FOSS funding, co-operation, and the Digital Life Collective

Free open-source software (FOSS) is the bedrock of our digital world. This is a story about getting funding for FOSS engineering…

Cory Doctorow: IP

You’ve probably heard of “open source software.” If you pay at­tention to the politics of this stuff, you might have heard of “free software” and even know a little ab…

Open Source Software - Part 1

The rise of OSS

Open Source is Not Enough

by James Halliday // The open source movement has fundamentally changed how software gets written. But in the process, corporations have been given a vast gift of free labor.

The Rules of Open Source No Longer Apply | Built In

When free software first gained traction, the world looked very different.

Chapter 1. Introduction

Free software — open source software[3] — has become the backbone of modern information technology. It runs on your phone, on your laptop and desktop computers, and in embedded microcontrollers for household appliances, automobiles, industrial machinery and countless other devices that we too often forget even have software. Open source is especially prevalent on the servers that provide online services on the Internet. Every time you send an email, visit a web site, or call up some information on your smartphone, a significant portion of the activity is handled by open source software.

When Free Software Isn't (Practically) Superior - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation

The Open Source Initiative's mission statement reads, “Open source is a development method for software that harnesses the power of distributed peer review and transparency of process. The promise of open source is better quality, higher reliability, more flexibility, lower cost, and an end to predatory vendor lock-in.”

My FOSS Story - Andrew Gallant's Blog

I’d like to break from my normal tradition of focusing almost strictly on technical content and share a bit of my own personal relationship with Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). While everyone is different, my hope is that sharing my perspective will help build understanding, empathy and trust.

Open source and the software supply chain

Managing something as esoteric as resources for building software with a variety of contributions made by the open source community is more amorphic.

Open Source Hype Antidote

critical and alternative views on free and open source software

How open-source software took over the world | TechCrunch

It was just five years ago that there was an ample dose of skepticism from investors about the viability of open source as a business model. Fast-forward to today and we’ve witnessed the growing excitement in the space.

The Money In Open-Source Software | TechCrunch

It’s no secret that open-source technology -- once the province of radicals, hippies and granola eaters -- has gone mainstream. According to industry estimates, more than 180 young companies that give away their software raised roughly $3.2 billion in financing from 2011 to 2014. Despite the growing popularity of open-source software, though, many open-source companies are not financially healthy.

Why Open Source Software / Free Software (OSS/FS, FOSS, or FLOSS)? Look at the Numbers!

This paper provides quantitative data that, in many cases, open source software / free software is equal to or superior to their proprietary competition. The paper examines market share, reliability, performance, scalability, scaleability, security, and total cost of ownership; it also comments on non-quantitative issues and unnecessary fears.

Embrace Open Source, For the Good of Nerdmanity | Fortune

More businesses are willing to use open source software for key projects.

Platform Cooperativism as a Critique of Open-Source

I am a pretty assiduous digital commoner, for what it’s worth. I almost exclusively use free/libre/open-source software (hereafter FLOSS), evangelistically so. I try to practice open journali…

Software Freedom in a Post Open Source World

(Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Software Freedom)