The global open source community is currently hard at work behind the scenes on something entirely new. Visitors to Opensource.com may have recently noticed a distinct quietness across the platform’s digital pages. That temporary lull is due to an exciting new project currently in the works. While specific details and formal feature rollouts are not yet ready for public announcement, there is already plenty to discuss regarding the future of the platform and the broader movement it represents. What better way to start examining this upcoming transition than by looking at the very foundation of digital communication: the entire internet itself.
The Internet, and Top-Level Domains
To understand where the open source community is heading, it is helpful to look back at how modern digital infrastructure came to be. Most internet users know that the internet is fundamentally a network. By definition, a network is a group of interconnected connections. In fact, the term "internet" is a portmanteau combining "interconnected" and "network."
Historically, the internet began as a network of interconnected networks that originally consisted of just two primary entities: a military network and an academic network. These early iterations served specialized groups with rigorous security and research objectives. However, once the internet gained popularity and expanded far beyond those initial military and academic boundaries, it quickly became apparent that different designations were urgently needed. System administrators and early architects needed ways to clearly differentiate, for instance, a commercial business entity from a charitable organization, a university from a governmental department, or a personal project from an international institution.
These vital designations are formally known as top-level domains, commonly abbreviated as TLDs. Today, there are countless TLD options available to domain buyers, ranging from niche industry extensions to geographic markers. For a very long time, however, there were only a handful of foundational TLDs guiding web traffic.
Those original top-level domains remain remarkably popular and culturally embedded in the architecture of the web. Most internet users instinctively recognize that when navigating to an address ending in .com, they are visiting a commercial site, whereas visiting an address ending in .org typically directs them to a non-profit organization. These extensions serve as immediate trust signals and categorical markers, helping users understand the underlying nature and governance of the entity behind the screen.
Open Source Is a Network
Just as the internet relies on infrastructure and connectivity to function, open source as a global movement can manifest in many different ways. It can be commercial, built around enterprise-grade software products and paid support contracts. It can be non-profit, driven by foundations dedicated to preserving software freedoms. It can be academic, emerging from university research labs and computer science departments. It can also be cultural, shaping how creators share art, documentation, and collaborative ideas.
No matter what form it takes, however, 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 individuals are gathering in person at a massive international conference, chatting over drinks at a local pub, or collaborating in an online chat room, open source is first and foremost a community of human beings working toward shared goals. Technology provides the tools, but human passion, cooperation, and shared values provide the momentum.
For the past twelve years, the website Opensource.com has been proudly supported by a commercial entity, providing a dedicated digital home for stories, insights, and advocacy regarding open source software and culture. Yet, the people—referring directly to the readers, contributors, advocates, and community members who make up the vibrant Opensource.com community—are not commercial entities. They are human beings.
The digital spaces and platforms that serve this community must accurately reflect the human network at its core. Addressing this alignment is the driving force behind the quiet period and the development currently underway.
In just one month, Opensource.com is going to resolve that long-standing alignment and bring this new vision to light. Community members, contributors, and open source advocates are encouraged to stay tuned for further updates as the launch date approaches.
Opensource.com has long published stories about creating, adopting, and sharing open source solutions, chronicling how collaborative development changes the world. Those interested in following the latest developments and ongoing announcements can follow the platform on Twitter at @opensourceway.
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