Here's a short tale of open source throughout times! From sewing machines in the 1800s (yes, you read that right!) to the creation of Docker in 2013, open source has had quite a vibrant history. Let's dive into some facts of its evolution.
From sewing machines to shared knowledge
First instances of open source sharing wasn't related to software at all! It was in the 1800s when the sewing machine was invented, and the manufacturers shared their designs with each other to improve the technology. In 1911, revolutionary automaker Henry Ford was instrumental in launching the Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association. This association launched an open source initiative that witnessed major US auto manufacturers sharing technology patents openly without seeking any monetary benefits in return.
The browser boom and the birth of Mozilla
A gem fro 1998; Netscape tossed its browser source code into the world. The outcome? The Mozilla project, which, in time, blessed us with the Firefox browser.
Android takes the stage
In 2005, Google played a wild card by releasing the Android OS as open source. Today? It dominates the mobile world.
Web servers and Apache's reign
Dive into web server stats, and the Apache HTTP Server tops the list. Started in 1995, and it still rules the roost together with Nginx.
An office for all
Year 2000. Enter Open Office's source code. A worthy contender to Microsoft Office -and entirely free.
Licensing landmarks with GPL
Remember the GNU General Public License (GPL) drafted in 1989? Oh, that was a game-changer for open source! It's now the go-to license for countless free software projects.
Docker's disruption
The launch of the Docker containerization platform in 2013 rewrote how software gets crafted, checked, and channeled.
Fortune 500's Open Source Love
Today over 99% of Fortune 500 giants swear by open source. It is viewed as the superior alternative offering higher quality, better support, and more flexibility.
The unstoppable tech force
Gone are the days when open source was just a geeky sideline. Now, it's the go-to for quality, support, and flexibility. 65% of companies using it give back by contributing to projects. Devs are dedicating years to software (even without a paycheck!), all thanks to the open-source ethos of community and collaboration.
It's an exciting world out there in the open source domain. Dive into some of these sources to feed your curiosity further:
The 9 most important events in open source history
Pivotal moments in open source history
7 interesting facts about open source
History of free and open source software
Hope this trip down memory lane added a byte (or two) to your tech knowledge! Stay curious and keep coding!
