Redazione RHC : 4 August 2025 11:53
Unfortunately, times are changing: what was once a temple of collaboration and cooperation is gradually transforming into an ecosystem increasingly oriented towards monetization.
Another project, specifically KubeSphere, has suddenly stopped distributing its open source version, provoking a strong reaction from users. The team announced the immediate cessation of access to distributions and free technical support. However, the source code will remain available.
The developers explained the decision as a desire to focus on “more professional, stable, and commercially mature” products. KubeSphere is described as a “distributed operating system for managing cloud applications” based on Kubernetes and certified by the CNCF. The project has long been described as 100% open source, developed by the community.
Previously, one of the project’s founders, who left QingCloud the day before the announcement, suggested in a separate post that the decision was influenced by multiple licensing violations: third-party companies that had repackaged KubeSphere and profited from it, violating the terms of use. He acknowledged ending support for the open-source edition as a “difficult adjustment” and added, “I respect this decision, even though it reflects a serious challenge to the modern open-source model.”
The community took the decision harshly. One user called it “one of the most shortsighted and destructive decisions ever,” adding that it was a wake-up call for current and potential customers. On Reddit, another user commented: “It seems like greed is only accelerating and open source projects continue to die.”
The company offers a commercial upgrade with customization, paid support, vulnerability fixes, and updates. Users are advised to contact support for a “reliable and secure enterprise solution.”
Meanwhile, Peter Smalls, CEO of SUSE Cloud Native, criticized the decision in a statement to The Register: “An abrupt departure from open source undermines the trust essential to a healthy ecosystem. It calls into question the predictability and openness that underpin sustainable innovation.”
The KubeSphere team also stated that the decision is due to infrastructure changes resulting from the development of artificial intelligence. According to them, the end of open source support is the result of “multi-year planning and analysis.”
Although the code remains available, the end of out-of-the-box support and the shift to a commercial model are part of a worrying trend: more and more well-known projects are abandoning the open source model in favor of monetization. The KubeSphere case is further proof that open source does not guarantee long-term openness.
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