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diff --git a/content/blog/free-and-open-source-software.md b/content/blog/free-and-open-source-software.md index f9285d4..a6fbf03 100644 --- a/content/blog/free-and-open-source-software.md +++ b/content/blog/free-and-open-source-software.md @@ -6,10 +6,10 @@ date: 2023-01-09 Consider the purpose of the software you use and the values guiding the project. What is the founder’s mission? Who do they put first, the user or the company? Sadly, it is usually the company. Profit drives companies and can come at the -cost of users. The company sells user data and deplatforms users. Advertisements -become abundant, and paywalls hide features. But free and open source software -(FOSS) offers user freedom, community-driven development, and learning -opportunities. +cost of users. The company sells user data, deplatforms users, and uses vendor +lock-in. Advertisements become abundant, and paywalls hide features. But free +and open source software (FOSS) offers user freedom, community ownership, and +interoperability. FOSS is available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. Users are not restricted by licensing fees or other limitations that can come with proprietary @@ -17,25 +17,28 @@ software. This freedom allows users to customize and tailor the software to their specific needs and ensures they have control over their technology rather than the company that created it. If you notice a bug or want a new feature, write and send your own patch. Even if you do not know the language or library, -read the documentation, speak with the community, and learn. +you can read the documentation, speak with the community, and learn. Users are +not at the whims of the creators and where they want to take the project which +may not align with users' interests. Open source projects have high accountability and trust because the code and who -wrote it are public information. Not only does this encourage the developers to -write better code, but it also encourages collaboration from users. Community -ownership is a fundamental distinction between proprietary and open source -software. In open source projects, the community owns the software rather than -the company. This community-driven approach also means that FOSS is often more -reliable and secure than proprietary software, as it benefits from the -collective knowledge and expertise of its users. +wrote it are public information. Community ownership is a fundamental +distinction between proprietary and open source software. Community-driven +development means the software is inherently more ethical since it is not +written behind closed doors. FOSS is often more reliable and secure than +proprietary software, as it benefits from the collective knowledge and expertise +of its users. -Users and developers are more likely to learn when they use FOSS. They can look -at the source code and understand how the program works rather than just what it -does. Developers can make their software compatible with other software and -hardware. Because FOSS is free to use and modify, it has economic benefits for -students who do not have income. It also benefits entrepreneurs and small -businesses with limited budgets. +Open source unlocks interoperability so programmers can make their software +compatible with other software and hardware. They can look at the source code +and understand how the program works rather than just what it does. +Interoperability also lowers switching costs for users who want to move to a +different program. Companies want to keep switching costs high and prevent users +from leaving their product or service. They expand into other domains to +increase the cost of transitioning. How can you help? + - Encourage people to use free software - Encourage schools and businesses to use free software - Write and share free software and its ideas |