Open Source Society

My name is Josh.  I am a husband, a father, a programmer, a network engineer, an ASE certified mechanic, a serious weather enthusiast, and a diehard fan of open source.

A lot of people ask me why I’m so gung-hu about open source, and the answer is simple.  I like to tinker with things, and I’m not a man of wealth.  Software that I can play with and rewrite however I like, that also costs me no money, is a perfect fit for me.  I think more people would benefit from it if they were aware of it.

I started this blog to spread not just the word about all the great free software available, but also about the philosophy of open source, which is that knowledge and information belongs to everyone, and should not be restricted to those who can pay for it.  So while many discussions about open source devolve into pro and con comparisons of free operating systems versus proprietary operating systems, my hope is this blog will not suffer that fate.  My belief is that those discussions miss the point entirely, which is that no matter what differences exist between free and non-free software, for better or for worse in aesthetic terms, free software is always better because it is free, both in cost and in philosophy.

I also want to explore the possibilities that arise from applying the open source principles of sharing knowledge and information to other aspects of everyday life.  The progression of human civilization is the story of the transfer of knowledge - sometimes by force - from the privileged elite to the masses.

If you would like to contribute your knowledge, talents, or resources to this project, please feel free to contact me by email at josh<at>opensourcesociety.org.  If you use PGP, I encourage you to use my public key to sign or encrypt your message.

Hello, My name is Evan Villegas. I am university student with dual majors in Spanish Language and Psychology. I am a husband, Internet tech. support rep, political activist and a huge fan of open source software and technologies.

Open Source represents many things to me. It represents the human spirit’s insatiable thirst for freedom, imagination, disinterested cooperation and innovation. What do we get out of Open Source? Many people work in open source and develop imaginative software for all to use without making a profit off of it, I think proving the tired old saying wrong that humans are inherently greedy. We get enjoyment out of open source, putting resources, labor, and valuable time just to make lives of others easier. Open Source puts technology into the hands of everyone without consideration of their ability to exchange it for currency. Information should be free to all and Open Source empowers people around the globe with the tools they need to access the endless amount of information and educational resources available on the web and make use of them.

Open Source is regular human beings breaking down barriers so that everyone can share in the information revolution, allowing them to spread knowledge free of charge in defiance of of the world’s privileged elite that would have us live in total ignorance. This is why we do Open Source and why I would encourage you to get involved with this movement, knowledge is power.