Open source software was the topic of the second part of this weeks material (the third part being word clouds). I had heard of open source software before but didn't really know what it meant and I don't think I would have ever known had Stephen Fry's elegant British accent not informed me. Open source software is software where the source code is not locked, rather open. People can not only see the original programmers' source code but they can also modify it. The GNU and Linux duo set out to provide an open source option to people because the creators felt it a right for the people to have an option that can be altered to fit their specific needs.
Open Source software can be relevant to telecommunications and film production. Editing Software can be very demanding on a computer and Composing software even more so. Being able to customize a computer to suite these specific needs might be beneficial in these circumstances. I could see how a large production company would be interested in this because it gives them versatility. All people using their computers would have a custom layout designed to fit that companies needs. All editing bays would be set up for editing, all pro-tools stations would be for composing, Autodesk Maya stations for 3d modeling and animation, etc.
http://www.b-independent.com/production/foss1.htm
The article I've attached talks about how open source software is redefining the roles in the movie industry. Within the last few years affordable programs have come out on the market that allow pretty much anyone to perform basic editing and post production tasks. The article talks about how people are using open source software to optimize their needs and streamline their work environment. It gives the example of Firefox's email service Thunderbird as an open source program that is completely free off of the internet.
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