Open Source

What is this Open Source thing all about?

About me.

Andreas Tiefenthaler (Andy)

• Like Ruby
• Software Developer in Vienna.
• vienna.rb Usergroup
• RGSoC - Mentor, Supervisor, ...
• occasionally fix bugs in Open Source projects
• I like dinosaurs and dogs.

Who of you is using Open Source?

Everyone is

Ruby

Rails

Firefox

...

Other examples for Open Source

• Linux/BSD
• VLC Mediaplayer
• Rails and Ruby
• Mozilla Firefox Web Browser
• Rails Girls and Rails Girls Summer of Code
• the software to make this slides (and this slides)

What does Free mean?

Free as in Freedom

The Four Freedoms

The freedom to run the program, for any purpose.

The freedom to study how the program works,

and change it so it does your computing as you wish.

The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor.

The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others.

Open vs. Closed Source

Open Source

• Lots of People use it, well tested.
• Bugs are found and fixed fast.
• You can not demand anything, but you can do it on your own.
• It can be a rude but also awesome environment.

Closed Source

• Mostly comercial, and expensive
• You can not fix bugs, but can nudge the support (and hope they fix it for you).
• Dependent on the vendor.

What else should be open.

• Data
• Hardware
• Science
• Education
• Information
• Politics and Government
• Music, Books, Art
• ...

How can I be a part of it?

• Improve documentation.
• Translations
• Help people using it.
• Spread the word.
• Contribute to the Code.

Companies that do Open Source

• Redhat
• Suse
• Google
• Gitlab
• Github
• Travis CI
• Apache Foundation
• Canonical Ltd. (Ubuntu)
• ...

Thank you!

Open Source is awesome!

@pxlpnk