Herdr is joining Y Combinator. The runtime stays open
An open source terminal multiplexer for managing AI coding agents, Herdr, is joining Y Combinator and has shifted its license from AGPL to Apache to encourage wider adoption. Commenters are split between enthusiasm for the product and concern that VC funding will eventually lead to “enshittification,” with many citing past examples of developer tools that became more closed or extractive as they commercialized. The exchange broadens into a debate over how sustainable open source dev tools can be without user donations, how much developers truly value OSS in IDE‑like tools, and whether permissive licensing and venture backing inevitably erode user freedom.
Overall reaction to YC / VC funding
- Many users praise Herdr and congratulate the creator but are worried YC/VC funding will lead to “enshittification” (feature gating, tracking, lock‑in, price hikes).
- Some argue this is effectively the standard VC playbook; others note YC can be compatible with small, sustainable, user‑focused OSS businesses and cite examples.
- A common coping strategy discussed: be ready to fork, or already maintain a personal fork, especially for core devtools.
Open source, licenses, and “runtime stays open”
- Herdr recently moved from AGPL to Apache.
- One camp says AGPL hurts adoption because corporate lawyers avoid it, so permissive licensing is better for traction and fundraising.
- Another camp defends AGPL as protecting user freedom and pushing improvements back, calling the “toxic” label corporate FUD.
- Several people fear a future bait‑and‑switch (open core drifting to proprietary/cloud), and see “the runtime stays open” as vague marketing language, possibly LLM‑written.
Funding, sustainability, and donations
- Repeated theme: users rarely donate; maintainers can’t sustainably work for free; therefore many projects turn to VC.
- Others respond that not all users can pay and that plenty of successful FOSS is non‑VC but well‑funded via sponsorships; the real issue is structural underfunding of maintainers.
Why people use Herdr vs tmux/terminals
- Fans highlight:
- Agent‑aware status view: quickly see which agents are working, stalled, or need attention.
- Easy navigation between many concurrent agents/sessions.
- Built‑in workflows like git worktrees and a more approachable default UI (mouse support, simpler keybindings).
- Skeptics say tmux + scripts or modern terminals (Wezterm, Kitty, etc.) already cover their needs, and another shortcut layer feels like friction.
- Some report bugs (e.g., MCP auth issues, odd behavior in normal terminals) and have reverted to tmux.
Alternatives and ecosystem
- Numerous alternatives are mentioned: tmux, zellij, cmux, Workmux, zmx, hive, hydra, Moshi, various custom tmux/terminal setups.
- Several users stress OSS or at least source‑available tools because they now rely on LLMs to customize devtools, making inspectability and hackability critical.
Unclear / open questions
- How Herdr will actually monetize without compromising the open runtime remains unclear.
- Some doubt there is a strong standalone business model in “agent multiplexers” unless tied to a broader platform or acquisition.