With our mobile phones rapidly becoming an extension of our self (physically and metaphorically) rather than just a device to interact, why would we want to limit ourselves to prepackaged, predefined, limited software. Why shouldn’t we make our new extension of self just as individual and able to adapt to change as we are?
Whilst many of us may be used to accepting things as they come and simply ticking the boxes to terms and conditions set in stone it might be time to open our eyes. The world of open source software and applications is ever expanding and bursting at the seams with infinite potential. What does this mean to you? As I have recently uncovered thanks to Ted technology should not always be judged by the choices it gives us, but sometimes the lack there of. Let’s take a brief look at open vs closed sources in the Venn Diagram I have created below.
For me, this brought to mind Instagram and Tumblr and the way you can use your profile to share images. Obviously I understand Tumblr is not a completely open source platform however, the actual blogs on this platform are. Below I have shared my main Tumblr blog and my Instagram profile.
My Instagram account, which is limited to one profile is set in stone. I upload photos and Instagram fits them into their template which I am simply using, there is no creative freedom or sense of ownership. I can edit my name and bio so long as it fits their standards and character limits. My photos must even fit into their frames. My Tumblr blog however is one of four that I manage within the one account. I use my own domain and have edited a code (with the help of many forums) over the course of about a year so my page looks exactly as I want it to. Not to mention all the extensions created by other Tumblr users that I have added to help me do all this. I control everything from the colours to whether on not the page scrolls and how spaced apart my images are. I feel a great sense of pride when it comes to my blog as it is an extension of myself. With Instagram, I feel a sense of ownership and pride with the photos I share but not necessarily my profile page, after all it is exactly the same as the other 600 million users.
Open source software demonstrates perfected the notion that the medium is the message. This time, you create the message. You create the medium. It’s all your choices. Open source software is the way of the future and it won’t be slowing it’s expansion anytime soon. Why should it.
Britt Diaries 
Great blog post Brittany. I like the pun used for the title of the blog I thought that was very clever. The rhetorical questions used in the opening paragraph and throughout were effective in sparking a genuine interest towards the topic and creating a need for me to continue reading to find out more. The charts you have created are clear and easy to understanding informing your readers of the components of the two different sources being explained in the post, and the successful use of real-life examples made it relatable and created a further understanding, you looked not only at examples of open and close source companies and softwares but at something relatable to you bringing it to a more personal level. The photo at the end ties in well with the text and is humorous.
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Thank-you so much for this!
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Hey Brittany,
I loved the blog, especially the title. Your explanation on the open and closed sources was well researched. The hyperlinks, the memes were great. The Instagram example which you have given was excellent to support your case.Throughout your blog, you made it very engaging making your article enjoyable to read.
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Thank-you so much!
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The Diagram so sooo helpful! it really created a simple overview of both open and closed sources and ties in nicely with the rest of the post. Your blog posts always provide heaps of hyperlinks so I can learn more and become as involved in the content as I like. The way you described Instagram and related it to how you engage with the source was really detailed and written in an interesting way. Good job, look forward to reading more from you.
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Thankyou! I’m glad I could help 🙂
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Hey Brittany – firstly, your post is on point! You’ve done a really good job to discuss open and closed source material. Your use of different English techniques – such as rhetoric questions both in the opening and throughout. You’ve created a very easy and comprehensive blog post that has shown your understanding of the subject matter is quite broad. Your usage of links throughout the article also gives the reader a very easy to navigate article. Further, your inclusion of Instagram and Tumblr as open source is genius. I never thought of it. Excellent work and I look forward to reading more from you.
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Wow, thank-you so very much!!
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Hey, I really like how you used the info from the lecture about how open and closed sources overlap and can different from one another when juxtaposed with examples like instagram and tumblr. I had no idea these where so opposite! Maybe I should check out tumblr one day. It was a lot of reading for a blog post but you kept most things concise. Maybe I’m just used to relying on TL;DR’s
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