Hello everyone, it's a great honor to stand here and share my topic with you. Firstly, I'd like to ask you all to guess what I'll be talking about today.
(In English)
Initially, I intended to address the issue of wasteful electricity consumption and its environmental impact. However, assuming this topic might not resonate with everyone, I've decided to pivot to an alternative subject.
Lately I have been deeply attracted by open-source software. I think it has some characteristics of communism.Generally speaking, my speech today has four parts.
Let's begin!
First: The Hook: "The $0 Operating System That Powers the World"
Have you ever used a phone?
Have you ever surfed the internet?
Did you know that ALMOST 90% of the servers you rely on are running on the FREE, OPEN-SOURCE operating system, Linux?
The system of almost every phone is Android, which is based on the Linux kernel.
Furthermore, did you know that ALMOST 70% of the servers you rely on are running on the FREE, OPEN-SOURCE operating system, Linux?
What is Linux?
A free, open-source, and community-driven operating system that powers the world.
The Core Idea: Freedom
- Open Source: Anyone can view, use, and contribute to its code.
 
- Free: Most distributions are free of cost.
 
Where is it
"Many people think of Linux as a niche technical tool, but the reality is, it's the invisible foundation of our digital world. It's everywhere, powering everything from the vast internet to the devices in our pockets. Let me show you what I mean."
- 
🌐 The Internet:
- "Look at the internet. Over 70% of all web servers run on Linux. What this means is that virtually every website you visit is most likely delivered to you by a machine running Linux. It's the bedrock of the online experience."
 
 
- 
📱 Android:
- "Now, think about your phone. Android is the world's most popular mobile OS, and it's built directly on top of the Linux kernel. So, if you use an Android phone, you are using a Linux-based system every single day. "
 
 
- 
💻 The Cloud:
- "Moving to the cloud. Linux powers the vast majority of cloud infrastructure. Whether it's Amazon AWS, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure, the cloud, quite literally, runs on Linux. It's the engine of the modern digital economy."
 
 
- 
🖥️ Supercomputers:
- "For the most demanding tasks.
When scientists need to tackle the world's biggest problems—like
climate modeling or genetic research—they turn to supercomputers. And
nearly all of them run on Linux, proving its unmatched power and reliability ."
 
 
- 
🔧 Your Car & Smart Devices:
- "And it's even closer to home.
Linux is embedded in the technology all around us: in our cars, our
home routers, and our smart gadgets. This shows its incredible versatility and adaptability ."
 
 
"So, from the global scale of the internet and the cloud, down to the personal devices we interact with constantly, Linux is the silent, stable, and powerful force that makes it all work. It truly is the unsung hero of our connected world."
So for the normal person, what is the meaning of Open-Source?
- Security: The source code is open for inspection by anyone, which allows vulnerabilities to be found and fixed quickly by the global community.
 
- Reliability & Quality: Peer review by a large number of developers often leads to more stable, efficient, and high-quality software.
 
- Flexibility & Customization: Users have the freedom to modify the code to fit their specific needs and requirements.
 
- Active Community Support: Vibrant communities provide free support, documentation, tutorials, and continuous improvement.
 
Well, there are always some disadvantage, such as:
- Lack of Official Support: While community support is available, there may be no formal support service or guaranteed response time, which can be a risk for businesses.
 
- Complexity & Usability: Some open-source software may have a steeper learning curve and less polished user interface compared to commercial products.
 
- Potential Security Risks: While transparency aids security, it also means hackers can equally study the code to find vulnerabilities before they are patched.
 
But honestly, these downsides aren't a big deal. That's because we have a global community of dedicated open-source developers who are driven by passion and a spirit of collaboration.
But generally speaking, the most compelling aspect of the open-source model is its profound spirit of contribution. Countless developers, driven by pure passion and altruism, dedicate their talents and valuable time without monetary reward. They collaborate to build powerful software, motivated not by profit, but by the belief that through selfless sharing, they can make the world of technology better for everyone.
What is Open Source?
Beyond "Free as in Beer"
Open-source software is the closest thing we have to the communist ideal in the digital age.
Abolition of Private Property:
Source code is the "means of production," rendered public property by its license.
From Each According to Ability:
Developers contribute voluntarily, following their own interests and skills.
To Each According to Need:
Any open-source software is free for any person to use for any need.
You can see them commit their latest changes, as recently as 2 days ago, not for profit, but for passion.
You can see thousands of individuals, bound by a shared passion, converge into a single force.
Finally, I'd like to end with an emphatic sentence:
It is their dedication and selfless sharing that makes the open-source truly strong, has allowed me to truly appreciate the charm of open source.