Yessss,

Make it for us.

Please go Open Source!

"Yes" for open source :)

Open Source would be a great way to ensure the client works well for most Linux distributions which will allow you to sell more games.

I'm repeating myself a bit but I think this is important:

Open API is more important than open source.

Yeah open source would be nice but an open (and preferably documented!) API with a way for third-party clients to get their own API key would be much more powerful. This would allow the creativity of the GOG community to truly shine. Just want a really basic downloaded? There'd be an app for that. Want to have a GOG client that's in full 3D with loads of animated goats? Making one that interfaces with GOG would be easy(ish).

It's also easier for GOG to do than to release an open client to begin with. If anyone missed that part, here is the wishlist entry: https://secure.gog.com/wishlist/site/document_the_protocol_and_api_of_the_galaxy_updater_client_to_enable_community_alternatives

I don't need complete turst although I also do not see big disadvantages of making it open source. I guess it is already enough to publish the API and protocols, conventions, so open source alternatives can be made by others. But this of course would require a level of stability that may not be reached from the beginning.

And I agree that this would be a real advantage over Steam.

Open source could be nice :)

Wait, hold everything, has GOG even defiantly confirmed that they're building GOG Galaxy themselves, from the ground up?
I'm pretty sure, from the update process that both the Steam and Origin clients are re-skinned (and heavily customised) versions of the same basic technology - don't know whether that's Origin basing itself on Steam or if they've both gone to the same 3rd party to build their clients
My point is, though, that we don't even know for sure, at this point, that GOG are going to own all the technology that Galaxy is based on and not be the licensees of someone else and therefore might not even have the rights to open up all or even part of the source!

Also how did I not know about Tiggit before? I think my backlog just doubled...

GOG Galaxy is written in C++ using Chromium embedded to display its GUI. It also uses a number of other open source libraries for things like networking.

There is no reason for GOG to use any closed 3rd party technologies for Galaxy. It all can be done using the open ones and their own code.

+1 open source it gain more confidence with the community.

I say a big yes to this ^_^

I think that if you can't trust GoG then you're best off moving out to a shack in Montana and spending your remaining years mailing out anthrax bombs to little league coaches and the former cast of Happy Days

I am not trying to insinuate that your concerns are unfounded but, perhaps a little misplaced. This community loves GoG very dearly but, sometimes we hug them a little too tightly when in actuality they need a little room to grow. I believe that allowing GoG the freedom to develop their client in a way that best grows GoG and leaving the open source client to be developed by the community is the most effective compromise. Gog can continue doing what GoG does best (making GoG the best digital distributor and gaming community at large) and the community can have total authority over their open source baby.

edit It's a win-win

Using the same logic, one can argue that users should trust GOG to use DRM for example. It would sound the same way. GOG however wouldn't do it, exactly because they want to have a mutual relation with the community, built on trust. Making the client open does exactly that - improves trust.

I'm OK with the option that the client could be developed by the community. But for that GOG should document its protocol. Reverse engineering it would not be easy.