You're Probably Already Using Open Source (You Just Don't Know It)

I talk about open source Software whose code is publicly available and modifiable. Transparency, collaboration, and often free as in free lunch are important parts of the open source model. a lot, and want to explain what it is.

Simply put, open source Software whose code is publicly available and modifiable. Transparency, collaboration, and often free as in free lunch are important parts of the open source model. means the code for a program is available for anyone to see and use. It's transparent, customizable, and often free. Like, free free.

Not even free, like "you're the product" free. It's actually free.

But this isn't all about saving money on subscriptions. What I like about it is simpler than that. You're using tools that are build for everyone and not owned by anyone.

You're probably already using open source Software whose code is publicly available and modifiable. Transparency, collaboration, and often free as in free lunch are important parts of the open source model. without knowing it. The tools you rely on most, you probably don't even think about. Big tech depends on a lot of open source Software whose code is publicly available and modifiable. Transparency, collaboration, and often free as in free lunch are important parts of the open source model. under the hood.

There are plenty of familiar tools that you've probably used. If you've ever used Firefox as your browser Lets you visit pages on the internet, examples are Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Brave. , that's open source Software whose code is publicly available and modifiable. Transparency, collaboration, and often free as in free lunch are important parts of the open source model. . WordPress, the thing that powers a huge chunk of the internet? Open source Software whose code is publicly available and modifiable. Transparency, collaboration, and often free as in free lunch are important parts of the open source model. . Ever heard of the Tor browser Lets you visit pages on the internet, examples are Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Brave. ? Also open source Software whose code is publicly available and modifiable. Transparency, collaboration, and often free as in free lunch are important parts of the open source model. !

It's not just browsers and websites that are open source Software whose code is publicly available and modifiable. Transparency, collaboration, and often free as in free lunch are important parts of the open source model. . If you've ever used an AI chat, you're using something that depends on a lot of different open source Software whose code is publicly available and modifiable. Transparency, collaboration, and often free as in free lunch are important parts of the open source model. pieces: transformer patterns developed by Google years ago, PyTorch (the framework Meta the rebranded company name for Facebook built and open-sourced that most AI models are trained on), and Linux An alternative to Windows or MacOS on computers. (running on nearly every server that powers these tools) to name a few.

There are open source Software whose code is publicly available and modifiable. Transparency, collaboration, and often free as in free lunch are important parts of the open source model. AI models that you can use locally on your own computer, even if it's a potato. I'll post about that later.

So next time you're picking a browser Lets you visit pages on the internet, examples are Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Brave. , a password manager, or an office app, look for the open source Software whose code is publicly available and modifiable. Transparency, collaboration, and often free as in free lunch are important parts of the open source model. option first. You don't have to become an open source Software whose code is publicly available and modifiable. Transparency, collaboration, and often free as in free lunch are important parts of the open source model. superfan like me. I'm not asking you to ditch your phone. But little swaps add up: Firefox instead of Chrome, LibreOffice instead of Word, KeePass instead of whatever's built into your browser Lets you visit pages on the internet, examples are Safari, Edge, Firefox, or Brave. . You'll save some money, sure. But what's even better is you'll be using something that's actually yours.

• Wanna ditch your phone?
• Why I like Linux?
• Want to try Linux out?