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The Movement That Rewired Tech : History of Open Source Software

The Movement That Rewired Tech : History of Open Source Software

Ever wondered what was that one Eureka moment that put open source in the spotlight that began the revolution? Let’s understand in depth why it all started and also debunk some myths around it!Starting as a grassroots effort and evolving into the backbone of today’s digital infrastructureIn the early 1980s, a bold new movement began, one that challenged the dominance of proprietary software launched by Richard Stallman, Founder of the Free Software Foundation which still exists and is active even today!What started off as a spirit of collaboration quickly escalated to turning of heads and raising of eyebrows. His goal? To give users the freedom to run, modify, and share software freely. To better ​​reflect the collaborative, transparent nature of the model, the term "open source" was coined in 1998. ​​

Open-source in India didn’t start in a lab or a shiny corporate HQ, It started in Bengaluru, long before we called it the startup capital.

Back in the late 90s, the Bangalore Linux User Group became the first hangout for curious hackers swapping Linux CDs, fixing bugs, and debating kernel updates over filter coffee and warm vadas.

Then came early torchbearers like Atul Chitnis, whose work, including the iconic Linux Bangalore and FOSS.IN conferences,turned what was a niche interest into a national movement. Students, developers, professors, random curious humans ,everyone showed up.

From there, open-source spread across the country with support from groups like the Free Software Movement of India, ICFOSS in Kerala, and the Software Freedom Law Center, taking it from meetups to policy, rights, and public infrastructure.

Today, open source software runs the internet (hello, Linux and Apache), powers mobile phones (Android), and even supports NASA and the UN. and yes, nonprofit offices too.Free and Open Source(FOSS) is powered by people, not profit, built, maintained, and improved by global communities who believe in collaboration and shared progress.In simple words- Open source can be seen, used, modified and where code can be shared, offering not just free access, but also transparency, freedom, and community-driven innovation.

Let’s debunk some common myths on Open source softwares (OSS) :

1.  “Free” means “Open”The assumption is open source just means zero cost, but it’s really about having the freedom to use, modify, and share the software, not just use it for free.

2. Open data = Open source Open data refers to freely available datasets, while open source is about transparent, modifiable software, two very different concepts that often get mixed up.

3. There aren’t many good open source tools.The problem isn’t the lack of tools, it’s the lack of visibility. From ERPs like ERPNext to data tools like KoBoToolbox, open source options exist. But without a central hub or discovery platform, often very difficult to find out about it.

4. Only tech giants can build good software Not true, federated nonprofits and development networks have built powerful tools from the ground up. For example, KoBoToolbox was developed by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative and is now used by UN agencies and grassroots organizations all over the world.

5. ‘It’s not for small organisations.”Open source is highly scalable, whether you’re managing a rural school or coordinating relief across regions. The beauty is in its flexibility: you can start small, tweak it to fit your needs, and grow over time without vendor lock-ins or high licensing costs.

6. Real-World Impact: A Quick Glimpse Open source tools are already powering change on the ground, helping nonprofits coordinate teams, manage resources, and reach remote communities. From streamlining operations to saving costs, these tools are making tech more accessible and mission-aligned.Few tools which have been game-changers in the social sector are KoboToolbox, Pattic, Samaaja ERPnext. In future editions, we’ll introduce specific open source tools and how nonprofits use them. 

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