PGConf.SPb 2025

What is the future of open source software and PostgreSQL in particular in a world where deglobalization, de-risking, and import substitution are becoming the norm? What lead to the Linux maintainer purge? And what does that mean for open source software more generally or Postgres in particular? While it is hard to have perfect certainty about these topics, a clearer look at history provides some significant assurance that open source software can continue to be a joint collaborative effort even in an increasingly contentious age geopolitically. This talk covers: 1. The historical and geopolitical context in which open source software rose to prominence 2. Efforts by the US in particular to control open source collaboration 3. Efforts that open source software projects can take to protect themselves from state pressure Additionally some discussion will be given to why PostgreSQL itself has weathered this era well and continued to provide open collaboration across geopolitical boundaries.