How has open source changed your life?

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How has open source changed your life?
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Opensource.com

170 votes tallied
I created something of value
16% (28 votes)
I'm more open to sharing ideas and opinions
18% (31 votes)
It renewed my faith in humanity
12% (21 votes)
I learned a new skill
18% (30 votes)
Other (add to the comments)
35% (60 votes)

How has contributing to open source enriched your life?

What has open source changed about you? Did you create something that is valuable to you and others? Maybe you met new people or learned a new skill that you can apply to your job or your next project?

Tell us how being part of an open source project or being involved in an open source community has enhanced you life.

Colin Dodd
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Colin Dodd is a writer at Red Hat.
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4 Comments

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Jam'aan Al-Zahrani | January 10, 2012
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Opensource technologies give me freedom. Yes I was a prisoner of property technologies for many years, to a point where I think I have no other options but to buy these pieces of software. Open source gives me the optionality, or free of choice, that every computer user should have. In my country, Saudi Arabia, the awareness of open source is getting more and more attention but not in the required level that every open source enthusiastic is hoping for.

I'm a Junior student at King Fahad University (KFUPM) and I gave three presentations in different terms about the open source technologies and I can see the opportunity to adopt open source way in the students live. This is my goal before graduation.

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Drew Kwashnak | January 10, 2012
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One thing I have benefited from with open source is the ability to try out technologies I otherwise would not have, or have been able to, without having to pony up money which I don't really have.

Not to mention, the documentation and community makes learning (and poking) in these technology not feel like you are on a wire without a net!

I have also used open source to provide computer systems to people that would otherwise not be able to afford a new one with a proprietary system AND software AND anti-virus.

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Pablo Hess | January 13, 2012
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Open Source has indeed changed my professional life -- and I'm not overstating it.

After first meeting it at the university as a Biology undergrad, Open Source attracted my attention so much that I actually changed my career to IT *after* graduating, and since then I've been working solely in IT, completely focused on Open Source.

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Jason Hibbets | February 27, 2012
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Thanks for commenting everyone. We've written a follow-up post to this poll. See our analysis:

Open source empowers me | https://opensource.com/life/12/2/open-source-empowers-me

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