The Golden Age Of Open Source Has Arrived

[steven36]

In the new economy, it’s not the code that matters — it’s how you use it to connect people to things they need. From 3D printers to Docker, open-source-based innovation is fueling some of the hottest digital capabilities of our time.

 

Finally — the golden age of open source has arrived.

 

Companies 20 years ago built monopolies on licensed software; today, free and open–source code fertilizes economic growth. The way to win at tech is no longer to own code, but to serve customers — and service has open source at its roots.

 

Like cloud storage and hardware components, coding languages hold little value by themselves anymore. The services around the code are what differentiate commodity companies from those with market value in the billions. Tesla released all of its patents to the public in 2014, jump-starting a new ecosystem of electric vehicles without threatening its own dominance.

 

Facebook’s entire data-center architecture is available via Open Compute, and its Apache Cassandra, released into the wild, has become a cornerstone of many an enterprise database. And that didn’t stop the social giant from reporting $12.46 billion in revenue last year.

 

Companies aiming to win in the new marketplace must either build or buy their way into a thriving open-source-driven service — or risk falling too far behind.

 

It’s not just about free updates, cheap compute capacity and efficient production. It’s about positioning yourself in an economy where the ownership model has fundamentally shifted, and becoming the go-to service in a world that values sharing.

The Golden Age Of Open Source

When the notoriously proprietary Apple announced in June that the company will open source the next version of its programming language, Swift, it became apparent that the wonders of open-source technology are no longer optional, even for the world’s top companies. The move by Apple had people buzzing, because it was a powerful acknowledgement that the app ecosystem has diversified to the point that forcing a language to specific platforms no longer makes sense.

 

There are plenty of other recently created open–source programming languages that are fighting to rise to the top — Google open sourced its Go language, Mozilla released its language Rust and Facebook is experimenting with Hack and D. Even Microsoft took early steps in the open source world last year when it decided to open source its .NET platform, giving developers the go-ahead to create outside the Windows ecosystem.

 

The collective unlocking of coding doorways opens opportunities to take advantage of data and compute capacity in new ways. This has birthed a rash of startups, and also forces enterprises to change their success strategies, whether they feel ready to or not.

 

Business In The New Economy

The economic value of open source lies in its ability to help businesses understand, empower and serve their end users. Uber, which has Python, Node.js and other open–source systems on the back end, harnesses the connected economy to put the entire taxi industry on edge. Red Hat gives away all of its code, and generates value with a suite of specialized enterprise services and partnerships.

 

Using commodity code to create high-value connections, intelligence and, above all, services is how the new generation of companies wins.

The way to win at tech is no longer to own code, but to serve customers.

On-demand services like Amazon and Netflix have changed consumer behavior to the point that users expect high levels of service from everyone — and open source is the secret sauce behind getting to know consumers. It’s too expensive to use a proprietary system to collect, store and access enough data to accurately delineate customer archetypes or paths to purchase.

 

Open-source tools are cheaper, faster and more powerful, and they let companies apply data in unheard-of ways. The new batch of data-driven services will force mass production into a niche. Five years from now, customers will order and receive products and services anywhere. Company workers will change their activities to align with the company data feed.

 

It’s easy to build a startup around these new realities, but steering an entire corporation on a new heading is a different matter. Smart companies, however, are already adapting.

Keeping Up With The Open–Source Jones

Big enterprises, which by their nature cannot move as quickly as startups, are playing catchup in the form of mergers, acquisitions and partnerships. Corporate investment in startups is at an all-time high.

What service does your business own, and who and what does it connect?

There’s a special technique to integrating an open–source player. Like MacDonald’s former ownership of Chipotle, the approach is to stay hands-off so as not to dilute the purity of the brand. Microsoft acquired Revolution Analytics earlier this year, but the smaller company assured customers it will continue to support and develop the Revolution R products, including on non-Windows platforms.

 

The partnership between IBM and Spark, to name another, “represents a potential competitive threat to San Francisco startup Databricks,” whose main commercial product is a cloud service that runs on top of the Amazon Web Services public cloud. But Big Blue remains a remote benefactor, quietly supporting Spark and many other startups that have built their software on top of it.

A New Form Of Ownership

Amazon owns the service that lets users instantly view, investigate and select products. Uber owns the service that connects people immediately needing a ride to cars that will take them to their destination. What service does your business own, and who and what does it connect? Therein lies the secret to monetization, and ultimately long-term success.

 

And it can only be done effectively with open-source software.

 

Source

 

[Karabasas]

Uplifting article, but in reality it is little different. Most best apps creators do turn greedy and inflate/destroy the best ideas and implantations, as development support...

None the less (Windows) Microsoft dominated environment is dying, where's 98% of internet usage only few years ago, has (depending on a a sources or countries) has 48-65% usage these days.

[steven36]

18 minutes ago, Karabasas said:

Uplifting article, but in reality it is little different. Most best apps creators do turn greedy and inflate/destroy the best ideas and implantations, as development support...

None the less (Windows) Microsoft dominated environment is dying, where's 98% of internet usage only few years ago, has (depending on a a sources or countries) has 48-65% usage these days.

That's the great thing  about open source  though  ..Someone else  will  come up and fork off of  a  greedy person  or invent a new code that can do same thing just as well or better.

When I get on Linux  only thing i use that's not open source is the drivers AMD witch are slowly headed in that direction .I'm as free as a bird  If you chose to be a slave to a 20 + years old way of doing things that's you're own decision  and now days you're just going to be left behind .

[Karabasas]

1 minute ago, steven36 said:

That's the great thing  about open source  though  ..Someone else  will  come up and fork off of  greedy person  or invent a new code that can do same thing just as well or better.

When I get on Linux  only thing i use not open source is the drivers AMD witch are slowly headed in that direction .I'm as free as a bird  If you chose to be a slave to 20 year old way of doing things that's you're own decision  and now days you're just going to be left behind .

...is Android... Linux of the sort, but by Google...

And current "PC's" are the phones and tablet's, real Linux is on up, but not as marginal, as everyone would wish for.

[vibranium]

I agree that things are looking up for open source software. I hesitate to call it golden age though. I feel the best years are still ahead.

[steven36]

2 minutes ago, Karabasas said:

...is Android... Linux of the sort, but by Google...

And current "PC's" are the phones and tablet's, real Linux is on up, but not as marginal, as everyone would wish for.

Yes its a forum  of Linux .Android is . its a open-source  code. but  its full of closed source apps . Its were developers  make the most money selling  apps now days  is trough phones. .

 

But you can install  pure Linux on Android too

http://www.linux-magazine.com/Online/Features/Convert-an-Android-Device-to-Linux

 

[steven36]

32 minutes ago, vibranium said:

I agree that things are looking up for open source software. I hesitate to call it golden age though. I feel the best years are still ahead.

As far has windows software if you're  not  a big billion dollar company you cant hardly sell  software  . The way the economy is  no one has bought windows  since windows 7 even much . If you  go to site  and look  at anything  free vs  pay  always there more downloads for whats free . So  of course  if companies can make money using what is open source  they will use it ,  it cuts out a lot of overhead .They don't use cracks  lol  they have to really buy this stuff . Here is and  and example Open Source  Video encoders  it would cost you a 1000 dollars  to buy one  that can even compare . They can make open source apps as advanced  as things that 1000s of dollars  and its free. I don't think you  really understand it.

 

You take  a Linux o/s and  jam pack it  full of its open source software . On windows  if you was to replace all that and really buy it  would cost you a lot of money.

[vibranium]

No, when it comes to certain standards based applications, Windows and Mac commercial apps still hold the fort.

 

When free apps can break this stranglehold, then I will call it the golden age. Nearly there, maybe, but not yet.

[oliverjia]

Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, Photoshop, various commercial packages.....

 

When these are working on Linux, then that's the golden age. The current open source alternative to these softweare are still far behind for professional production.

[Karabasas]

3 minutes ago, vibranium said:

No, when it comes to certain standards based applications, Windows and Mac commercial apps still hold the fort.

 

When free apps can break this stranglehold, then I will call it the golden age. Nearly there, maybe, but not yet.

But... FreeApps turn paid ones... :/

2 minutes ago, oliverjia said:

Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, Photoshop, various commercial packages.....

 

When these are working on Linux, then that's the golden age. The current open source alternative to these softweare are still far behind for professional production.

Adobe had ever been present on any of personal PC's, the rest- as you say...

[steven36]

9 minutes ago, vibranium said:

No, when it comes to certain standards based applications, Windows and Mac commercial apps still hold the fort.

 

When free apps can break this stranglehold, then I will call it the golden age. Nearly there, maybe, but not yet.

Keep thinking like a poor man and you will stay poor too . You know how all these companies  are starting to make  money on you they use free stuff . That's how you get rich. I know self made  millionaires  who don't spend  anything on stuff they don't have to have . People don't get rich from spending it on it  toys  they get rich from saving money.

[vibranium]

2 minutes ago, steven36 said:

Keep thinking like a poor man and you will stay poor too . You know how all these companies  are starting money on you they use free stuff . That's how you get rich. I know self made  millionaires  who don't spend  anything on stuff they dont have to have . People dont get rich from spending on toys  they rich from saving money.

 

Why take it so personally? We are talking about the state of affairs now, as it stands. Not anybody's fault, not yours, and certainly not mine.

[steven36]

30 minutes ago, vibranium said:

 

Why take it so personally? We are talking about the state of affairs now, as it stands. Not anybody's fault, not yours, and certainly not mine.

Because  when you have all these companies that are using free stuff to make money . Even the NY stock exchange , Nuclear  subs  even the space station is powered off open source that should tell you something.  Windows and Microsoft office  are only a few 100  bucks  and most people  could care less  about PS . We still have office 2007 in our home  we have not bought it  in years lol. Many companies office is 2003 even lol.  You dont make money spending on things you don't need .  I don't buy software when I buy something its  electronics not some worthless  piece  of code that really has no value that the vendors are going to make you buy again  most the time anyways .  

 

That's what this topic is about  all these companies  are using open source they don't buy it there making  billions dollars . When people tell me to buy software i tell them they need to find a new line of work. If my job didn't pay right that's id have to do.  Id rather donate to open source.

[vibranium]

As if I was talking about PS. Jolly good then. Thanks for your view.

[VileTouch]

nope... look, i understand you're thrilled about linux, but that's bullcrap.

while some things are better done in linux there's a HUGE gap between Adobe and Autodesk products and anything you can find in linux. the obvious are Photoshop and 3d Studio Max.

but there's also Sony Vegas, Premiere, Audition (no, audacity...just...no), oh...helicon?

 

but just look at Mudbox. that thing is WAY far away from anything blender can muster. even more so than the differences between photoshop and gimp.

 

but there's a fundamental problem when it comes to format support in nix: codecs. sure, there's plenty to choose from, but when you NEED that one codec that happens to NOT be free, you're screwed. in windows, codecs are never a problem. (man, it bugs me to no end when i can't play a simple mp3 in linux because....because?)

 

dude, Delphi!...seriously? yeah, Kylix, but that one tripped and fell into a blackhole. eh,yeah...Lazarus, but....just... ew!

[steven36]

1 hour ago, VileTouch said:

nope... look, i understand you're thrilled about linux, but that's bullcrap.

while some things are better done in linux there's a HUGE gap between Adobe and Autodesk products and anything you can find in linux. the obvious are Photoshop and 3d Studio Max.

but there's also Sony Vegas, Premiere, Audition (no, audacity...just...no), oh...helicon?

 

but just look at Mudbox. that thing is WAY far away from anything blender can muster. even more so than the differences between photoshop and gimp.

 

but there's a fundamental problem when it comes to format support in nix: codecs. sure, there's plenty to choose from, but when you NEED that one codec that happens to NOT be free, you're screwed. in windows, codecs are never a problem. (man, it bugs me to no end when i can't play a simple mp3 in linux because....because?)

 

dude, Delphi!...seriously? yeah, Kylix, but that one tripped and fell into a blackhole. eh,yeah...Lazarus, but....just... ew!

You know you can install codecs in Linux  were you can play anything don't you ? There are some things I still use Windows  for  like encoding videos  and crap but i use open source software to do it  . I have more than one machine   one setup  with windows 7 to do tasks but i don't even need the internet for this.  . while  i use my Linux  for  entertainment mostly like  surfing watching videos enjoying  music . I have 4 O/S  in one room 2 windows  and 2  Linux setups

 

I never went that far as to switch everything i do 100% to Linux but its not because it could not do it  ,its because its not got my stuff  on it ,same reason why most people use  windows when you buy a PC, it's pre-loaded with Windows.  Most people don't install O/S unless there geeks or a windows update lol . Microsoft , Google  etc   knows  how to keep  you people slaves  to the system  . I still don't buy software  when on windows . I buy machines  that are pre loaded  with windows .

Quote

Open Source tends to work well when there's a strong need and high cost. It works less well when you have products only a few need. Because people tend to stick with what comes with the hardware, desktops in particular are slow to adopt.

You  think im going to pay someone  money  when it can be replaced with free  things . Im not id much rather donate to opensource  because  they don't try to make me buy it.

[steven36]

2 hours ago, vibranium said:

As if I was talking about PS. Jolly good then. Thanks for your view.

Its not you its peoples viewpoints  ,  This how they get rich . You take people who sells  Registry cleaners and speed up you're pc  they coned  everyone into buying this crap . When  you talk about open source  then you get all these people who still sound like there living in 2008  and most of the closed source stuff  they defend  that stuff in 2008  can do it just as well as the software today . Whens the last time you seen anyone invent anything new  that was closed source  that was a legacy  windows app that was worth buying ?  Most everything is the same old shit  witch  are minor code updates for years. its boring to me.

[vibranium]

Well, you're talking about what you want. I'm talking about what's happening now, in the world. Read my post. I'm not downing Linux. Linux is good. Linux will improve. I'm just not prepared to declare a "golden age" yet.

[steven36]

4 minutes ago, vibranium said:

Well, you're talking about what you want. I'm talking about what's happening now, in the world. Read my post. I'm not downing Linux. Linux is good. Linux will improve. I'm just not prepared to declare a "golden age" yet.

Open source  is not  just Linux bro ,there's are tons of apps for  windows open source some that are very good that's not even made for Linux.

[vibranium]

I only mentioned Linux because you bring it up many times.

 

I have in mind standards based applications, e.g. for broadcast codecs, and in this arena OSS has yet to break the stranglehold. The time will come, though, as innovations come and patents expire.

[steven36]

18 minutes ago, vibranium said:

I only mentioned Linux because you bring it up many times.

 

I have in mind standards based applications, e.g. for broadcast codecs, and in this arena OSS has yet to break the stranglehold. The time will come, though, as innovations come and patents expire.

Some stuff Id rather do on windows still  that needs intense  hardware alteration .  The biggest drawback is GL  is not as fast  as DX hardware alteration .

 

When it comes to stuff like broadcast Proprietary software makers shun open source they want keep you living in 2008

[davmil]

Don't bet on a world where everything is free anymore than perpetual motion and energy.  From a commercial perspective it appears that when everyone owns/has responsibility, then no one is responsible.  Apps that come-n-go without commitment or 'legs' don't serve corporate needs.