Open Source Is at a Crossroads
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Open source software is having a midlife crisis. Open source contributors are struggling to keep pace. Popular open source projects are making restrictive licensing changes. Backdoor threats are placing the open source supply chain in jeopardy. And, no one seems to have a clear grasp on what “open” means in the context of artificial intelligence.
This whirlwind of challenges makes for a scary prospect if left to spiral. “The effect on our lives if open source software disappeared would be incalculable,” said Ruth Suehle, an executive vice president of the Apache Software Foundation. Yet, the cracks are beginning to show in this global ecosystem, as many projects lack the basic funding to sustain the software that quite literally runs the world .
Like a brittle climate on the brink of collapse, there would be significant ripple effects if the life-giving waters of open source begin to dry up. “If one piece of the water cycle breaks, the well’s water won’t be replenished, and those who rely on it will suffer,” Suehle said.
