Why open source matters & how I'm helping
(Updated December 13th, 2022)
Following Twitter’s acquisition by Elon Musk, and the clear indication that Big Tech was only going to get bigger, I previously announced via social media that I’d commit to using open-source software and technologies on my devices going forward.
That reigns true with me taking a moment to reiterate the announcement, as well as detail the specifics of what I’ve changed thus far (as of November 4, 2022).
To reiterate, here was my full statement on it…
I’m making a commitment to [heavily] use open-source software in my workflow starting in 2023. Until that time, I will slowly phase out [most] proprietary software on my systems.
The only exception will be if it’s needed for work. Otherwise, an open-source alternative will be used.
I’m sick of enabling corporate overlords and billionaires, and will not allow them to exert control over how I operate on a day-to-day. This mission has already begun with my switch back to Linux, this time using the Ubuntu-based Pop!_OS*.
Where I am able, I will give back to these open-source projects monetarily, time-wise (helping with PRs, issues, development), or both. I am a firm believer in open-source: it is the future. Life’s better when we all work together!
And here’s what I’ve changed so far…
- I will no longer use Windows unless it is absolutely required.
- I use Linux for computing devices, Android on mobile devices.
- I’ve switched from Adobe Creative Cloud to DaVinci Resolve and GIMP on my primary system.
I plan to update this article as I continue changing my workflow over to open source alternatives. I expect to be fully switched over to mostly open-source projects by February 6, 2023.
Feel free to hit me up and ask questions about it! I usually hang out on Mastodon (@slade@pope.party), but I can also be found everywhere else too (including email).