Why Open Source

Open source software is all around us. The Linux kernel powers most of the smartphones out there, and for infrastructural software such as databases, web servers, the battle has already been lost by the commercial vendors. In the up and coming, "hot" field called as big data, there isn't even a single closed source vendor that is worth mentioning - at least in medium data days with its Oracles, Sybases, SQL Servers there was some amount of fun fight. There is pure silence now.

How did this phase shift take place?

It has to do with game theoretic choices of each actor in the business, and the spread of technical knowledge. The actors: programmers (the users of software), managers (deciding which software to use), software producers (vendors, OS contributers who provide the software).

Programmers gain certain key benefits from OS: in the knowledge econ when careers are fluid where there is a lot of shift from one company to the next, OS software know-how is something they can take with them. They can build expertise on an OS software while working in one company, and continue using it in another company. A huge benefit.

The motivation of the second actor in the system: managers deciding which software to use. Choosing free over commercial is much easier in terms of budget - as long as the quality is comparable to commercial software.

The final actor in the system: the producers of software: They could contribute code to OS because it is possible, easy. The capability of the software community at large reached a certain maturity.

If we throw all choices, priorities into the bowl and stir, optimize it is clear the equilibrium point for all can be none other than open source. Good ol' self-interest made that happen.