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This isn't how this works, my $dayjob has something like this in our contracts. We are obligated upload the entirety of our source code to a 3rd party escrow service as chosen by us and approved by them which will be released to the relevant parties if we become insolvent.

Whether TRMNL is actually using an escrow, who knows, but this is a problem that can and has been solved.




This is a problem that can and has been solved, but notably isn't solved by just posting this kind of "pledge" without actually setting up the escrow infrastructure.


Plus the fact they’re even saying this puts them ahead of 99.9% of small device companies.

Given the source they’ve already released along with their BYOD option I’m inclined to believe them.


Did you believe Google when they said "don't be evil"?


I think that’s clearly different.

TRMNL has said things about providing the ability to hack your device or bring your own device and followed through. They’ve taken concrete steps.

The Google motto was more abstract. After they promised that what concrete steps did they take to show follow through?


"Past performance is not indicative of future results"

People are unreliable. They change their behavior based on circumstance. The person who posted the pledge may well mean it right now, but then some things change and it all goes out the window.

Even worse is that companies change hands. The old owners sell or, heaven forbid, the previous owner dies. When companies change owners, all previous promises have no meaning.




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