[skolsuper]

> Amazon is outcompeting them by providing a better service to their clients.

I wouldn't necessarily say AWS' ability to use ES as a loss-leader for their Data Transfer charges is better for AWS's clients in the long-run. I can certainly see the argument for calling it exploitation.

[fastball]

For me, exploitation has always required the exploited party not having a choice. Customers of AWS ES vs. Elastic ES definitely have a choice in this matter and have done so deliberately.

[soenkeliebau]

But do they really, in all cases?

Due to the market share of AWS for many potential customers it will come down to a decision between

a) click here in the aws marketplace and have my service added to the invoice my company gets every month anyway

b) start the painful process of onboarding a new vendor, get a quote, have procurement haggle with them for months etc etc etc. (overstating it a bit, I know)

And that is where to me it becomes a question of using/abusing your position in the market to a certain extent..

[skolsuper]

Oh I'm sorry, I'm referring to AWS exploiting the free software, not their customers, but I can see how I was not clear.

The rest of the 500+ comments here do a good job arguing both sides of it so I won't rehash that. Just saying that I can see that AWS taking the free thing and using it as a loss-leader (i.e. no possible way Elastic can compete) could be construed as exploitation of the free thing.