Writing · Nº 041065 essays
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Ideas from inside the work. Explore technology, entrepreneurship, and the practice of building things that last.
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Clear filtersEngineeringOpen Source Is Not the Same as Owning Your StackUsing open source software does not mean you own your stack. If a vendor still runs it and holds your data, you are as locked in as with any SaaS. Here is why.OperatingThe Renewal Notice Is the Moment to Reevaluate Your StackThe renewal notice is the one moment your leverage returns. Use it to reevaluate whether to stay, renegotiate, or leave the platform, not to autopay and move on.StrategyThe One-Feature Trap: How a Platform Feature Locks You InFeature lock-in happens when one proprietary platform feature becomes load-bearing and no competitor replicates it. Here is how to spot and defuse the trap.OperatingTest a Vendor's Data Export Before You CommitBefore you commit to a platform, test its data export the way you would use it to leave. A working export button is not a working exit. Here is how to check.StrategyWhen Staying Locked In Is the Right CallSometimes staying locked into a platform is the right call. Here is when the migration math says leave but the smart move is to stay put anyway.EngineeringAPI Lock-In Is Worse Than Data Lock-InData lock-in gets all the attention, but API lock-in is worse. When your code is wired to a proprietary API, leaving means a rewrite, not an export.OperatingThe Exit Terms to Negotiate Into Every SaaS ContractBefore you sign a SaaS contract, negotiate the exit: data return, format, notice, price caps, and termination rights. Here are the exit terms that matter.OperatingShould an Agency Self-Host Its Client Data?Should an agency self-host client data or keep it on managed tools? The answer is own the data and control the exit, whether or not you run the servers.StrategyShould a Law Firm Self-Host Its Case Data?Should a law firm self-host case data or trust a managed vendor? The answer turns on confidentiality, custody, and exit, not on hosting fashion.EngineeringWhat You Should Never Self-HostOwning your stack does not mean self-hosting everything. Here is what you should never self-host, and why the hybrid line is where ownership pays off.StrategyData Gravity Is the Real Lock-In, Not Your ContractVendor contracts are not what trap you. Data gravity is: the mass of data and integrations that make leaving a platform slow. Here is how to fight it.OperatingHow to Calculate the Payback Period on a Platform MigrationA platform migration ROI is a payback period, not a gut call. Here is the math I use to decide when leaving a managed platform pays for itself.