Open Source

Ask not what open source software can do for you, but what YOU can do for open source software.

Open Source has started a new trend in the world of Computers. It refers to developing a product while allowing access to the end product's source code. This means anyone can modify the final product and redistribute. It allows improvement and diversity in products. Modification and customization is actually encouraged in open source. This helps incorporating different ideas into the software; which makes its self-enhancing. The world is all about freedom; and we need to have the freedom with the software we use too. No program is perfect, and people may have different wants and needs; so open source softwares allows people to modify and redistribute the program as they see fit.

One of the major benefits of open source software is the public collaboration behind each project. Most open source projects are created by tens of thousands of programmers all collaborating to create, and improve upon, a flawless website framework. A common open source software from Mozilla foundation is “firefox” - it's referred to a browser created by geeks for the geeks. However it has become one of the most popular web browser in the world. Another benefit of Open Source Software is that we have the power to see what we get. Closed-source software forces its users to trust the vendor for quality, security, and future changes.

The Open Source community attracts very bright, very motivated developers, who although frequently unpaid, are often very disciplined. They are the developers that want to provide some service to the people; they are the people who actually love coding. They aren't all about money making by creating small updates and making public pay for it. A common myth about open source software is that they are of low quality and you get what you pay for. Well I'd like to say there still is goodness in this world, Open Source software are equally as good or even better than corresponding closed source software. They are developed by enthusiastic and people who like the word “freedom”. The sin in open source comes from contributing neither one’s time nor money. Many brains work on these software to bring you exactly what you are looking for. Another myth about it is that its meant only for geeks; well how geeks wish it were true but its not the case. Open Source is meant for everyone, even you can contribute your ideas. Contribution doesn't mean just programming, its sharing of ideas, revenues, testing of products.

Now, we may be asking “Is There Money in Open Source?”. To answer that lets look at “Red Hat” - world's leading open source technology provider. They are approaching $1 Billion annual revenue. Another popular foundation “Mozilla” has more than $100 million annual revenue. This proves that there certainly is money in open source if utilized properly. Open Source has a strong platform for youth with energy. Open Source helps a youth to improve his CV and he can also gain knowledge from the development process, by looking at others code and working with them. If the projects are popular then it can enhance your CV. Contribution to open source can be done by anyone, even non-programmers. Translation of language, offering service, Spreading projects or open source, hosting and encouraging projects, funding projects, using the software are some of the works that can be done even by the non-programmers.

Open Source is all about combination of ideas and innovation of many people, to create something beautiful for the world. Its a movement to give software freedom to the world, to give people what they want. Imagine a world where all the people work together and communicate, then we won't be strangers to each other. Open Source is a movement to collaborate powerful, intelligent, willing mind to provide something better without hiding. Ask yourself what can you do for the foundation because open source matters....