How Open Source Technology Can Solve World Problems
Now, more so than in previous generations, our society revolves around increasing efficiency, enhancing understanding and sharing knowledge. The rise of modern technology has given way to fast-paced global developments, as opposed to the more geographically siloed research processes of the past. We’ve created a shared economy where the notion of individual ownership is becoming all but laughable. In every instance, we are encouraged to be more open — from our floor plans, to our work and public spaces, our ideologies, and even our relationships. This is the direction that society is swiftly taking in the 21st century.
To compound on these changes, our current global circumstances and ‘woke’ culture have also led to increased social and environmental consciousness. There is a renewed focus on the reduction of waste in all arenas. Based on this, many of the tech-industry’s long standing conventions for coding and software development are proving to be the universal way forward. With mantras like ‘Duplication is Waste’ and ‘Don’t Repeat Yourself’ we have been — as usual — ahead of the game. Now is the time to take it a step further to see what can happen when we integrate the openness of our technology with that of our society.
Open Source Technology — What Is It?
According to OpenSource.com, open source software or technology uses source code that anyone can inspect, modify and enhance. In traditional closed source software, the source code, or blueprint, is proprietary information that can only be viewed and edited by the creator. Open source technology allows for users to interact with the software on their own terms, learning from it and adapting it to their particular needs or fancies. Many open source licensing agreements (known as copyleft licences), include requirements that any modified version of the program released by a user must be accompanied by the modified code, often free of charge.
A lot of the technology we use today is powered by open source software, most notably the world wide web. Programs like LibreOffice provide open versions of standard proprietary software (in this case, Microsoft Office) and it is becoming a more regular practice to create these alternatives. Many prefer it over closed source for multiple reasons, such as more efficient troubleshooting and upgrades, flexibility of use, security and the benefits of the tight-knit communities it often creates. We will discuss here more about how this type of shared technology can benefit society beyond our device screens.
How Is It used?
Let’s take a closer look at those mantras we mentioned earlier. Don’t Repeat Yourself. Often referred to as the DRY principle, this is used to emphasise the importance of avoiding duplication on all levels (because Duplication is Waste). When dealing with processes, duplication is reduced through automation. The goal is to ‘not repeat’ the same actions over and over. If we compare this to our lives, we often automate things like paying bills, investing, scheduling our dentist appointments and so much more. By taking a moment to set our routine activities to auto-pilot, we can be much more efficient with the time we have remaining. In coding or logic functions, duplication is avoided by abstraction. An abstraction is essentially a method of simplifying a complex sequence of code, winnowing it down to a function of inputs that can be quickly modified to produce the desired output. There are abstractions everywhere in our world that go unnoticed (which is what they’re made to do), from pressing a doorbell and having it ring on the other side, to turning a key in the car ignition and having it turn on. Our brain even creates abstractions on a daily basis, based on our learned experiences. If we touch hot metal, we instantly recoil in pain and when we feel hungry, we automatically tend to go in search of food. These responses are ingrained from a very young age — some may say even inherited from our ancestors — and typically do not need to be re-learned at any point later in life. Although there are a slew of triggers, chemical reactions and connections that are made within our bodies to activate these responses, we have no conscious knowledge of them.
If we apply these principles of eliminating the waste of duplication on a wider scale, we can begin to make real developments across borders. We can quickly iterate new systems, learning from and building on the progress of others. Real, collaborative change.
Okay, but How Can This Solve Actual Problems?
In a world of constant change that is striving for improvement, wouldn’t it be easier to work together rather than compete against each other? Divisions seem to be what keep us from progressing as a society in the first place, and so to eliminate the boundaries through programming would be a step in the right direction. If a program is created in Europe to help survivors in the aftermath of a natural disaster, sharing that source code openly can allow developers in the US, the Caribbean or Africa to simply build upon that code when they are in need and retrofit it for their circumstances. It can also allow coders from anywhere in the world to provide feedback and real-time updates that can improve the system. A bug or inefficiency that was not caught by the creator can easily be remedied by someone else. There would be no need to ever reinvent the proverbial wheel if code were always freely available for public use.
Open source technology does much more than just give access to software. It fosters a practice of sharing, collaborating and ‘failing forward’ — together. It also inherently requires transparency, which can build a sense of trust between users. The Linux Foundation is one example of a platform dedicated to globalising open source as a way to encourage innovation in technology and industry. The executive director of their energy sector, Shuli Goodman, maintains that “When it comes to creating smart solutions, open source is the best and most efficient option, combining brain power from leaders across the globe.” When improvements are quickly ideated and implemented, the focus of the world’s experts can be turned towards targeting even bigger issues.
With global crises like the Coronavirus pandemic and climate change, there is no shortage of issues that need to be immediately addressed by the world’s most innovative minds. We cannot expect to continue using methods of the past to treat the ills of today, and as technology is the language of the future, it is about time we started embedding it into the very fabric of how we operate — down to how we think. Sitting in rooms and talking about issues has gotten us nowhere. It is time to allow those with the tools and knowledge to act.
