The community centered around Opensource.com is hard at work on something new. Visitors to the platform may have noticed a distinct quietness settling over the site recently, signaling that a transition is underway. While specific details regarding the upcoming project remain under wraps for the time being, there is already plenty to discuss as the platform looks toward its next evolution. There is arguably no better way to frame this monumental shift than by examining the very fabric of the internet itself, and how communities have historically organized across digital spaces.
The Internet, and Top-Level Domains
To understand where the platform is heading, it helps to look at the foundational architecture of the digital world. Many people know that the internet is a vast, sprawling network. By definition, a network is simply a group of connections linked together. In fact, the term "internet" is a portmanteau combining "interconnected" and "network." Originally, the internet consisted of just two primary networks: the military network and the academic network.
As digital technology matured and the internet grew in popularity far beyond those initial specialized groups, it quickly became apparent that different designations were necessary. Society needed a way to instantly differentiate between a commercial entity, a charitable organization, a university, or a governmental department as users navigated the digital landscape.
These essential designations are formally known as top-level domains, or TLDs. While there are numerous extensions available today catering to every imaginable niche, for a long time there were only a handful of original options. These original TLDs remain remarkably popular and culturally embedded in how we browse the web. Most internet users intuitively understand that when they visit a .com address, they are navigating to a commercial site, whereas visiting a .org address typically points toward a non-profit organization or public interest website.
Open Source Is a Network
This structural division of the web brings into sharp focus the unique nature of open source. Open source can embody many different things depending on the context. It can be commercial, it can be non-profit, it can be academic, or it can be entirely cultural. No matter what form it ultimately takes, however, open source is fundamentally a network.
Sometimes, this network is literally composed of computers and servers communicating across protocols. Most importantly, however, it is a network of people. Whether individuals are gathering in person at a bustling global conference, catching up at a local pub, or collaborating asynchronously in an online chat room, the open source movement is, at its core, a vibrant community of human beings working toward shared goals.
For the past twelve years, the website Opensource.com has been supported by a commercial entity. Yet, the people—the individuals like you and me—who truly make up the beating heart of the Opensource.com community are not commercial entities. We are people. We are contributors, writers, advocates, and users who believe in the power of open collaboration, shared knowledge, and collective innovation.
In just one month, Opensource.com is going to resolve that fundamental mismatch. Stay tuned for what comes next as the community steps forward into its next chapter.
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