Noted Internet thinker and author Clay Shirky delivered one of the opening “provocations” at Supernova 2007. Using a 1300-year-old Japanese shrine as a metaphor, Clay explained how the New Network changes the basic dynamics of business and collective creativity.
This video has been linked in the footer of the discourse.org website for as long as I can remember, behind this provocative click bait:
Built with love, Internet style.
It’s just 10 minutes and I do recommend it for anyone trying to understand open source, which is an esssential building block of digital sovereignty.
The strong open source software projects we rely on are built with love, by communities who love each other and the software, and so are built to last. And because they are on the internet they have far reaching impact.
As a user of open source vs closed big tech software, you don’t always have a single company you can blame when things go wrong or reach out to for support. But you are not beholden to them or reliant on them either.
I think Sharkey‘s comparison of open source to 1000 year-old shrine is fitting. Adopting using and contributing to open sources is a long-term investment and a community endeavor. You are not alone!
My goal with this community is to help the transition to self hosted open source for more people who are drawn to its privacy and security benefits, by bringing them together to explore the different open source options available, to compare and contrast our experiences, and to provide step-by-step guidance to adopting open sources, and of course, to provide a space for mutual support and solidarity.
