Sustain: Episode 9: The Trade-Offs of Using Open Source with Lou Huang

SustainOSS 9/14/19 - Episode Page

Show Notes

Episode Summary

The panel interviews Lou Huang, who has a background in architecture and urban planning. Lou built an opensource app called Streetmix and uses it to help the panel understand opensource projects from a user's perspective. Lou starts by sharing his background, how he got into opensource and his work making Streetmix sustainable.

Lou then explains that most Streetmix users are urban planners and don’t care if it is opensource or not. The panel weighs the trades offs of choosing an opensource project versus a non-opensource project.

Considering the benefits of using an opensource product, the panel discusses the effect opensource has on developers learning from opensource code. Convenience is mentioned and the panel touches on how seeing the code can ensure that your information stays private.

The trade-offs of using opensource are discussed by the panel. They also discuss how trade-offs are getting fewer. These trade-offs include extra time and the risk of the project not being maintainable.

The panel discusses what the word sustainability means and Lou references the Sustainability three-legged stool. The panel considers the three legs of the stool, economic, social and environmental.

How to raise awareness and funding for sustainable software. The panel also discusses why and how non-technical users of opensource products can contribute to sustaining software that they love.

Panelists

Eric Berry

Richard Littauer

Guest

Lou Huang