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Ep. 03
The discussion dives into the world of open source software, particularly content management systems (CMS), and their impact on government websites. Open source software operates like a “community garden,” where the code is accessible for anyone to use, modify, and improve, leading to benefits like transparency, flexibility, and cost-efficiency.
Governments, such as Germany, have embraced open-source systems like Typo3 for their digital infrastructure, motivated by campaigns like Public Money, Public Code, which advocate for software funded by taxpayers to be accessible to everyone. This move enhances transparency but requires constant updates and security checks to maintain safety. Alarming statistics show that nearly 30% of websites run outdated CMS versions, leaving them vulnerable to cyber threats.
CMS Garden, an open-source advocate, has been involved in advising governments and leading projects like Follow the Money, which tracks the software used by governments and its associated costs and security vulnerabilities. Their detective-like approach uses platforms like Wikidata and versionmanager.io to assess and analyze government websites. They found that 70% of government websites use open-source CMS, though many still run outdated versions.
Beyond governments, the conversation explores the importance of contributing back to open-source communities, highlighting the WordPress ecosystem’s tension between WordPress.org and companies like WP Engine that benefit from open source but don’t contribute equally. The episode concludes by emphasizing that everyone can support open-source projects, whether by contributing code, improving documentation, or simply advocating for its benefits. Open source offers a promising future of collaboration and equity across various sectors, raising questions about its potential applications in healthcare, education, and beyond.