Why VLC never sold out, even when it almost died: Sacrificing $30+ million dollars | Lex Fridman

1. 1. Jean-Baptiste Kempf transformed VLC from a student project into a sustainable open-source non-profit organization in 2003.
2. 2. VLC nearly ceased to exist in 2005, continuing with only two active developers for a period.
3. 3. Kempf consistently refused numerous offers to integrate unethical elements like spyware toolbars or intrusive ads.
4. 4. Kempf's refusal to sell out stemmed from a belief in ethical money-making and personal pride.
5. 5. He rejected an "obscene" multi-million dollar offer to maintain VLC's integrity, despite its allure.