3 ms·

Is there anyone on earth not using open source in some capacity?

yjftsjthsd-h 3y ago
Depends what you mean by "using" open source. If we include consumers of software that happens to have its source published but who couldn't compile it even if they downloaded the source (so, >90% of Chrome users, for example), then yes there are lots of non-devs. Likewise, there are probably still some devs using licensed libraries proprietary applications using proprietary IDEs and compilers, though it's certainly getting rarer.
- bonestamp2 3y ago
  I would bet that every form of motorized transportation has open source in the build or operating model somewhere.
- buildsjets 3y ago
  Watching the penguin screen continuously reboot on Delta airlines’ janky in-flight entertainment system should not count as “Using Open Source”.
codetrotter 3y ago
This group of people for one. > the Sentinelese appear to have consistently refused any interaction with the outside world. They are hostile to outsiders and have killed people who approached or landed on the island. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinelese https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinelese But more seriously I would say there is a difference between intentionally and incidentally using open source software. I run Linux and FreeBSD on multiple machines. I use open source software intentionally. My girlfriend runs Windows on her laptop. If we look closely I am sure we will find open source libraries being used both within the OS, and within other pieces of software that she runs. But all of that is incidental. She is not interested in software and that is fine. My mother and my grandfather both use LibreOffice. But only because I installed it for them. So neither my grandfather nor my mother really are intentional users of open source software. It just happened to be the case that their grandson/son (me) knew about LibreOffice and installed it for them, so that they could use it to write documents and to open Word documents that other people sent to them.

Depends what you mean by "using" open source. If we include consumers of software that happens to have its source published but who couldn't compile it even if they downloaded the source (so, >90% of Chrome users, for example), then yes there are lots of non-devs. Likewise, there are probably still some devs using licensed libraries proprietary applications using proprietary IDEs and compilers, though it's certainly getting rarer.

bonestamp2 3y ago
I would bet that every form of motorized transportation has open source in the build or operating model somewhere.
buildsjets 3y ago
Watching the penguin screen continuously reboot on Delta airlines’ janky in-flight entertainment system should not count as “Using Open Source”.

codetrotter 3y ago

This group of people for one. > the Sentinelese appear to have consistently refused any interaction with the outside world. They are hostile to outsiders and have killed people who approached or landed on the island. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinelese https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinelese But more seriously I would say there is a difference between intentionally and incidentally using open source software. I run Linux and FreeBSD on multiple machines. I use open source software intentionally. My girlfriend runs Windows on her laptop. If we look closely I am sure we will find open source libraries being used both within the OS, and within other pieces of software that she runs. But all of that is incidental. She is not interested in software and that is fine. My mother and my grandfather both use LibreOffice. But only because I installed it for them. So neither my grandfather nor my mother really are intentional users of open source software. It just happened to be the case that their grandson/son (me) knew about LibreOffice and installed it for them, so that they could use it to write documents and to open Word documents that other people sent to them.