Governments Should Fund Open Source as Public Infrastructure
By
pabs3
Crackling crust, pillowy middle. The kind of bagel that earns a second cup of coffee.
Summary
The article advocates for governments to treat Open Source software as public infrastructure by investing in it and shifting from mere consumption to active contribution. It references a 15-year-old theory about the commercialization of Open Source, which argued that paying contributors is essential for its sustainability, despite initial concerns about corrupting the volunteer-driven spirit.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledTo protect the digital foundation of essential government services, governments should invest in Open Source as public infrastructure and shift from consumption to contribution.
I argued that if Open Source was going to thrive, people had to get paid to work on it.
Many feared money would corrupt the spirit of volunteerism and change the nature of Open Source contribution.
You might also wanna read
California amendment may exempt Linux and open source OS from age verification law
California's Digital Age Assurance Act (AB 1043), signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in October, requires age verification for operating system
theregister.com·4d ago
California proposes exempting open-source operating systems from age-verification law after Linux backlash
California lawmakers are backing away from a controversial age-verification bill (AB 1856) that alarmed Linux and open-source developers. A
tomshardware.com·5d agoCalifornia proposes exempting open-source operating systems from age-verification law after Linux backlash
California lawmakers are backing away from a controversial age-verification bill (AB 1856) that alarmed Linux and open-source developers. A
tomshardware.com·5d ago
Open Source Community Secures Age Attestation Exemptions in Colorado and California
System76 CEO Carl Richell describes how the open source community worked with legislators in Colorado and California to secure exemptions fr
system76.com·5d ago
How age assurance laws could impact open source developers and infrastructure services
Policymakers globally are advancing age assurance laws to protect minors online, with requirements moving down the tech stack to operating s
github.blog·11d ago
Open letter urges NHS England to uphold open source commitments for publicly funded code
An open letter addressed to NHS England argues that code developed with public funding should remain open source, as mandated by UK Governme
keepthingsopen.com·1mo ago