Positioning FOSS  ## Metadata - Author: [[Emily Omier]] - Full Title: Positioning FOSS - Category: #articles - Document Note: --- tags: - #positioning - #opensource - #foss Author: Emily Omier Source: Article/Website Reference: https://www.emilyomier.com/blog/positioning-foss date created: 2025-08-23 00:00 --- # Title: Positioning FOSS — Why It Matters and How It Differs from Commercial Products ## Table of Contents: - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#️-notes) - [📖 References](#-references-1) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) Assessment](#-deib-diversity-equity-inclusion-and-belonging-assessment) - [✅ Logical validity](#-logical-validity) - [🔍 DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) - [🔍 SEO Evaluation](#-seo-evaluation) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) ### References: - Emily Omier, “Positioning FOSS” — https://www.emilyomier.com/blog/positioning-foss - Author’s ebook on positioning free open source software (referenced in the article) ## 📝 Summary: The article argues that if you want your free and open source software (FOSS) project to grow, you must deliberately position it. Not all OSS projects aim for growth, and that’s valid; but when growth is the goal, positioning is essential. Positioning FOSS differs from commercial product positioning in two key ways: you typically have less user behavior data unless you actively gather it, and your technical decisions (especially your articulated point of view) matter more. The first step is to clarify your growth objectives—since “profit” is not the default goal—before choosing a positioning strategy. The author also points to a meaty ebook focused specifically on positioning free software projects. ## 📖 Main Content: The author underscores that growth in FOSS requires intentional positioning. Unlike proprietary products, FOSS maintainers often lack built-in analytics, cohorts, or conversion funnels; thus, understanding users and comparators requires proactive outreach. Furthermore, technical choices (architectural decisions, supported platforms, configuration defaults, plugin APIs, and governance) serve as visible expressions of the project’s point of view and brand, shaping how communities perceive and adopt it. Before any messaging, the project must define growth goals: adoption, contributor base, depth of usage, ecosystem maturity, or sustainability. Only then does a coherent positioning strategy emerge. - Why growth ≠ universal goal in OSS - OSS creators may prioritize learning, research, stewardship, or niche utility. - If growth isn’t a goal, heavy positioning isn’t necessary. - Two core differences vs. commercial positioning - Limited user behavior data unless you actively ask users about their workflows and comparisons. - Technical decisions and POV are central identity signals that influence adoption more than in closed-source contexts. - Start with growth goals - OSS goals vary (usage, contributors, maintainers, ecosystem, funding, influence). - Align positioning with primary growth objective. ### 🗒️ Notes - Positioning is crucial only if growth is desired. - Growth can mean more users, stickier usage, thriving community, or ecosystem expansion. - Author’s scope - Ebook focuses solely on positioning free open source software, not related commercial products or company positioning. - Key differences for FOSS positioning - Less behavioral data by default: - Must proactively interview users and run surveys. - Understand what alternatives users compare you to (including “do nothing”). - Technical decisions matter more: - Architecture, language/runtime, integration boundaries, defaults, plugin model, governance model, and roadmap communicate a strong POV. - These choices function as brand signals that lower or raise adoption friction for specific audiences. - First step: define growth goals - Unlike commercial firms where “profit” dominates, OSS projects may seek: - Adoption in specific segments. - Contributor growth and maintainer pipeline health. - Ecosystem/plugin growth and interoperability. - Academic/industry credibility and influence. - Sustainability: funding, sponsorships, or institutional backing. - Your positioning (who it’s for, what it’s for, why it’s different) should follow from the primary goal. ## 📖 References: - Emily Omier, “Positioning FOSS” — https://www.emilyomier.com/blog/positioning-foss - The author’s referenced ebook on positioning free OSS (link provided on the blog page) ## 🗣️ Paraphrase: - Original idea: “If you care about growing your free open source software, you should care about how it’s positioned… if you do want growth, positioning is really important.” - Paraphrase: When growth is on your roadmap for a FOSS project, intentional positioning isn’t optional—it’s a prerequisite. - Original idea: “You’ll have way less information about user behavior… Your technical decisions can matter…” - Paraphrase: Expect fewer built-in insights into how people use your project; you’ll need to ask them directly. Meanwhile, your architectural choices and stated philosophy will do a lot of the heavy lifting in shaping perceptions and adoption. ## 📰 Newsletter: This week in WordPress and open source: leveling up your dev journey while keeping it fun. If you’re learning web development, double down on the fundamentals—HTML semantics for accessibility, modern CSS layout (Grid/Flexbox), and JavaScript modules. For recent updates, keep an eye on the latest WordPress core discussions around performance and plugin interoperability; test your sites with the newest PHP versions for speed gains. Community highlights include new contributor onboarding sessions and mentorship cohorts—bring a friend and a question. New plugins worth a spin: tools that streamline block patterns and improve editorial workflows. Remember: great projects thrive on great positioning—especially in FOSS. Clarify your audience, your “why,” and how your technical choices express your point of view. For deeper dives into OSS positioning, see Emily Omier’s article “Positioning FOSS” and her specialized ebook on the topic. Share your wins, questions, or favorite learning resources in our forum—your story might power someone else’s breakthrough. ## ✅ Action Items: Prompt for aligning articles with your Developer Advocate and OSPO trajectory: “Analyze how this article: - Advances open-source advocacy within WordPress and the broader FOSS ecosystem. - Supports contributor engagement: onboarding, mentorship pathways, and long-term maintainer health. - Enhances education: maps to curricula for PHP/JS/HTML/CSS/Git/GitHub, includes exercises, and suggests workshop formats. - Informs sustainable funding strategies and transparency practices (governance models, sponsorships, metrics). - Connects to OSPO goals: policy templates, compliance, stewardship, and community alignment. - Reflects DEIB: accessible learning materials, inclusive language, representation, and psychological safety. - Demonstrates positioning strategy: audience, problem framing, POV in technical decisions, and measurable growth goals (adoption, contributors, ecosystem). - Provides actionable next steps for talks, docs, tutorials, and community programs. Return: a brief, outcomes-focused plan with KPIs, risks, and mitigation. Tie suggestions to WordPress-specific use cases and your role at GoDaddy.” ## 🧪 Hypotheses: - Tailoring positioning to a single primary growth goal (e.g., contributor growth) increases that metric’s 6–12 month improvement versus generic positioning. - Proactive user research (interviews/surveys) in FOSS leads to clearer comparator mapping and higher adoption in target segments. - Publicly stated technical POV (architecture, integrations, governance) correlates with faster ecosystem plugin growth. - Aligning defaults with target perso - Summary: Positioning is crucial for the growth of free open source software (FOSS). While not everyone may prioritize growth, if you do, then positioning becomes important. An ebook has been written specifically about positioning FOSS, focusing solely on free software and not on commercial products or companies. Positioning FOSS has some subtle differences compared to positioning commercial products, such as having less information about user behavior and the potential impact of technical decisions. The first step in positioning FOSS is understanding your growth goals. The full ebook provides more detailed information on this topic and is recommended for those interested in positioning and open source startups. - URL: https://www.emilyomier.com/blog/positioning-foss If you care about growing your free open source software, you should care about how it’s positioned. —> Not everyone cares about stuff like growing a user base, building a healthy community and having people actually using their project after they download it. That’s cool — one of the beauties of open source is that there’s a pretty large menu of why you might want to create an open source project, and growth does not always matter. However, if you do want growth, positioning is really important. Good news! I wrote an ebook about [positioning free open source software.](https://www.emilyomier.com/free-e-book) Unlike a lot of my writing, the focus of the ebook is on **free** open source projects, and only on the free software. I don’t get into relating an open source project and related commercial product(s), or how to position your company. This is just about free software. Positioning a free open source software, even completely on its own, has a couple subtle differences from positioning a commercial product. Specifically: * You’ll have way less information about user behavior and what users compare you to unless you proactively go out an ask them * Your technical decisions can matter, particularly when it comes to articulating points of view, in a way that they don’t if we’re talking about a closed source product * The first step is to figure out what your growth goals are, because unlike in a commercial context where profit is the obvious goal, there can be lots of valid growth goals for a project and you need to understand that first, before settling on a positioning strategy. Anyway, the full ebook is pretty meaty, so if you’re interested in positioning and open source startups, [check it out.](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5fc555ef5720c63c9f70c2fd/t/6509f380fccca7440949d410/1695150977056/Positioning+Free+Open+Source+Software+-+Emily+Omier.pdf) And if you know anyone with an open source project they’d like to have grow, or have grow more, then send it to them., Positioning FOSS, Emily Omier, 01haygwsack3ma08tf2vxxjk1z.