical alternatives they can explore, and the motivation to make small changes that lead to more open, inclusive, and resilient projects. If more projects switch to even one open alternative, it strengthens the entire open source ecosystem by reducing dependency on tech giants and supporting community-owned infrastructure. Whether you're starting a new project or maintaining a mature one, this talk will challenge you to think critically about the tools you use and advocate for open, community-controlled alternatives that align with the spirit of FOSS. Licensed to the public under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ about this event: https://program.why2025.org/why2025/talk/WPGMJU/