Why did I become an open-source enthusiast?
Firstly, I got my first computer when I was 10 years old. I played many games and watched animal videos on YouTube. When I was in grade 10, I found a Sri Lankan YouTube channel called Hacking.lk which featured hacking-related content. I became curious about hacking and installed Kali Linux to try many things I learned from those videos. However, it was limited as I had to focus on my schoolwork. During high school, I studied IT and had the chance to work with LibreOffice for the first time. I still use LibreOffice for academics, and I also learned about the disadvantages of using cracked software. I will discuss these disadvantages in my next article.
Let's dive into the main reasons why I use open-source software. Firstly, it's free. Open-source software doesn't cost anything, which is cool. As a Sri Lankan student, I cannot personally afford to pay subscriptions or any payment for software that I need to use daily due to my financial background. This is my main reason.
Secondly, we can trust open-source software because most of it is community-driven. It has communities all around the world, and the source code is available to anyone. When compared to closed software, we know they provide better software, but we do not know how they choose our personal details for marketing, etc. I know most of us never read terms and conditions in particular software; we just click click click... I know that, but it is not a good practice.
Thirdly, the community is one reason I love open-source software. If you have a particular issue with your software, you can fix it easily by collaborating with the community. The community will help you to fix it, and you can learn more new things from them.
Fourthly, there are many free alternative software options available for all of our work. For instance, if you are a video editor, most of you are using Adobe products. I am not saying that these software options are not good; they are excellent if you use them legally. But if you are using cracked versions, you can use open-source software like Blender. The first step is to search on the internet, and you can find whatever you want in open-source.
If you are using cracked software, just think about how developers developed that software, their time, and sacrifice. We have to give credit to them. If they had not developed that software, how would you use it? How would you get money from your project? Just think about doing your best to value the developers.
This is what I want to say. Thank you for your time reading this. This is my first article, and I'll continue it.
In conclusion, my journey as an open-source enthusiast started with my curiosity about hacking and exploring Kali Linux. I discovered the advantages of using open-source software, including its cost-effectiveness, trustworthiness, supportive community, and the availability of free alternatives. It is crucial to appreciate and give credit to the developers who sacrifice their time and effort to develop these software options. As a Sri Lankan student with limited financial resources, open-source software has been a game-changer for me. I encourage others to explore these options and support the open-source community.