The Nextcloud Podcast

A fireside chat with Nextcloud founder Frank Karlitschek

10 snips
May 30, 2024
Guest
Frank Karlitschek
Frank Karlitschek, founder and CEO of Nextcloud, shares his journey in open source, from early days with KDE to launching a privacy-focused alternative to Big Tech. He discusses Nextcloud's antitrust case against Microsoft, highlighting issues like bundling practices. Frank reveals how AI has transformed from a threat to an opportunity for collaboration, while emphasizing the importance of digital privacy. He also shares personal insights, including his passion for travel photography and connecting with diverse individuals.
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ANECDOTE

Hobby Project Became A Full-Time Business

  • Frank turned hobby community sites for KDE themes into a business and eventually quit his day job to work full-time on open source.
  • That early project evolved into the foundation of his companies and Nextcloud.
ADVICE

Lead With Vision, Not Microcontrol

  • Blend open-source community practices with company structure: adopt vision-driven leadership and user-focused product management.
  • Frank advises steering volunteers with a clear mission while keeping collaborative decision-making.
ADVICE

Give Developers End-to-End Ownership

  • Give developers ownership over product areas so they act as their own product managers and QA.
  • This reduces blame games and produces better outcomes, Frank says based on Nextcloud's structure.
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