It might be hard to imagine now, but not too long ago the idea of free software with source code that anyone can modify wasn’t one with much enthusiasm behind it. How could that be safe? What about support? Could you trust mission-critical stuff to this software?
Today, almost everything we rely on in the world of computer technology runs, at least in part, on open-source code. It’s in your phone, our web servers, appliances, cars, and basically anything with a microchip that runs code. Open source is going from strength-to-strength.
Why closed-source vendors can’t keep up anymore
No matter how much money and resources you have, you can never compete with the resources of a global community of coders, designers, and other people who help make software a reality. For the most popular open source projects, you simply can’t match the speed of development and fast iteration of open source.
Closed-source software also comes with the specter of vendor lock-in, and “security through obscurity.” Now, I don’t want to repeat the semi-myth that open source software is inherently more secure than closed source, but for big projects with lots of eyeballs, it’s very difficult to pull off something like zero-day exploits.
I don’t use Linux for free anymore, and you shouldn’t either—here’s why
What is the price of freedom?
The economic shift that makes open source unbeatable
If you’re running a large company that relies on software to function, what sounds like the better deal? Pay a private company expensive licensing fees in perpetuity in the hope that the promise of “99% uptime” is something they can actually offer? Instead, you can use open-source software with no licensing fees. You can redirect that money only to maintenance of that open-source software (either from a third party or yourself) and if you hire in-house software experts, any contributions they make to that open-source software can be integrated not only into your business but for the benefit of everyone using that software.
At the same time, other companies sinking resources into that open-source software are also improving it, making it more secure, and adding features. So, now everyone is sharing in the maintenance and development of that software, which lowers the cost for each individual company. Lower costs for the company means lower costs passed on to their customers, so regular folks like you and me also benefit indirectly.
In fact, just about all the stuff you buy that relies on open-source software to some extent would’ve cost quite a bit more if it wasn’t for this “sharing is caring” approach to spreading the cost burden.
Open Source Is Both the Best and Worst Thing for Tech
The open-source movement has revolutionized technology, but is it too good to be true?
How open communities out-innovate billion-dollar R&D budgets
Open-source software exposes code to a global stage. It encourages competition, people fork projects and take apps in different specialized directions. New features and ideas are being tested and iterated in parallel—it’s the perfect breeding ground for fast innovation and equally fast peer review to weed out bad ideas. Anyone can become a beta tester by simply compiling the code or downloading an app and giving feedback.
The sheer scope of the open-source movement is hard to imagine, and it’s not like it’s perfect and always better than closed-source projects in every way. In my experience, open-source software is often lacking in cohesion and polish when it comes to user interfaces or usability when you compare it to the proprietary stuff. However, new fundamental ideas, technologies, and approaches have a better chance of emerging in the open-source world, which lets the closed-source part of the industry copy and refine it.
Both types of software are important and necessary, but I think that the relative importance of open source is clearly growing.
What the next phase of the software wars looks like
Right now, the term “AI” is on everyone’s lips, and apart from the role that open-source software has already played in the development of modern AI, the futures of these two areas are fundamentally linked. Deb Richardson from Red Hat argues that open-source is critical to the future of AI. Especially when it comes to giving everyone access to the technology, and making it safe and transparent.
Personally, however, I have a concern about how AI will affect software development on both sides of the fence. The rise of vibe coding means that lots of junk code will be flowing into open-source projects and not even Linus Torvalds’ hate of bad code will stem the flood. Our software world is already solidly built on open-source now, but this is one thing I worry could bring down the whole house of cards.
What Is Vibe Coding and Why Is It Risky?
Nobody said the vibes were good.
