In most areas of our lives, having a product come from a reputable company is a plus.
Its how you trust that something is well-made.
Open-source software is actually much safer to use, and heres why.
This punch in of code is known as closed-source software.
Since you cant see the code, you have no way to know exactly what the software is doing.
This gives companies the freedom to do anything that can increase their profits.
That information is valuable for companies to sell to data brokers or use to sell ads.
Say an open-source app wanted to introduce the same kind of data collection.
Well, very few people actually want to be tracked.
All three of these companies use open-source software to varying degrees and contribute back to certain projects.
And they are not alone.
Google utilizes Linux not only in the cloud but on Chromebooks and Android.
The companies below were allplatinum members of the Linux Foundationat the beginning of 2023.
Valve pays developers to improve all theopen-source software that makes the Steam Deck possible.
Both use and develop open-source software.
The internet itself is largely built on open-source architecture.
All four components are open source.
Some open-source technology functions more like infrastructure.
Like with public roads, were all invested in infrastructure being reliable, private citizens and corporations together.
For example,the Linux kernel is foundin supercomputers and mobile phones alike.
This prevents someone from taking the code and hiding it in their private creation.
Instead, they give back, the program gets better, and we all benefit.
These days, most software doesnt come with a price tag.
But there is a difference.
Open-source software is truly given freely, with no strings attached.
When you use LibreOffice, no one knows what you do with the software.
This brings us to our next point.
Many people who create FOSS do so because they believe it to be an ethical thing to do.
Sometimes its about making money, but most of the time it isnt.
People often create and share their code out of the goodness of their hearts.
Thats not to say that people are selfless.
There are many gains aside from money.
Many people learn how to program by viewing already available source code, and they want to give back.
Users hold their software creators to strict standards.
Open-Source Software Has Stood the Test of Time
Many open-source projects have been around for decades.
Consider Mozilla Firefox, LibreOffice, GIMP, Audacity, and VLC.
These are programs that have gradually gotten better, gaining new features while losing old bugs.
This software is mature and proven.
This isn’t to say that there isn’t stable closed-source software that has been around for years.
But you already trust proprietary software.
The point here is that plenty of open-source software is just as time-tested, if not more so.
Unless someone purchased the rights, no one gets to see the code.
With open-source software, a project may become unmaintained, with no versions no longer appearing.
But the code continues to exist, and some people may use this code to create newer software.
So even if an app seems dead, its code may live on.
There are many proprietary programs that outdo the competition.
But when it comes to matters of trust, that is an area where open-source software serves best.
It isnt after your data.
It doesnt want to serve you ads.
It isnt trying to lock you into an ecosystem.
