The global open source community is hard at work on something new. Visitors to Opensource.com may have noticed that things have been uncharacteristically quiet on the platform lately, but that temporary lull is due to an ambitious new project currently in the works. While specific details regarding the upcoming initiative are still under wraps and not yet ready for public announcement, there is already plenty to talk about regarding the future of the platform and the philosophy driving its next chapter. And what better way to start a conversation about networks, collaboration, and digital identity than by looking at the entire internet itself?
The Internet, and Top-Level Domains
To understand where the community is heading, it is helpful to look at where the infrastructure of the digital world began. The internet, at its core, is a network. By definition, a network is a group of interconnected connections, which is why the very word "internet" is a portmanteau combining "interconnected" and "network."
Originally, the internet was a relatively small network consisting of just two primary components: the military network and the academic network. These early participants shared a common purpose and a tightly controlled environment. However, once the internet began to gain popularity outside of those two specialized groups, it quickly became apparent that different designations were desperately needed. As the user base expanded, society required a system to clearly differentiate between various types of entities—such as distinguishing a commercial enterprise from a charitable organization, a university from a governmental department, or an individual creator from a corporate body.
These vital designations are known as top-level domains, commonly abbreviated as TLDs. Today, there is a vast and diverse marketplace of TLD extensions available to website creators, but for a long time, the digital landscape was populated by only a handful of foundational options. These original TLDs remain exceptionally popular and deeply embedded in the cultural lexicon of the web. Most internet users know instinctively that when they navigate to a web address ending in a .com extension, they are visiting a commercial site. Conversely, when they visit an address ending in .org, they understand they are accessing a non-profit organization’s website. These suffixes have historically served as digital signposts, signaling the fundamental nature and intent of the entity behind the screen.
Open Source is a Network
Yet, open source resists easy categorization. Open source can be many things simultaneously. It can be commercial, generating revenue and powering enterprise software. It can be non-profit, driven by foundations dedicated to the public good. It can be academic, serving as the bedrock for university research and scientific discovery. It can be cultural, shaping how artists, writers, and creators share their work with the world.
Regardless of the form it takes, or the specific industry it serves, open source is always a network. Sometimes—though certainly not always—that network is composed of physical computers, servers, and repositories sharing code across continents. But most importantly and fundamentally, open source is a network of people.
Whether these individuals are gathering in person at a massive international conference, chatting casually at a local pub during a meetup, or collaborating synchronously and asynchronously in an online chat room, open source is, at its heart, a community of human beings.
For twelve years, the website Opensource.com has been proudly supported by a commercial entity, providing a dedicated space for articles, stories, and discussions about the open source way of life. But the people—meaning the community members, readers, contributors, advocates, and enthusiasts, or simply put, you and me—who make up the heartbeat of the Opensource.com community are not commercial entities. We are people.
Now, after more than a decade of publishing stories about creating, adopting, and sharing open source solutions, the platform is preparing for a significant transition. In exactly one month, Opensource.com is going to resolve that long-standing structural mismatch and embark on its next chapter. Stay tuned for further developments as the community’s new project comes to light.
