ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Open-source software movement

Have you ever heard of a secret recipe that someone keeps to themselves and doesn’t want to share with anyone? Well, some people believe that sharing is caring, especially when it comes to computer programs. Open-source software is a movement where people create computer programs and share them with others for free.

Imagine that you really like to color and make pictures, but you don’t have any crayons. One day, your friend brings over a big box of crayons and shares them with you. You can use any crayon you want to make your pictures, and your friend can use any crayon they want too. This is just like open-source software! People make computer programs and share them with others, so everyone can use them.

The open-source software movement is all about sharing and helping others. These computer programs are often created by groups of people who all work together to make something cool. And because everyone can see the code (the secret instructions that make the program run), anyone can help fix any problems with the program or make it even better.

Sometimes, people use open-source software to create things that are really important, like programs that help doctors diagnose diseases or programs that control robots exploring space. Without open-source software, it would be much harder to make these important tools.

So, the open-source software movement is all about sharing and helping others by creating computer programs that anyone can use for free!