I've recently been considering the many aspects of the free and open source 'movement' (for lack of a better word) that mesh well with the Catholic worldview.
I wrote a somewhat fanciful piece on FOSS projects being like the cathedrals of our age: long-standing projects, taking generations of builders, built for the good of the community. (
https://www.linen.dev/d/university-of-st-hildegard-of-bingen)
That got me thinking further, about how FOSS projects are a service to the poor. As cathedrals offer a place of beauty and inspiration to everyone, regardless of income level, so open source projects offer tools and resources that can be used by all.
And going a step further: these projects are usually built in the open, with publicly available documentation on how to contribute, and usually even the capability to view the process of improvements being incorporated into the project. Thus allowing for an educational opportunity open for any who have the desire to learn, again, free of direct cost.
The final thought this prompted, is how FOSS projects build community. While it may start as the work of a single person (and of course the vast majority of projects stay that way), it has the potential to grow into the work of a community, with all the difficulty and opportunity for growth that entails.
I'd love to work this into a longer paper some day, though a good library would be essential for the research. But there's definitely something here.
