Many potential readers of this blog may be unfamiliar with the concept of “Open Source” software. There are a variety of possible definitions (depending on your preferred open source licensing schema), but what essentially qualifies software as being Open Source is the availability of its underlying source code for reading and editing. Why is that important? Because if you know how something is built you can always rebuild it, or build something similar that does the same job. Put it another way: ever feel like your information has been hijacked by software companies? What if you stopped using Microsoft Office, or you want to distribute your writing to someone who can’t afford pricey software? Sure there are workarounds, but those workarounds (1) require the use of open formats (that is, they presuppose the existence of Open Source software) and (2) require you to take extra steps to have unrestricted access to your own data.
Practical Advantages of Open Source
I have long preferred using software that supports open standards out of the box, such as the free and multi-platform openoffice.org, for practical reasons. In addition to the points mentioned above, open source code allows for easy third-party modification, which has resulted in the overwhelming success of software such as Mozilla’s Firefox and Thunderbird. Need a feature not included in the original? Just Google, click, restart, and you’re ready to go, and all free of charge.
Ethics and Open Source
But the issue may be more than practical. Westminster professor Vern Poythress has made an ethical case for the superiority of open computing. This is a very interesting read. There are, of course, certain qualifications that must be made, such as for security software and other areas were privacy is necessary for proper program performance, but Poythress’s suggestions provide an interesting perspective on the current debate. As a side note, Dr. Poythress puts the open source mentality into personal practice–he has released almost all his writings for free reading on his website.
Recent Moves by Microsoft
Microsoft has recently come to appreciate the advantages, if not the necessity, of opening up their format standards. Many (including myself) question the company’s commitment, but yesterday’s news is in their favor, as is their recent commitment to begin opening up their API. The fear that open code leads to less revenue has apparently been thoroughly debunked, and Microsoft may have some catching up to do with regards to their business model in order to compete.
At the very least, this saga is an interesting example of the application of Christian ethics. No area of life is neutral; all most submit to God’s Lordship.
