When I first built Net-Bar, my objective was straightforward: to create a lightweight, practical network monitoring tool that solved a real problem I personally experienced. Many existing tools were either overly complex or too basic to be useful. I wanted something efficient, stable, and focused.
For that reason, I initially released Net-Bar as an open-source project. At that stage, openness aligned with my goals of learning, transparency, and collaboration. However, as the project evolved and the user base expanded, the responsibilities associated with maintaining it also grew. Eventually, I made the decision to transition Net-Bar into a paid, closed project. This article explains why.
About the Project
Net-Bar is a network monitoring application designed to track internet connectivity and performance in real time. It was built to be lightweight, efficient, and user-friendly.
The project played a significant role in strengthening my understanding of:
- Real-time data processing and monitoring
- System-level programming and network protocols
- User interface design for utility applications
- Performance optimization for background processes
- Cross-platform compatibility challenges
Making the project open source allowed other developers to review the code, suggest improvements, and contribute new features. Each pull request and issue provided valuable learning opportunities.
Why I Initially Chose Open Source
Releasing Net-Bar as open source was a deliberate decision. It provided several clear advantages:
- Learning in public: Writing code that others can review encourages better structure, documentation, and discipline.
- Community feedback: External contributions and suggestions improved both the design and reliability of the application.
- Transparency: Open source builds trust and demonstrates confidence in architectural decisions.
- Collaboration: It allowed others to extend the project beyond what I could build alone.
At the early stage of the project, this model was both appropriate and beneficial.
The Impact of Growth
As Net-Bar gained more users, expectations increased. Bug reports became more frequent. Feature requests multiplied. Compatibility issues surfaced across different operating systems and environments.
With growth came a shift in dynamics. What began as voluntary collaboration gradually evolved into consistent expectations of rapid fixes, new features, and ongoing support. While these expectations were understandable, they required substantial time and effort to meet.
The Maintenance Burden
Maintaining a network monitoring tool presents unique challenges. Because it operates in the background and interacts closely with system resources, even minor inefficiencies can affect performance or stability.
Ongoing maintenance required:
- Regression testing across multiple environments
- Performance benchmarking
- Handling edge cases and rare system behaviors
- Addressing compatibility issues after operating system updates
- Responding to user-reported issues and support inquiries
Over time, the maintenance workload grew significantly. The project demanded consistent attention to preserve reliability and user trust.
Sustainability Considerations
Open source works best when the project is driven purely by personal interest, supported by funding, or maintained by a large contributor base. In the case of Net-Bar, the responsibility for maintenance remained primarily with me.
As the application matured into a tool relied upon by many users, the expectation of production-level stability increased. Providing that level of reliability requires structured development, continuous testing, and long-term planning.
The key question became whether it was sustainable to deliver this level of quality indefinitely without a revenue model. The answer was clear: it was not.
Why I Chose a Paid, Closed Model
Transitioning Net-Bar into a paid, closed project was a decision based on sustainability rather than restriction. The change allows for:
- Focused development: Prioritizing features based on long-term strategy rather than scattered requests.
- Structured releases: Managing updates with greater control and stability assurance.
- Time justification: Allocating dedicated time to maintenance, optimization, and support.
- Aligned expectations: Establishing a clear relationship between value provided and resources invested.
A paid model enables me to commit responsibly to maintaining and improving the product over time.
Lessons Learned
This experience has reinforced several important lessons:
- Open source is a strategic choice, not a permanent obligation.
- Growth changes the scale of responsibility.
- Free distribution does not eliminate maintenance costs.
- Sustainability is essential for long-term product health.
Releasing Net-Bar as open source was the right decision during its early phase. Transitioning to a paid, closed model is the right decision for its current stage.
Conclusion
Net-Bar began as a learning initiative and evolved into a widely used tool. As its responsibilities expanded, the development model needed to evolve as well. Open source allowed the project to grow. A paid, closed structure now allows it to remain sustainable.
Every project moves through different stages. Adapting the model to match those stages is not a contradiction; it is a practical necessity.