Open source is nice to have, but the real issue is another you touched on – data portability. Few want their data to disappear, but they alsodon't want it spread among the four winds. Especially the secret PMs with their Sonadow RPs.
The issue of closed content will be far tougher to crack than that of closed source or site funding. If you're not part of the organization, it doesn't matter what software you have. You can set up a Linux/PostgreSQL/PHP/nginx stack, but that doesn't mean we can replicate our database to you. We can only provide what our members choose to make available.
If I had a heart attack today, Inkbunny, Flayrah and WikiFur would likely endure – not because they do or don't run on open source, but because our staff have access and can handle things. Of the three, only WikiFur could legally be mirrored, though Flayrah is now largely open-content as well. Inkbunny is full of content which can never be duplicated without permission from the copyright-holders.
Finding a sustainable way to fund a service helps a lot, not least because few are willing or able to share both the burden of administration and a hefty chunk of the server bill. There are several viable options, especially now that costs have come down.
Open source is nice to have, but the real issue is another you touched on – data portability. Few want their data to disappear, but they also don't want it spread among the four winds. Especially the secret PMs with their Sonadow RPs.
The issue of closed content will be far tougher to crack than that of closed source or site funding. If you're not part of the organization, it doesn't matter what software you have. You can set up a Linux/PostgreSQL/PHP/nginx stack, but that doesn't mean we can replicate our database to you. We can only provide what our members choose to make available.
If I had a heart attack today, Inkbunny, Flayrah and WikiFur would likely endure – not because they do or don't run on open source, but because our staff have access and can handle things. Of the three, only WikiFur could legally be mirrored, though Flayrah is now largely open-content as well. Inkbunny is full of content which can never be duplicated without permission from the copyright-holders.
Finding a sustainable way to fund a service helps a lot, not least because few are willing or able to share both the burden of administration and a hefty chunk of the server bill. There are several viable options, especially now that costs have come down.