Why Open Source?

Overview

You’ve put weeks of sweat and mental anguish into writing a new R package, so why should you provide an open source license for software that you or your company owns by default? Let’s discuss a few arguments for why open sourcing your software is a good idea.

Paying it Forward

Software development began in academic settings and the first computer programs with code that could be shared and run on multiple computers was shared between academics in the same way that academics share other kinds of scientific discoveries. The R programming language is open source, and there are hundreds of high-quality R packages that are also open source. A programming language can have lots of exciting features but the continued growth and improvement of a language is made possible by the people contributing to software written in that language. Amy said it succinctly, “A programming language is only as good as the community.”

So with that in mind, if you feel that the R language or the R community has contributed to your success or the success of your company consider open sourcing your software so that the greater R community can benefit from its availability.

Linus’s Law

Now let’s turn off the NPR pledge campaign and move our line of thinking from the Berkeley Kumbaya circle to the Stanford MBA classroom: as a business person why should you open source your software? One great reason is a concept called Linus’s Law which refers to Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux. The Linux operating system is a huge open source software project involving thousands of people. Linux has a reputation for security and for its lack of bugs which is in part a result of so many people looking at and being able to modify the source code. If the users of your software are able to view and modify the source code of your R package your package will likely be improved because of Linus’s Law.

Hiring

Open source software’s relationship with hiring is a two-way street: if you open source your software and other people send you improvements and contributions you can potentially identify job candidates who you know are already familiar with your source code. On the other hand if you’re looking for a job your contributions to open source software can be a part of a compelling portfolio which showcases your software skills.

However there are pitfalls you should be aware of when weighing a candidate’s open source contributions. Many open source contributions are essentially “free work” - work that a candidate was able to do in their spare time. The best candidates often cannot afford to make open source contributions. The most meaningful ways that an individual contributes to their community usually has nothing to do with writing software.

Summary

Licensing and copyright laws vary between countries and jurisdictions. You shouldn’t consider any part of this chapter as legal advice. If you have questions about open source licensing software you’re building at work you should consult with your legal department. In most situations software that you write on your own time belongs to you, and software that you write while being paid by somebody else belongs to whoever is paying you. Open source licensing allows you to put restrictions on how your software can be used by others. The open source philosophy does not oppose the commercial sale of software. Many companies offer an open source version of their software that comes with limitations, while also offering a paid license for more expansive commercial use. This business model is used by companies like RStudio and Highcharts.