I’m quite surprised there haven’t been any comments here yet on open source, so let me get it started with a few ideas. Open Source has its roots in academics and has the idea that, if we all have access to the source, we can fix the problems together and progress more quickly than if we had to rely on one person or a small group to make updates and changes. This open concept is related to a lot of other areas, and is used commonly in our day-to-day lives.
Here are some random but connected tidbits related to open source and associated movements as they relate to technology and our lives as teachers:
- Some of the websites and platforms we rely on every day are, or are based in, open source. Wikipedia, WordPress and others all rely on open-source development and are often protected by the GNU General Public License. Another name for this is sometimes called “Copyleft,” a response to copyright.
- A lot of basic websites and servers run on open source. These include the Apache web server, PHP for dynamic-content websites and MySQL for databases in which website information is stored are also open.
- If you need a free photo that you can use on your website, look at Flickr.com’s advanced search functions and search with the creative commons for copyleft photos that simply require attribution to use.
- Apple’s OS X operating system is based on Unix (well, it is Unix), which is synonymous with open platforms, although Apple’s version is certainly proprietary.
- Android is open source.
- The Internet wouldn’t exist without open standards.
- In this vein, some academics, particularly scientists it seems, are pushing for “Open Academia,” which doesn’t have anything to do with MOOCs, although it may sound like that at first. These academics are pushing for open access to research; that is, not behind the pay walls of big journals.
In sum, Open Source and its related cousins of openness have been and remain crucial to our growth and development as technological beings. But enough fawning. What do you all think?
