Seriously think about this topic for a minute? Can Open Source boost our economy? Really? When I talk about open source, I mean not just about the development of free software but of social production as a whole. Think about it, the more our economy focuses on Open Source or Social Production, the more advancements you have in any given area of expertise. More inventions are found. More solutions are found. Many people understand the positive effect that ‘Open Source’ is having, but are not easily relating it to our economy.
In the computer and Internet worlds, ‘Open Source’ is assisting people in two ways. First, it’s helping build fantastic pieces of software that are helping run the everyday world. Second, it’s a higher, faster, more effective means of learning and education for developers and programmers of all types. Other industries however, are not taking advantage of ‘Open Source’ in their respective areas. And a direct correlation can be made. In almost every single struggling Industry in our economy, you can find a lack of Social Production! Stock Market, Real Estate, Restaurants etc. All currently struggle in the United States and all suffer from a lack of Social Production of some kind. Find a way to boost the social production, and you will find an increase in that particular industries economy.
A better question is will this happen? Will different market segments such as Real Estate make strong efforts towards Social Production and Open Source within their industry. It’s hard to say. I don’t know myself. In these other industries you will find greedy people. People who don’t like to share information to others. They horde! This “hording” mentality keeps their Industry from advancements into the future. And thus, threatens their industries existence. Software can only grow for so long until we will need other industries to start catching up. If they don’t, a hard falling economy will effect us all.
The Programmer’s Opportunity
On the flip side of this, a huge opportunity awaits programmers of all types. If or when people begin to look at social production as a means for success, they will start inquiring for help from programmers to build tools and applications that they need. This is when the responsibility now lies in the hands of the programmer. Instead of building a proprietary piece of software for a client, using an already existing open source project or starting one of your own will ultimately benefit that industry in the long term.
Only time will tell this story. But if professionals of all types can learn to leverage open source technologies, and also help contribute to them, as well as share and build hubs of information online you better believe increases in our Economy will follow. Social Production and Open Source is the critical factor in our economy, and the one thing that can save it!!!!
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