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Showing posts from October, 2014

Why Open-Source Software works

Many people, specially outside the technology industry are surprised that something like open-source software could exist, specially at the scale and sophistication it quite obviously does. Many vendors of proprietary - i.e. closed-source software, have long tried to discredit open-source as either suspicious and subversive "Commie-stuff" or as hobbyist toys and playthings, not fit for serious applications. Looking at the development of human knowledge and culture throughout history, it should not be surprising that open-source software would exist and be thriving in the long run. On the contrary, closed-source software, like any idea or innovation that is kept secret essentially dies with its inventor, cannot influence new ideas and ongoing innovation and essentially becomes an evolutionary dead-end. In the short-lived word of technology, this can happen within decades rather than centuries, as historically no tech company has managed to stay dominant for more than a few d