Open-source software is a cornerstone of modern tech infrastructure, yet its sustainability is often precarious.

In this episode of Data (R)evolution, Josep Prat and Floor Drees join host Francesco Tisiot to dive into the critical need for sustainable open-source. They emphasize the importance of supporting open-source projects to ensure their stability in the linguistic challenges around the word "free" in open source, and they share real-world threats, such as a recent attack on the XZ package. Tune in to learn about the evolving landscape of open source, its challenges, and how we can all contribute to its future security and viability.

Key Takeaways:

1. Ensure the sustainability of open source projects by encouraging multiple contributors and reducing dependency on a single maintainer
2. Companies should use open source for financial benefits and actively contribute code, time, and resources to these projects
3. Evaluating the health of open-source projects involves a combination of numerical data, public information, and community understanding

Resources:

• Watch the full interview on our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Aiven_io
• Check out our website for more information: https://aiven.io/
• Check out Aiven AI Database Optimizer 
• Want to be on our mailing list? Sign up here: https://aiven.io/resources
• Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aiven/
• Sign up for our newsletter for more insights on this topic: https://aiven.io/newsletter
• Connect with Josep Prat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlprat/?originalSubdomain=de
• Connect with Floor Drees on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/floordrees/

Timestamps:

[05:59] Open source promotes transparency; closed source doesn't.
[13:30] JavaScript ecosystem heavily reliant on single maintainers.
[22:42] Encourage open source support from corporations.
[26:11] It’s critical to choose sustainable projects and contribute to open source.
[31:07] EU framework law responds to open source security.
[34:36] How to ensure open source sustainability for community benefit.