The Changelog: Software Development, Open Source Federating JavaScript's language commons with Entropic (Interview)
Aug 2, 2019
C J Silverio, the second hire and former CTO at npm Inc., dives into the implications of venture capital on JavaScript's ecosystem. She shares insights from her talk at JS Conf EU, highlighting concerns about the centralized control of the npm registry. Ceej introduces her innovative project, Entropic, aimed at decentralizing package management and empowering the open-source community. The conversation also touches on the importance of proactive solutions, the balance between centralization and security, and the challenges of trust in decentralized systems.
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CJ's NPM Journey
- CJ Silverio recounts her experience as the second hire and former CTO of NPM Inc.
- She discusses the initial excitement and pride in the work, alongside the eventual realization of misaligned incentives.
VC Incentives
- Venture capital funding comes with the expectation of a significant return on investment.
- This model can be problematic for essential infrastructure like package registries, which are long-term projects.
Centralization of the Commons
- NPM's initial VC funding was necessary for its growth and stability, enabling it to scale and improve its services.
- However, this centralized the JavaScript commons under a for-profit entity.