Comment by jraph
11 hours ago
> Open source isn't really about the license, and it's also not even really about the source; open source is a philosophy centering open development and collaboration.
Not really. A project under an open source license which doesn't accept contributions is still open source.
It is totally about the license and the source code availability.
There are interesting things to say about the various development models, and those common in the open source world, but the open source aspect and the development model aspect should not be mixed.
I'm not actually claiming that an open source license that doesn't accept contributions is not open source. See my post where I say it's not a bright line.
But claiming open source is totally about the source and the license completely erases the diverse and vibrant community that has formed around open source over the past 40 years. The license is simply putting the community ethos into a legal document. The source being open represents a meeting place which focuses and collects the community. But the real power of open source is the human element that drives it, and the development philosophy they hold, not the source code.
Linux for instance wouldn't nearly be the powerhouse it is if it were merely "source available". You're really misunderstanding the power of open source if you think it's all about the code, and not the development model.