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Maybe it has something to do with the domain I work in, or maybe it's just a problem with how software is done, but the expectation in my industry that there ou

Maybe it has something to do with the domain I work in, or maybe it's just a problem with how software is done, but the expectation in my industry that there ought to be a relationship that comes along with the software. Also, Open Source is not an answer to the last question. The majority of software users don't have the technical expertise to evaluate the safety of a given OSS, even if there's a community established around making recommendations — but even then, that's a trust relationship too. Edit: maybe I should be more open minded. How is OSS a substitute for trust? Is it a redirection of trust to a group whose interests are aligned with yours? How do you facilitate that network without putting too much burden on the user? Are there any good examples of working OSS that involves non-technical end users?

TeMPOraL 7y ago
> Maybe it has something to do with the domain I work in, or maybe it's just a problem with how software is done, but the expectation in my industry that there ought to be a relationship that comes along with the software. It absolutely is a problem with how software is done. A decade or more ago, back before everything turned from a product into a SaaS subscription, you could buy software, and any relationship was strictly optional. > How is OSS a substitute for trust? Is it a redirection of trust to a group whose interests are aligned with yours? I should have said more and not just dropped a term, sorry. OSS is not a substitute for trust in general; trust is a desirable quality. But it is a refinement of trust (per the usual "trust but verify" approach), and also potentially a redirection - you have an option to base your trust not just on promises of the software provider, but also on the opinions of other people who looked into it, and who give you more reasons to trust them. > How do you facilitate that network without putting too much burden on the user? Open Source helps with that by allowing communities of users with knowledge about the inner workings to form. These communities naturally connect to other communities. It's not effortless, but humans in general are good at navigating this. OSS isn't a necessary thing here, but it's very helpful.

TeMPOraL 7y ago

> Maybe it has something to do with the domain I work in, or maybe it's just a problem with how software is done, but the expectation in my industry that there ought to be a relationship that comes along with the software. It absolutely is a problem with how software is done. A decade or more ago, back before everything turned from a product into a SaaS subscription, you could buy software, and any relationship was strictly optional. > How is OSS a substitute for trust? Is it a redirection of trust to a group whose interests are aligned with yours? I should have said more and not just dropped a term, sorry. OSS is not a substitute for trust in general; trust is a desirable quality. But it is a refinement of trust (per the usual "trust but verify" approach), and also potentially a redirection - you have an option to base your trust not just on promises of the software provider, but also on the opinions of other people who looked into it, and who give you more reasons to trust them. > How do you facilitate that network without putting too much burden on the user? Open Source helps with that by allowing communities of users with knowledge about the inner workings to form. These communities naturally connect to other communities. It's not effortless, but humans in general are good at navigating this. OSS isn't a necessary thing here, but it's very helpful.