Open source for non-programmers
The term “open source” refers to something that people can inspect, modify, and share because its design is publicly accessible and, often, free to use.
Open source projects come with a license that defines them as open source and specifies the conditions for their use. While there are many types of open source licenses, each with different rules, that’s beyond the scope of this article. Although open source is commonly associated with programming, it can apply to almost anything—something you’ll see later in this article.
In computer science, tasks often repeat across projects. Even though each project is unique, many share similar elements. For example, think of websites: most have features like "log in," "sign up," or "reset password." To avoid reinventing these features for every new project, developers often automate them and make these tools open source. This way, others can use these tools in their own projects, saving time and effort.
Making a project open source has a lot of benefits. As the definition suggests, "people can modify" the code. This means others can contribute to making the project better. Continuing with the website example, imagine finding an issue while using an open source signup tool. With open source, you can inspect the code to identify the issue—and maybe even fix it. Or, if you prefer, you can report the problem to the community so someone else might address it. Beyond fixing problems, you might spot ways to improve user experience, and your contribution could be incorporated into the project.
Additionally, an open source license protects the software (or whatever is licensed) by keeping it freely available to anyone who wants to use or share it. This means that no one can privatize it later on, preventing any single company from claiming copyright and restricting its use in the future.
This idea of protecting resources from being “owned” by private companies isn’t just for software—it can work for other valuable things too. A great example is in farming. Right now, a few big companies control most of the seeds used to grow food around the world. These companies often patent seeds, which means they have special rights to control how these seeds are used, sold, and grown. This makes many farmers rely on these companies for seeds, which limits their choices and can affect food availability and independence.
To solve this problem, a project called Open Source Seeds was created. Their goal is to make seeds “open source,” just like open source software. By putting an open source license on seeds, they allow anyone to grow, reproduce, and share these seeds freely. This way, seeds stay as a shared resource for everyone, not something controlled by a few big companies.
With open source seeds, farmers and gardeners have more access to different types of plants, which helps keep our food supply diverse and strong. This idea also supports more sustainable farming and gives local communities more control over their food. Just like with open source software, open source seeds keep these resources safe from being controlled or restricted by private companies, making sure they stay available for everyone in the future.
The Open Source Seeds project shows how open source ideas can be used in areas beyond technology. It’s a great example of how the same open, sharing attitude that helps people work together in software can also help protect important resources, like seeds, and make a positive impact around the world.