> For an open-source project to achieve long-term reliability and growth, it must be backed by a sustainable commercial engine
You mean like Linux, Python, PostgreSQL, Apache HTTP Server, Node.js, MariaDB, GNU Bash, GNU Coreutils, SQLite, VLC, LibreOffice, OpenSSH?
Actually, Linux reinforces my point. It isn't powered solely by volunteers; it thrives because the world's largest corporations (Intel, Google, Red Hat, etc.) foot the bill. The Linux Foundation is massively funded by corporate members, and most kernel contributors are paid engineers. Without that commercial engine, Linux would not have the dominance it does today. Even OpenAI had to pivot away from its original non-profit, open principles to survive and scale. There is nothing wrong with making money while sustaining open source. The problem is MinIO's specific approach. Instead of a symbiotic relationship, they treated the community as free QA testers and marketing pawns, only to pull up the ladder later. That’s a "bait-and-switch," not a sustainable business model.