Open Source

Open-source software refers to a type of computer software that is free to use, is not ‘owned’ by any one organization and can be freely copied, distributed and modified under an open license.

while true founders Adam and Paul have dedicated their professional careers to advocating for open-source data management solutions. In their respective former roles as Engineering Lead and CTO at the Open Knowledge Foundation (OKF), Adam and Paul were some of open source’s earliest proponents. With Adam’s additional experience as founder of the nonprofit The Public Knowledge Workshop (‘Hasadna’) and Paul’s work as CEO of the open-source consultancy company Datopian, both have helped dozens of organizations worldwide to make the transition to open-source software.

The benefits to all kinds of organisation of adopting open-source software are considerable. The most attractive advantage to many is that open-source software provides a more economical and sustainable alternative to proprietary software. It costs no money to use and eliminates the possibility of what is known as ‘vendor lock-in’. Moreover, because open-source software can be freely modified, you can tweak and extend it as your company grows, new use cases arise and your business priorities shift. This makes open-source an attractive option for organizations looking to future proof their software ecosystem.

Open-source software also appeals greatly to socially-conscious organizations, particularly governments and nonprofits. With its open codebase and emphasis on community and transparency, open-source software is ‘democratic’ and lends itself nicely to open data initiatives. Additionally, because open-source software improves with use, contributing to the development of open-source projects and giving back to the open-source community can compliment philanthropic programs.

If you are interested to learn more about how open-source software could benefit your organization, while true can advise you on best approaches, recommend the right software, and help you get set up.