Open source is an idea. When i hear it, I generally think about software, and maybe technology in general. I’ve written previously about an initiative to open source the manufacturing of machines/products for space research, and this isn’t the only open source initiative for manufacturing modern technology that I’ve seen. However, listening to npr recently I heard something that changed my perception on what open source is, or can be.

Upgrading Democracy

In the clips from the Ted Talk I herd, given by Pia Mancini, she defined her issued with the current democratic system, describing how it’s very hard to become a part of the conversation and make a visible impact on the laws made by the few to effect the many. Her idea was to make an open source application for discussion of bills to be passed, an application that would let people directly vote for the laws in their country. The application, DemocracyOS fits the general definition of open source, but the NPR podcast gave the idea that the open design of the app for running the government was inspired by the ideas of open source.

Now, it seems to me that the some important ideals of what open source currently means, to me, are missing from this new system. Open source allows people to reuse, revise, remix, and redistribute the open source… thing. So, ideally, to fit more to the current definition of open source, laws should be able to be remixed and reused and the like by the citizens using the system? I’m not entirely sure, but I think this is besides the point. The main thing I took away from this, for the sake of this blog post, is the idea that I might be able to apply the idea of open source to more than just software and products.

Redefinition

Open source, as it stands in my head, applies to technology. Though, when I say technology, I generally mean modern technology, usually involving computers. However, if I take technology to mean really any sort of technique or skill or product that human minds have ever created or devised, I think that the idea of open source still can apply to that. Basically, I think open source can and should be able to apply to any idea. AAn open source idea is one that, once created, can be shared with any number of people, edited by anyone who wants to, and shared again from there. As I’m writing this I realise that my ideas are not very novel, but my own definition of open source, at least, has expanded. I had an idea of what it meant originally, which I have since revised and am now sharing with you. Open source at work.