Segment’s Commitment to Open Source
Last week, we became aware of an interesting conversation happening online, specifically around the usage of Segment’s open source code – namely our libraries & SDKs. We thought it would be helpful to add some background of our own.
Oct 17, 2023
By Kevin Niparko
Last week, we became aware of an interesting conversation happening online, specifically around the usage of Segment’s open source code – namely our libraries & SDKs. We thought it would be helpful to add some background of our own.
Segment started as an open source wrapper on Hacker News, and we are strong believers in the power of open source. We write about what we learn and share useful projects with the community.
Over the years we have had numerous competitors build their products on the backs of our open source projects.
This is not by accident. In fact, it’s something we encourage. We’re builders at heart, and see developers (whether competitors or not) using our code as a net positive for the community. Software isn't – and shouldn't ever be – a zero-sum game.
As long as developers are abiding by the terms of our licenses (most of which are released under MIT), then we encourage the use of our open source projects.
Segment’s libraries are fully open source. Segment’s spec is public, and many of the leading tools in the marketing and analytics ecosystem have designed their APIs around the core event model of track and identify. Our destinations are open source, because we want partners, customers, and the community to be able to contribute.
Over the years, companies (some alive, some long gone) have used these projects to build similar products of their own. But making a Xerox copy of the Mona Lisa doesn’t mean you own the Mona Lisa. It also doesn’t make you a painter. And it doesn’t mean you can explain what went into its painting, or the nuances that make it great.
The products we build are powered by code, but our customers understand that code is just one of the ingredients that make up Segment. It’s expertise. It’s a commitment to quality and reliability. And it’s a commitment that we will continue to innovate to solve their problems.
To our competitors – continue to use our projects and code! We leave it up to our customers and the market to decide who they want to partner with.
The State of Personalization 2023
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The State of Personalization 2023
Our annual look at how attitudes, preferences, and experiences with personalization have evolved over the past year.
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