Docker apologizes for poor communication regarding the discontinuation of Docker Free Teams. The blog post addresses concerns from the open-source community who were worried about losing functionality unless they switch over to a paid or free plan. Only less than two percent of Docker Hub users are affected by the change. Docker explains that the reason for ending Free Team subscription was that it wasn’t targeted enough for the open source audience. They also state that public images are only removed if maintainers decide to delete them.
Docker emphasizes that open-source projects should apply for the Docker-Sponsored Open Source program, which is better suited for the audience with benefits beyond those of the legacy Free Team subscription. The FAQ on the blog post offers more details and instructions for those who are affected. The affected members must act within 30 days of notice; otherwise, images become stale, eventually becoming unusable or even a security risk if included components have vulnerabilities.
Although Docker’s blog post clarifies some of the details, the short notice period is likely to draw further criticism from the open-source community. Nonetheless, Docker encourages open-source projects to apply for the Docker-Sponsored Open Source program, even if they have been rejected previously. The blog post serves as a reminder that open source images on which other projects are based would only be removed if the provider decided to delete them. In conclusion, applying for the Docker-Sponsored Open Source program would be the best choice for open-source projects.
