In a world dominated by proprietary solutions and closed systems, I have always been an advocate for open source. As Chairman of Open Info and with over two decades in the technology industry, I have seen how open source has changed the world – and why it's more important than ever.
The Power of Community
Open source is more than just free software. It's a philosophy about collaboration, transparency and shared knowledge. When thousands of developers around the world contribute to the same project, something is created that no single company could achieve alone.
Think of Linux, which powers most of the internet's infrastructure. Or WordPress, which this blog was originally built on. These projects exist because people chose to share rather than hold back.
Security Through Openness
As someone who has worked extensively with penetration testing and cybersecurity, I know that security is often improved by openness. When source code is available to everyone, security holes can be discovered and fixed faster than in closed systems.
"Given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow." – Linus' Law
This isn't just theory – we see it in practice every day. The biggest security advances often come from the open source community.
Why It Matters for Healthcare
In the healthcare sector, open source is particularly important. Algorithms that affect medical decisions should be able to be examined and verified. Patients and doctors deserve to know how AI systems arrive at their recommendations.
At MediVox, we actively work to build solutions that balance openness with necessary privacy. It's challenging, but it's the right thing to do.
Give Back
My advice to everyone working with technology: Find ways to give back. Contribute to projects you use. Share knowledge. Mentor new developers. The open source community has given me incredibly much throughout my career, and I feel a responsibility to give back.
It's not just what we build that matters – it's how we build it. Together.