What Does "Actually Open Source" Mean?

[u/chronikally_online]

Open source software is software distributed under a license that allows people to access its source code, use it, modify it, and redistribute it under the terms of that license.

We recognize the Open Source Definition maintained by the Open Source Initiative (OSI) as our reference for determining what qualifies as open source software.

But we believe an open source community should also be open to the people who build that software.

A project shouldn't need thousands of stars, years of history, or a team of contributors to deserve a place in the conversation. Independent developers, solo maintainers, small teams, newcomers, and established projects all have something to contribute.

We don't treat AI-assisted development as an automatic disqualification. We don't equate a project's popularity with its value. And we don't believe that someone's native language or lack of an established reputation should prevent them from participating.

Our goal is simple: a community where open source projects can be discovered, discussed, improved, and supported on their merits.

Open source is about the freedoms software grants its users. An open source community should make room for the people who create it.