Winamp opens its code, but it doesn't open source its code

Llama Group, owners of Winamp, the media player that defined the digital music experience for a generation, has "sort of" opened its code. While they claim to be open-sourced, the code is not open at all.

Even a quick look at the Winamp Collaborative License (WCL) Version 1.0 reveals the following non-open-source rules.

  * No Distribution of Modified Versions: You may not distribute modified versions of the software, whether in source or binary form.

    * No Forking: You may not create, maintain, or distribute a forked version of the software.

    * Official Distribution: Only the maintainers of the official repository are allowed to distribute the software and its modifications.

Llama knows exactly what it's doing. They're open-washing the program to get attention. It worked. As I write this, the GitHub site for this "open" project is the top YComb story. But, the released WinAmp source code is in no way, shape, or form open source. 

Indeed Winamp CEO Alexandre Saboundjian said, "Winamp will remain the owner of the software and will decide on the innovations made in the official version." 

Open washing, by the way, is when a company pretends its product is open source, but it's not. Companies do this because "open source" sounds good to developers and buyers alike these days. In addition, in the European Union, programs that can pass for open source can take advantage of the recently passed Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), which protects open-source development from onerous regulations.

This new code is meant for only Windows. The Mac, Android, and iOS editions will continue to be entirely proprietary. That said, with the code in hand, you could, in theory, fork it for your personal use and port it to another platform while still staying within Winamp's new license rules. 

Winamp users who still love their old music player with its user-friendly interface, customizable skins, and robust functionality will probably like it. At its peak, Winamp boasted a staggering 90 million users, so there are still millions who like it. 

Since its heyday in the late '90s and early '00s, when it went hand-in-hand with the once wildly popular Napster peer-to-peer file-sharing program, Winamp's journey has had its ups and downs. After being acquired by AOL in 1999 for $80 million, the software faced stiff competition from emerging technologies like the iPod. Despite this, Winamp maintained a dedicated user base, with many preferring its flexibility and customization options over newer alternatives.

In 2013, AOL announced plans to discontinue Winamp. But the software found new life when Radionomy, a Belgian online media company now known as Llama, acquired it. Since then, development has been sporadic, with significant updates few and far between. 

Now, Winamp is hoping for a renaissance. By opening its source code, the company aims to leverage the creativity and expertise of the global developer community. Good luck with that. Its parent company also promises that new freemium releases will be coming out much more often.  The newer versions also offer streaming and cloud support that the classic editions lacked. 

We'll see. As Winamp embarks on this new journey, it faces a dramatically different digital landscape than the one it dominated decades ago. With streaming giants like Spotify and Apple Music now ruling the market, Winamp's challenge will be to carve out a niche that combines its nostalgic appeal with modern functionality. I'd feel a lot better about its chances if it actually open-sourced its code rather than play games with its licensing. 

Other noteworthy Linux and open-source stories:

• AWS Transfers OpenSearch to the Linux Foundation

• 5 Linux commands you should never run (and why)

• Linux kernel 6.11 is out - with its own BSOD