Supply & Demand

This is episode eleven …… of the Open Source Utopia Podcast. Today we are all using open source software …… to a smaller or larger degree. Even governments rely on it, and open source software is a cornerstone …… of the Internet. Still, we have seen examples …… of important open source projects …… that are maintained by a small group of people …… or, in some cases, just a single person. The software can play a central part …… in services used by billions of people, while the developer is surviving …… on a shoestring budget. That, my friends, is a dangerous situation. But, and I've said this before, it's not wrong to be a free rider. Open source software is there to be used …… however you want. Nothing is expected of you in return. But as a company, government, institution, or individual, who base your business on open source software, it should be in your interest …… that the open source software you are using …… has a sustainable future. But I don't think most companies, governments, institutions, or individuals know…… that they are using open source software. And I don't think they know …… how open source works. So, I think it's important …… that we talk more about open source. After all, open source projects …… are social endeavours …… and need the security of a community. The next episode will have more about that …… and other types of security in open source.