-Open source is amongst the most important developments in the history of the internet. It refers to: "any program whose source code is made available for use or modification as users or other developers see fit… Open source software is usually developed as a public collaboration and made freely available."
-This means that the advanced functionality of programs that were previously accessible only to large organizations with giant R and D budgets can now be implemented by a clever freelancer.
-There are a variety of social norms and laws governing the ways in which open source code can and cannot be used.